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Date: 28 Aug 2009 12:56:00
Title: Losing lunch and getting fruited (again) - Hog Harbor, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
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15:08.690S  167:06.798E
 
Note: Scroll down to the end for pictures and descriptions.
 
The departure from Oyster Island on 8/15 was definitely an anticipated event for all of us.  For Tracy and I it was the start of the sailing adventure we had been looking forward to since we bought our airline tickets on January 12th; for Anne and Don it was more of a nervous anticipation knowing the high tide wasn't much of a high tide at all.  Departure time was set for 1pm, giving us time to get organized, check internet (which wasn't working - pictures will have to come later), and basically try not to get tangled up in any ropes or bumped off the side of the boat by a moving boom.  Prior to leaving Oyster Island Tracy and I knew it was going to be shallow water traveling over the coral reefs but it didn't really hit us until Don was calling out depth measurements as we headed out to open sea. Five meters....four...three...two point five....two...one point five....one....and we found out later it read zero.  I think Don at this point was probably too choked up with nervous stress that the boat was going to be getting a fiberglass haircut that he didn't dare say what the meter read.  With a little luck on our side we passed the worst, the wind picked up, sails were opened, and the beautiful royal blue sea gave us small swells offering a smooth ride to Hog Bay.  It was a twenty-three sail, and at around six to seven knots speed it was meant to be a relaxing four hour journey.  Well, relaxing journey for those of us that had stomachs of steel.  For those of us that didn't, it was four hours of staring at the horizon, squeezing a water bottle until knuckles were white, and finally, with thirty minutes to go, lunch was revisited three times while clutching the railing and hurling over the side.  If you haven't guessed, this unfortunate soul was Tracy.  Snapshots of this episode are available upon request.  We dropped anchor off beautiful white sandy Champagne Beach.  This harbor was even more beautiful than the last, brilliant green cliffs, palm trees dotting the landscape, all the while being surrounded by various shades of blues and turquoises.  That night we had a fantastic seared tuna dinner cooked by Anne.  Since Tracy and I had been in the sun all day and were just generally tired, we both turned in early, even before Cruisers Midnight (9pm)!  The swells for being anchored were quite high, so for the next two nights we were sleeping in what must have felt like a cradle.
 
The next morning we woke up and were greeted by a local on a wooden canoe named John.  He came aboard and we talked for a while as we finished up breakfast.  He invited us back to his village and for a walk which seemed like a great idea as we had been on the boat for a full twenty-four hours.  Upon stepping on land Tracy and I were overcome by a wave of nausea and dizziness.  We couldn't really focus on the ground in front of us, and I began to feel a little like Tracy must have felt in the first thirty minutes of the journey the day before.  His village was tucked away in the jungle off of a dirt road.  The houses were thatch made and the large families were grouped together.  We went on a walk through the forest while he collected bananas, water nuts, seeds, and coconuts.  It was shocking to realize just how much you could live off the land in this part of the world.  We drank our water nuts (it's basically a coconut filled with over a liter of sweet water) outside his house, while he had his friend gather oranges (actually grapefruits) for us.  His wife donned us with very beautiful necklaces and fans that she had woken herself.  We left having dozens of bananas, a dozen grapefruit, and full bellies all having traded just a few t-shirts and kids' shorts.  Not bad, although the water nuts didn't settle all too well in my stomach, but I managed to hold myself together and not lose my lunch like other family members have been known to do...
 
Tracy, Anne, and I then went for an hour and a half walk up to a viewpoint that overlooked the bay.  It was absolutely stunning to see the sun reflecting off the brilliant blue water dotted with islands on the horizon.  The walk was refreshing and at the end we put in an order of bread with the local bread maker to pick up before we left the next morning.  Anne and Don had gone to the same man last year, and couldn't pass him up as apparently his bread was the best they had ever come across.  Tracy and I both thought it had better be damn good since we were the minions meant to pick it up at sunrise the next morning!  We went back to the boat where we donned our snorkel gear (a bit hesitantly on my part) and finned around the nearby reefs.  Luckily, there was no bloody massacre this time, just calm, peaceful turquoise water home to much brain coral and tropical fish.  We invited Lady Kay over for cocktails that evening and had a wonderful time talking and laughing.  Afterwards, Anne prepared another superb seafood dinner of stir-fry shrimp and rice.  I began to wonder the dinners she would be able to pull off with endless ingredients and a full kitchen that didn't tilt up to twenty degrees every five-ten seconds!!!
 
The next morning Tracy and I awoke and snuck out to the dingy where we went in to collect the bread and go for a run.  We ended up running (well, almost sprinting) to the top of the hill where we were able to see that gorgeous view again.  We collected the bread after our run and went back to the boat where we jumped in and swam to cool off.  Our swim however was cut short after we realized (by our oratory senses) we were swimming in what moments before we had flushed...  We brought the anchor up and out to sea we went for a short two hour sail north to Port Orly.
Bill
 
Picture 1 - Tracy feeling good as we left the turquoise reef filled waters surrounding Oyster Island.
 
Picture 2 - Tracy feeling not so good leaning over the lee rail.
 
Picture 3 - Don hosing Tracy down with fresh water after her third unfortunate burrito lunch losing episode over the lee rail.
 
Picture 4 - Two ni-Vans named John came to visit us in their canoe on our first morning in Hog Harbor.  This is John #2 in his canoe hovering just off our stern.
 
Picture 5 - John #1 harvesting bananas for us.  When harvesting bananas, the natives chop the entire banana tree down with their bush knife (machete).  Never fear though, John assured us that two banana trees would grow in place of the one he cut down for us. It's been two weeks now and we are still waiting for these gems to ripen....
 
Picture 6 - Tracy, Billy and I enjoying our drinking nuts (young coconuts that are still green and full of a watery liquid that can be quite refreshing when drunk on a hot day).  Note that Billy seems to be enjoying his drinking nut thoroughly, contrary to his comments above.
 
Picture 7 - Don, Tracy and Billy in front of John #1's traditionally built thatch home.
 
Picture 8 - Our view of Harmonie from the top of the respectably steep hill Tracy and Billy felt the need to run up and down several times during the course of our last morning in Hog Harbor.
 
Picture 9 - Tracy and Billy returning to the boat from shore with the five loaves of bread we ordered from the local bread maker (baked in an outdoor, wood-fired oven), after having earned their bread by running up and down the respectably steep hill.
Anne

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