|
20:14.397S
169:46.271E
24.-26.
September 2015
Anatom, Vanuatu
We left Fiji
late September and had a very nice sail to New Caledonia
with one unplanned stop at the south most island of
Vanuatu,
Anatom.
The wind died and was forecasted to head us the
next day so we
changed course and dropped anchor as the sun set.
The one local somewhat official looking guy who
came out to meet
us, said it’s no problem to stay a few days.
Thought we only stayed for two days, we hugely
enjoyed this
layover.
The locals were very friendly and we were
anchored off a sandy
islet with an airstrip close by where the cruise ship people
get to stroll
around, snorkel in crystal clear water and enjoy sunsets on
the beach. On the
island itself, walking around the small village was a bit like
going back in
time.
In the river, the women washed their clothes by
hand, the
children splashed and played and gave us a curious eye.
|
Land in sight,
after 3 days and nights sailing. Anatom, Vanuatu.
|
As we shall learn
later, the locals call it Aneychum, meaningn "Land
of Plenty".
|
|
Little islet
with airstrip and well groomed paths (and two little
toilet houses!)
for the cruise
ship guests.
|
The locals
ashore don't
seem to take much notice of us…
We mainly
exchanged little nods and hand waves.
|
|
Felt a little bit
like going back in time a couple of hundred years.
|
If it wasn’t for
the Reggae music we heard a few times strolling
around. But kind of fits in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We bumped
into Roger ('the
dodger',
as he added himself) who had worked for many years
as a dive instructor in the capital Port Vila.
He turned out to carry a wealth of information about
cruise ships stories, the involvements of the peace
corps on the island, the mormons, the 7 day
adventists and muslims, Australian investors and
hurricane Pam, a
Canadian investor, being pursuit by a Russian with 2
wifes.
He either has
a very imaginative mind or the little laid back
island holds more stories than one would think.
He also
recommended a snorkel on the other side of the
airstrip islands - which turned out to be truly
lovely.
He wished he
was younger and single when the peace corps ladies
started coming, many find a local mate, marry and
take them home…
|
|
We also
learned about a pine trees initiative by Australian
Aid - the mountains used to be very barren, red
earth. They brought project to Anatom, locals
planting trees, paying them 900 xy (about 12 US)
for a long and hard day work.
But now, they've got a little
business exporting trees and for their own use for
good construction material.
|
Beautiful
little craft. And all man made and recyclable.
And Snoopy
the horse that pulls the logs.
One local
felt animals shouldn't
be abused for work and kept cutting the tires
of the log
wagon - until they susted him out and now Snoopy can
do his work again.
|
|
Beautiful
snorkeling inside the barrier reef with many big
reef fish and
|
a lonely white
tip reef shark. (All hiding here, but another
creature got in front of my lense).
|
|
