Farewell Vanuatu

Our final chapter in our Vanuatu adventure had us arrive in Asinvari Bay on Maewo Island. As the seas were calm we persevered tacking for 22 hours to get as far south and east as we could.
As we anchored Crazy Diamond, another yacht we had crossed from Panama to NZ two years ago with came out to let us know we were invited to a feast commemorating the 1 year anniversary of the death of the chief’s son---oh more lap lap!!!
We went ashore where Nixon the chief’s surviving son explained that the yacht club had been built by his father Chief Nelson many years ago and had become a hub for the yachties.
We were able to purchase beer as this is much closer to civilization than we had been for a while and enjoyed a “cold one” which helped wash down the stodgy lap lap and taro.
The next morning a canoe came by selling bread which was very welcome. We were not approached by any other canoes in this bay other than to greet us, a welcome relief from the north.
The bay is lovely with a white sandy beach—most beaches here are black volcanic sand—and a lovely waterfall which also allows us to have a fresh water shower. The bay is very calm and the swimming is delightful—Darlene who liked to swim for exercise would have loved it!!—Oh we heard on the morning “net” that Doug on Windcastle had flown with her to Vila and reported he had a great time---no secrets on SSB radios!!!—romance is in the air!!!
That evening we joined the other 4 yachts which had arrived for a restaurant meal in the yacht club. This turned out to be a western meal as Nixon had worked as a chef in Luganville and luckily one of the yachties had caught a fish on the way in so along with freshwater prawns supplemented the somewhat tough but tasty chicken.
The next morning Nixon took us for a couple of hours walk to a village up the hill.
On the way he showed us the various plants which could either be eaten or used to cure or cause illness. He also took us to the huge nutmeg trees where we collected nutmegs and will endeavour to dry them.
He explained that the last cannibals on the island were buried here in 1920. They had apparently killed and eaten a young boy from the village by the sea and served him to the child’s father in lap lap. When the father realised that it was his son he returned to his village and aided by other men killed the cannibals—at that stage the chief had declared there would be no more cannibalism again and they were buried rather than eaten.
We had also understood that Nixon’s brother had been killed by “black magic” a year ago. We asked what that meant and were told that the brother had been an island administrator and people were jealous of him. They believe that he was poisoned somehow by a local plant. He had died being transported to the hospital from Luganville to Vila on the plane.
The new administrator was subsequently killed within 3 months and some locals retaliated and killed 2 brothers they believed to have done the killings. They buried them at sea and nothing was reported to any authorities. One can only hope that that the brothers really were responsible—that this is still happening today adds to the exotic flavour of the Vanuatu culture.
The weather looked good for our passage to Ambrym for our next sailing sector so we sadly pulled up anchor at this idyllic bay.
Once again we lucked out and had a fast passage directly to Ambrym. We had arranged for Chief Massing to complete a tam tam he had been carving for us and we will somehow ship it back to Canada along with all of the other carvings and baskets we have collected—our place on Salt Spring is going to be very crowded!!
We went ashore to find he had told everyone we would come that day—he apparently took the casual promise to return about that date literally and it was ready for us. Thankfully it was not as big or heavy as we had dreaded and we will be able to afford the shipping!!
We stayed overnight but the season is getting later and we feel pressured to move on so in the morning pulled the anchor up. As we left he was waving from the shore which is something we have had happen before and reminds us how heartfelt and generous the welcome we have been offered is. It is very humbling and gives a pang of guilt that we can blithely drop in on their lives in our fancy sailboats and just leave when the mood takes us. We can take comfort from the fact they obviously love us coming and we do bring them items they would not have otherwise.
We had hoped to sail back into Pankumu Bay where our knives had been stolen through the porthole in the galley. The chiefs had said that they would do their best to get them for us if we returned and we felt that we should come back to make a point if nothing else. However the seas came up from the east and when we were 6 miles from the bay we decided that not only would the anchorage be untenable we may not even be able to land the dingy so we bore off back into Port Sandwich for the next night.
In the morning we left early with more strong winds and rough choppy seas and just as it looked as though we would make it all the way to the west side of Efate the wind dropped but the seas stayed uncomfortable and we took a break at Epie overnight. We made Havanah Harbour in yet more strong winds and seas the following day and were able to enjoy a snorkel in the calm provided by the reefs.
Finally the following day in another rocking rolling sail in 20-25 knots of wind and heavy seas we sailed at 9knots around the point into Port Vila.
We understand why the people of Vanuatu were never a sea faring or fishing nation. They were from the inland of the islands until the missionaries resettled a lot of them along the coast. However the seas and winds are strong and unlike Fiji have few reef protections.
As we sailed into the harbour we felt like it was “old home week” with many of the boats we have sailed with this season already here. Both Cloud 9—last seen in Mexico---and Cats Paw IV who we sailed from Vancouver with are here too.
The season is winding down and boats are coming to check out from here to continue on. Many will go as we will to New Caledonia for a month and then will either head to Australia or New Zealand for the cyclone season.
Happy hour on shore with Cats Paw and Doug on Windcastle was a treat as was the steak dinner we ordered.
The supermarket was mind boggling after so long without shopping choices, full of so many luxury things—we will stock up once again before leaving.
The next few days were spent updating ourselves on the internet and restocking for our passage to New Caledonia.
We also managed to call our family members which is always nice—we have not had the luxury often in Vanuatu. Aaron and Ashley announced they are pregnant –yet another grandchild –will make 9!!! We are happy for them and Ken is looking forward to meeting Grace in Feb when he will visit.
One sobering day reported the loss overboard of a US sailor from his boat off the south west coast of Malekula. He was apparently towing his dingy—not a good idea in these kind of waters—and was worried about it banging his boat. He then climbed into the dingy with no life jacket and no harness to his main boat when the dingy flipped trapping him underneath. The woman with him was totally inexperienced and threw him a life ring which he grabbed and then she never saw him again. She made her way back into the bay and alerted Ors on Better Than Shares who contacted the authorities and went out himself to search. The French conducted an air search but were hampered by the weather as were the vessels searching—3 metre waves and 30 knot winds. He has not been found at this stage and almost certainly perished—a lesson to all of us who tend to get blasé at times!!
We left Vila with a mass exodus to New Caledionia—the weather looked good so 6-8 boats all left together.
We sadly left Vanuatu with mixed feelings. This has been the place where we have been included in people’s lives more than anywhere we have been before and it has been an incredible experience---thank you the people of Vanuatu.