To Tanna

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 29 Oct 2015 23:57
To Port Resolution, Tanna
 
 
 
 
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Five o’clock produced a pretty picture to our left.
 
 
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To our right the moon was thinking about bed as the first of the suns rays hit the hillside.
 
 
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Ten minutes later, the hillside took on a golden colour.
 
 
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Looking out at the flat, calm ocean, tiny waves over the reef to the right. At five thirty the anchor was up and off we went. Shall I put the main sail up ??? Bear asked me as it was my watch until six - with the wind at three knots I didn’t see the point and no waves or current we were just ticking over and managing five knots of speed. I’ll go and put the water maker on then. Clearly the skipper is in need of jobs...........
 
 
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Our first look at the island of Tanna, famous for Mount Yasur, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes. As we looked he graced us with a puff of smoke. As we got closer we watched in fascination, the smoke would disappear into the clouds and two, three, five, ten or twenty minutes later another puff would begin. Very dark grey to begin with, turning to paler grey as it got bigger and rose, then once again it seemed to be absorbed by the clouds.
 
 
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A black and white view.
 
 
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Mount Yasur wasn’t the only scenic wow, as we made our final turn the ‘doorway’ to Port Resolution anchorage had crashing waves to our left and incredibly cut rocks to our right.
 
 
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So impressive. Must spuddle out to the caves.
 
 
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A little further on a collapsed arch.
 
 
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Ahead of us the huge, sheltered bay with just four other boats at anchor. Our biggest gusts of the day blew in welcome.
 
 
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On Bear’s IPad the bay looks more impressive. At the ‘doorway’ Beez had about forty five feet below her, this very gradually reduced until we crossed the ‘sandy-looking-bar’ when we had about twenty feet below us. Again this level very gradually decreased until we anchored with nine feet below us. On the bigger scale map Port Resolution Yacht Club is marked, a must to explore and seek out the opportunity to book our tour of Mount Yasur , now just over the vista to our right.
 
 
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On the chart plotter things were a bit comical. We had formed a similar pattern of track to the one I had plotted, both had us on dry land though. We settled to lunch and a game of backgammon before spuddling over to find the Yacht Club. As it happened a dinghy came to visit, on board was the chap from next door and Stanley – local and tour organiser. If we wanted, we could go to Mount Yasur today at four o’clock but would miss the village visit. As it happens the village tour is really important to me so we plan to go on Saturday, leaving here at two o’clock.
Our trip today was forty three miles and until we got to the entrance to Port Resolution – named after Captain Cook’s favourite ship, our biggest gust of wind was seven knots, just the once, the rest of the trip saw winds to just over three knots.
 
 
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Perhaps our most dramatic sunset yet – Mount Yasur puffing away. What a view to play backgammon to, only pity was I lost....... Yes, but I’m still behind. Huh. Better let me win at Mexican train or you’ll be getting your own supper............
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL WHAT A VISTA TO APPROACH
                     BEAUTIFUL DAY AWESOME END