Yalobi Bay

Trust
Richard Martin
Thu 17 Jul 2014 06:26
17:18.62S 177:07.14E
We spent a few more unplanned nights at Nalauwaki Bay as a southerly sprang up and southerly anchorages seem in short supply. We were in 25 m depth, so had 75m of chain out. That has to be some sort of record. We are now in Yalobi which is a quiet friendly little village where villager's English seems to be better than average. Its surrounded by high basalt bluffs so has quite an imposing perspective. The villagers live at the mercy of the elements here. One woman told us that half the village was washed away in a cyclone in 1972. And a resort on the headland close by lost all its sand and closed down after a cyclone just a few years ago. We came across the wreck of what looked like an old steel launch on the beach - all that is left are 2 parts of the hull - still showing the blue and white paint scheme. Back at Nalauwaki we came across the lead keel, complete with stainless keel bolts, of a yacht that was wrecked there a few years ago. So its a good lesson not to be complacent. I wonder if the locals know what a 4 ton block of lead is worth!