17.41S 166.33E Wednesday 30^th July  We made a decision to leave today – the seas are still a bit lumpy and the wind is on the nose but the forecast is favourable that this will change tomorrow. 

We cleared out of immigration yesterday – a building in Port Villa town – then took a taxi ride to the shabby container dock to clear customs – paid for our mooring buoy (1.000 V) £5 a night and laundry bill, ready for the off.  This morning we packed up the dinghy, setting up an ingenious little winch to get it on board, stowed and tidied and finally got going at 1300 hrs.

Needless to say I feel as sick as the proverbial parrot but this should pass in three days time as usual.  It has been a bleak day, overcast and raining, which was sad as the entire Vanuatu population are celebrating Independence Day today so the whole country came to a commercial stop and we could see hundreds of people making merry as we pulled out of port…..actually, I’m sure a bit of rain will not dampen their spirits.

We have perhaps eight to ten days of sailing ahead of us.  We heard that Hakuna Matata is safely in Brisbane - Fine Fleur, Our Island and Gaia are in Mackay, and Cayuko is not far off the Australian coast although I think they have had a rough passage across.  We have little or no moonlight on this trip – so long dark nights……..