VANUATU

LAT 17.44.3. S  LON 168.26.8. E                               (from1.7.13 until 15.7.13)             

After a week or two in one place with Zefiro we usually look forward to the next adventure. I had seen and experienced what I wanted to see in New Caledonia and had a fair picture about the culture and the people. Now my explorer heart was eager to move on, set sails again and see new shores. The weather forecast for the 330 miles to Port Vila, the Capital of Vanuatu was very favourable and therefore on Saturday at 18.00 we hoisted our sails at Noumea and plotted our course NNE.

33 hours later at 03.00 Monday morning during a "cats and dogs" tropical rain shower we lowered our anchor in the wide and protected bay of Port Vila and caught up with sleep until about 09.00 am when it was time to clear in with customs and immigration offices. The fresh trade wind had been ideal and we were able to sail very fast at wind angles between 60 and 80 degrees apparent. It was one of our best and most comfortable sailing trips since we left New Zealand.

Port Vila anchorage

Market at Port Vila

Charts are all incorrect, therefore a challenging navigation

    

Originally we wanted to make an intermediate stop at Tanna, one of the more southerly islands of Vanuatu to view the active Vulcano at Mount Yasur. Instead we abandoned the plan due to the lack of safe anchorages at Tanna with its big swells, many reefs and too shallow waters for our 4 m draft. Instead I flew to Tanna with a regular aircraft at noon time the next day with a group of other interested Tourists and drove with a tour guide two hours to Mt. Yasur to see the spectacle in the evening. The Vulcano erupts every few minutes with such a force that the earth around trembles and big rocks shoot up in the air with masses of Lava 3.000 degrees hot. The whooshing and roaring noise gives you an eerie feeling. One feels it comes from deep down inside mother earth. Our group left deeply thoughtful and impressed. We returned the next day to Port Vila.

Vulcano at Mount Yasur on Island of Tanna

Moon landscape with ash und Sulphur smell near Vulcano photo

  

Treehouse on Tanna

Back at the Capital Port Vila I explored the city during the next couple of days visiting museums and galeries. In fact I bought three paintings from the well-known local artist Lovo Mozez Jobo.

Painter Lovo Mozez Lobo

Sandroing famous in Vanuatu

 Sandroing 

The next stop was Lamen Bay at the Island of Epi, 80 miles north from Port Vila. Here we spent Saturday and Sunday and had a good insight how the people lived. On Saturday we watched a football match between Lamen Bay and Lamen Island and we witnessed the same passion for the sport like in our world. On Sunday our two Christian crewmembers Moses and Zaw together with me attended church, which took place open air. The people in their best dresses were sitting all spread around on the lawns in beautiful weather listening to the priest and the elders preaching and singing church songs. It was just as described in the Bibel. Afterwards there was Sunday school where all children attended. Church would take about two hours and the whole event including Sunday school lasted for about 5 hours. After church the elders wanted to know where we were from and why we were here. The village population was very friendly and communicative. They spoke English well.

Soccer game

 Ladies resting

Attending church

Soon we were off to the next Island Ambrym only 45 miles away with another Vulcano. The village Ranon is famous for the unique ROM dance but we had to climb up half way to the Vulcano to a very basic place where only men are allowed. Against a fee a group of men performed their dance with archaic movements and songs. Three of the participants wore costumes made mostly of Banana leaves which are reportedly very expensive. They cost at least 3 or 4 pigs. Pigs are a sign of wealth and whoever can afford to donate them is considered rich and of high esteem. Here I also bought a traditional mask made of Rosewood, which I had to send via courier to Cyprus because on the arrival in our next country Australia the authorities would confiscate anything made of wood from Vanuatu for fear of imported diseases.

Pig still alive, not sure transported for sale or to be slaughtered

Rosewood Mask of Vanuatu

Rom dancers

  Rom dancers; left and right expensive dance costumes

With dance chief

In the morning of 8th July we continued our voyage to the Island of Pentecost with its impenetrable jungle and the famous air diving spectacles. Young people in a manhood entering ritual jump from wood made towers up to 30 m high with only liana vines attached to their ankles. The yearly event takes place in May and June during the harvest season when cruise ships arrive here to witness the attraction. In 1974 when Queen Elizabeth II visited the show a jumper broke his neck and died later and the only other time was in 2006 when an accident happened leaving a jumper paralyzed. We arrived of course in July when the jumps don't take place. Nevertheless against a fee Luke Fargo the village elder organized a young boy to climb up the tower and explained us the story.

 Land diver

Pentecote Tower

Pentecote Tower

 

 Land diver

 Kava brewing for the evening Kava Bar

The next day another island was waiting for us, the 45 miles distant Ambae. Again volcanic and known for the boiling crater lakes. They are so dangerous that even two Canadian scientists building a volcanic research and visitors centre in the small town of Lonokai during their 6 months stay were not allowed to climb up to the Vulcano.

Finally the last Island to be visited was Luganville on Espiritu Santo. Here we anchored near a beautiful beach in front of a nice resort, opposite the town. Luganville is the second largest city of Vanuatu with 13.000 inhabitants whereas Port Vila has 44.000. The total population of Vanuatu is 256.000.

Our typical 14 days visit was over and we were excited to embark on our journey to Australia. Strong Trade winds from SE promising to last another week motivated us to raise our anchor on the 15th at noon time and the 1.300 mile journey was on.

The lasting memory about Vanuatu is that the people - especially in the rural areas - are leading a very simple life. In contrast one can see how modernisation starts in the capital Port Vila and to a certain extent in Luganville on Espiritu Santo. On the various Islands I was sometimes surprised how well people spoke english and so I communicated with them whenever it was feasible. I asked them would they not want to go abroad or at least work in Port Vila since here in the village life stood almost still. Some replied they worked sometimes for a while at Port Vila but didn't like  the hectic life and returned to the village where they had coconuts, pigs and chicken and all the vegetables and fruit they needed. They seemed to be satisfied with what they had. For the visitor not so visible though they live in strong hierarchical structures with many Tabus which - if broken - are severely punished. We were told not to enter certain areas which were Tabu. Two years ago two ambitious australian Reporters did not adhere to stay away from certain places. One got away the other one was killed. Only 40 years ago cannibalism was witnessed in Vanuatu but also on other Islands around the "Ring of Fire". Originally the Solomon Islands were on our itinerary as well however we heard many frightening stories as to severe begging and stealing in Auckland and other places so we skipped that country.

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