EPI ISLAND, VANUATU, FRIDAY 6TH AUGUST, 2010

Shopped in the market for vegetables and fruit and also fresh milk and coffee from the supermarket. We set sail at 4p.m for Epi Island.

We arrived on Epi island in Lamen Bay at 3.30 am dropping anchor in 10 meters of water near a 'gin palace'.  Slept until 9 am on and off, up a couple of times to close hatches when it started to rain.  Sailing along in the night whilst I was on watch was amazing as I had a show of shooting stars leaving trails of light (a meteorite show).  A very good sail until the wind died an hour before arrival.  The smell of wood smoke coming off the island was very strong.

The next morning we went ashore and bought bread from the bakery (see pictures) , watched a football match and volley ball match between Epi and Lamen Island, later a dugout canoe race around the yachts (all part of the Independence celebrations).  

In the afternoon Jonathan and I went snorkelling, sadly the coral is not brilliant there and we saw a Crown of Thorns starfish munching away at the live coral, if we had had gardening gloves with us we would have removed it to the beach to dry out as they are killing so many coral reefs.  We saw some huge florescent blue starfish and lots of other reef fish.  Then we went on our search for the Dugong and found him hoovering along the bottom of the sea bed under the yachts. We felt so lucky to see a Dugong as they are rare and endangered.    From behind he looks a bit like a very large Dolphin, his mouth is like that of an old fashioned hoover and his flippers are scalloped like large fingers which push him along the sea bed, every 20 mins' or so he comes up for air but does not stay long.  This particular one is supposed to be fairly tame, we followed behind him but I don't think he knew we were there as we watched him for quite awhile. We also watched a couple of giant sea turtles grazing on the sea bed and 'flying' through the water.

In the evening was Island night with a traditional island feast of Taro, yam, under the earth cooked pig, chicken stew (feet, head, and all) and some beans.  Then they had the Kastom dancing with a pile of giant bamboo sticks tied together length ways to make a drum and a plywood platform which the dancers stamped on in rhythm as the rest of the children and villagers danced around them.  They also had some disco dancing by the local school children.  Some of the yachties let off flares from the beach to help celebrate but heaven knows what a yacht at sea would have made of them.

The next morning we set sail for Malakula Island.

7TH AUGUST, 2010

We anchored off an Island called Yuripiv off Malakula Island about half way up.  We went ashore and met the chief of the island, there are 5 'villages' (family settlements) on the island, thatched, ratten cottages and a few cement, one of which is run as a guest house, there are four churches, the largest cement one was the Presbyterian church.  The village head showed us around the island and we were followed by children everywhere, fortunately I had some lollipops to hand out which they were delighted with.  I also gave the village head, pencils, crayons, ABC cards and other things for the school.  We asked what time the service was tomorrow and he told us 9 am, his wife, Anston, insisted on giving me a dress (the traditional Mother hub-bard one) all the ladies wear, to wear to church.  It fitted well and would have done well as a maternity dress!  

We ate aboard that night and I found a pink shawl to give her which I wrapped in tissue paper with a card of thanks.  The next morning (8th August) we went ashore to go to church and were greeted by hordes of children waiting for us on the beach who then followed us to church.  The 'gong' ( two hollowed out wooden tree trunks carved with faces), was sounding, Donald had a go when we got to them.  Into church and sat near the back and doorway which was cooler.  Half way through I noticed all the females were sitting on the right hand side and males on the left.  It was Presbyterian ladies Institute day so they were leading the service.  The singing was amazing fantastic tones all sung in 'Bislamic' a form of a mixture of English and French pigeon language and printed like that in the hymn book.  The service went on and on..... then we found out it would not finish until 12.30 the chap behind us said it would not be offensive to leave so we left.  The majority of the children were waiting for us outside so we had a group photo' you can also see my Mother hubbard dress!

We went snorkelling before lunch and saw some amazing fish one of which we had never seen before and can't find in the book.

In the afternoon we set sail and anchored for the evening and night off Voa Island, where hordes of children greeted us in their dug out canoes, some of which were only large enough for one small child.  More lollipops handed out.  Early the next morning, Monday, we saw a mass exodus of canoes from the island to go to the main land for school and work.

We then set sail for Espirtitu Santo Island, it clouded over and we had a rain squall, eventually found a bay to anchor in but not charted well and nearly hit a rock.  The following morning we headed down for the main town and anchored across from it  so that we can check out tomorrow the 11th August and set sail for Mackay in Australia which should take about 8 days all being well.  The winds at the moment are 25 -30 knots and rough seas but nothing Aqualuna can't handle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Fresh coconuts to quench the thirst with stem straws