Ai Creek, Efate Island, Vanuatu - Again
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Sun 31 Aug 2008 02:29
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17:36.240S 168:14.650E
The next morning (8/14), we set out on the third
leg of our 250 mile upwind slog to Port Vila and civilization. This time
we were able to sail, again very close to the wind, but at least we were in
mostly protected waters so the bow slams were infrequent, although
usually unexpected. When they did happen, they were always
accompanied by a 'Jesus!' from Don and something quite similar from
me.
Ten hours later we arrived in the very serene
waters of Ai Creek off the island of Efate. As we slowly motored toward
the anchorage in the quiet waters, we noticed a British sailboat struggling to
anchor. Watching boats anchor is often good entertainment, especially if
it is just a husband and wife on board. This was no exception.
As we motored closer, I was standing on the bow keeping an eye on the
water depth and could plainly hear the woman, who was on the wheel, yelling to
her husband, who was at the bow of the boat tending to the anchor and chain, 'I
SAID, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO IN REVERSE??'. Silence, and then, 'DID YOU HEAR
ME?? DO YOU WANT ME TO GO IN REVERSE??'. Then she yelled, 'I CAN'T
HEAR YOU!!'. And, 'I CAN'T HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING! DO YOU WANT ME TO GO
IN REVERSE??'. Silence and then finally, 'DO.
YOU. WANT. ME.
TO. GO. IN.
REVERSE????' Then, from the husband, a thundering
'YEESSS!!!'. Which of course was followed by lots of barely controlled
smirking and giggling from us.
We, of course, would never be caught shouting at
one another while anchoring. Over time, Don has perfected a hand signaling
system that works really well as long as I happen to be looking in his general
direction when he is on the bow signaling for me to do something. On
a few occasions, I've been caught daydreaming or watching another boat anchoring
or waving to fellow boaters while Don signals in an increasingly agitated
fashion on the bow. If I don't respond to the agitated hand signaling,
then a semi-quiet, 'Hello!!' follows from Don. If that doesn't work, and
I'm still staring off into the blue yonder, a more forceful and louder 'HELLO!!'
follows. If, and this only happens rarely, I still don't respond, then I usually hear the quite testy, 'LOOK
AT ME! NOT AT WHATEVER IT IS YOU ARE STARING AT OVER THERE!!'. It's
usually at this point that I notice Don gesticulating wildly up on the bow,
signaling for me to motor forward or backward or turn the anchor wash down
pump on or off or turn to starboard or to port. Oops. If and when
this most rare of occasions ever happens, after I do whatever it was that Don
was waiting for me to do, I always glance around quickly to make sure
no other boaters are smirking or giggling in our general direction.
Because - as we all know, it's ok to laugh at someone else when they are doing
something ridiculous, but of course it's no fun when the tables are
turned.
We spent a third quiet night with no canoes and
only the British boat for company (which went very quiet after the
anchoring episode).
Anne
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