Losing lunch and getting fruited (again) - Hog Harbor, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Fri 28 Aug 2009 11:56
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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 |
