Arrived in Vanuatu
My Way
Mike Kopman
Sat 8 Nov 2008 22:43
Halo Olgeta! as the Ni-Vanuatu (people of Vanuatu) say.
We dropped the anchor off Santo / Luganville around 2 o'clock this morning after a calm night of motoring on flat seas, protected by the outlying islands. Yesterday evening we were passing between Vanuatu's western islands of Pentecost and Ambrym. Pentecost is the island famous for it's 'Land Divers'... the original bungee jumpers. Between April and June wooden towers up to 27 meters high are built. During the 'Naghol' ceremony the men of the village launch themsleves off the top with vines tied around their ankles to bless the yam harvest. If the diver gets it right only his hair touches the soil. If he get's it wrong, well... a few less yams may be the least of his worries.
Being a Sunday, customs is closed so we can't clear in. Hopefully this won't mean we're confined to the boat. Vanuatu is a fascinating place and we're keen to make the most of the few days we have here. One of these will undoubtedly be spent diving on the world famous 'SS President Coolidge', a 200m luxury liner that sank during WW2 during service as a troop carrier. It's the largest diveable WW2 wreck and features a ballroom, beauty salon, swimming pool, barber shop and smoking lounge among it's underwater attractions.
Lots of love,
Mike & Sarah