Sunday 26th May

We picked up a decent breeze after leaving our anchorage and motoring out of the channel but with not enough south in it we were heading for Lifou to the north rather than Mare to the south. Mare is more direct for Tanna but hopefully Lifou will still be O.K. The wind did vere more southerely during the night and by the time we approached Lifou we were on a broad reach but slowing . We arrived off the island as dusk fell and having put the motor on to try and reach an anchorage in daylight decided to sail slowly the last 20 miles or so to arrive in the morning light. Lifou has a large open bay on the west side and the water was so calm and the wind so light that we were able to drift in the bay with sails down for most of the night and only moved a mile or so.

Monday 27th

Now anchored off the beach in 6m with such clear water that I could drop the anchor in a sandy spot between the rocks and coral and sea slugs and watch it grip.   The cathedral de Notre Damme sits impressively on a high prominontory overlooking the bay and now the crane on the shore has started hammering piles for a new jetty to disturb the peace.