Hello from Wala Island - Malekula (17th September)
Mustang Sally Cruising
Mark Lawrence & Dianne Jackson
Mon 17 Sep 2018 02:48
We are currently anchored off a delightful little island called Wala on the
NW side of Malekula.
Current position is at 15:58.60S
167:22.45E
One of many visiting dug outs at Uri Island
During our two night stay at Uri we did many things. Marsin took us
on a tour of the village and showed us his new house that is being built.
It is great to see that a number of the homes are now being built out of
concrete and bricks and not so much pandanus. Marsin has now spent three
seasons in Australia working on farms. His last two visits have been up at
Tully picking bananas so we may get to catch up with him during our trip up the
coast next year. We have found that many of the Ni-Van they have been to
Australia or NZ working on farms which usually gives them enough funds to build
a modest home. The main thing is that most of them are coming back to
their village rather than heading for the big lights of Port Vila.
Marsin on village tour – Presbyterian Church
We had a trip over to Litslits Wharf on Saturday morning to have a look at
the Copra Boat and Ship being loaded, which looks like very hard work. We
were also in search of bread but failed as the shops all shut as 11;30am.
We have also renamed Uri to Turtle Island as they are almost in plague
proportions with at least two or three turtle heads bobbing up wherever you
look.
Yesterday we motored up to Wala Island and are now anchored in 5mts of
crystal clear water not too far off the wharf and beach.
The weather is definitely starting to get warmer as we head north and get
later into the season so are spending more time in the water which is not a
hardship around here.
Anchored off Wala Island
This morning we went on the village tour with Elizabeth. She showed
us around the village and gardens and also the meeting place for the chiefs on
the island.
Wala Island used to have a fairly regular visit from cruise ships.
Unfortunately it looked like their visits stopped around 4 years ago over a land
dispute however, a number of the locals still have some $AUD so this morning
Mustang Sally became a bit of a money laundering operation changing their coins
and notes into Vatu.
The good news is that it looks like the cruise ships may start coming back
to Wala as next year the ‘Le
Laperouse’ expedition ship is scheduled for a Wala Island stop
in April so hopefully this could be the start of good things to come as it
provides a good source of income for their community.
Elizabeth and her niece on the village tour – Chief Meeting
spot
Every cruise ship island has to have a Cannibal Soup
pot!!
Local bus to Malekula
Tomorrow we will be on our way early to catch the current, as it flows to
the north during the flood, for the trip up to Ratua Island which is just south
of our final Vanuatu destination at Espiritu Santo.
We are also hoping to meet up with our fellow Safety Beach SC travellers
Barb and Terry from Whiskers for a bit of a Vanuatu
rendezvous. |