Position           18:49.24S 169:00.73E

Date                1445 (UTC +11) Wednesday 17 September 2014

Distance run – 54nm over the ground, 55nm through the water

Time from Port Resolution – 8hrs

Despite having to retrieve a stern anchor, set to keep us head into the incoming swell, we were away by 0640, about an hour after first light.  Contrary to the forecast the wind was excellent and held until we reached the wind shadow of Erromango.

As we sailed north from Dillons Bay we were able to look to the west where we could see the top of the crater on which we had been standing the previous evening.

A fast reach most of the way got us to Dillons Bay just before 3 o’clock.

The headland before Dillons Bay

Anthony in Wild Fox, a beautifully constructed 38 foot junk rigged schooner, arrived a couple of hours after us and joined us for dinner as did David, a local resident who makes yachts welcome and acts as a guide to some of the local sights.

On arrival it was not long before some local lads paddled out to see us.  Frank in the bows and using their only paddle is 14 and his brother and friend are 12.

They were absolutely charming, very polite and very curious.  We gave them a tour of the boat and showed them on a chart where we had come from.  We assumed that the content of their boat was “supper”.

They did offer us a clam but we politely declined and sent them happily on their way with a packet of biscuits.  After realising that they were unlikely to make it back to the shore against the offshore wind with only one paddle we launched the dinghy to give a tow.