Further Vanuatu adventures
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Thu 15 Sep 2005 06:03
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Mid Vanuatu
Adventures
Asanvari, Maewo
Island
15th September 2005
Nordlys proudly supports the initials
RCC on her stern. This is to signify that we are members
of the Royal Cruising Club
however they now have another meaning as Nordlys has taken on a new role.
She has become a Requisitioned Condom
Carrier. She has on board over a thousand condoms for
distribution in the Banks Islands. The fact that they are made by an
English company situated in Shoreham and proudly boast that they come in a wide
selection of flavours is something that we tend not to think about. How
all this came about will unfold in the next few paragraphs.
Patrick left us in Port Vila after enjoying some
excellent diving with the local outfit and also the experience of a few days in
two anchorages on or near the north of Efate. We saw a dugong
and visited a very charming village on Nguna Island. This latter
visit was made even more interesting when we found that our friends on
Troubadour had met, in New Zealand, the daughter of the missionary couple who
left this island in 1954. They had written a book about their experiences
and this we have read. With Nordlys to ourselves for a few days we enjoyed
the delights of a social town life and also stored for the next foray. Two
rather bemused but as always enthusiastic individuals arrived from Lymington on
the 5th September. Michael and Diana had one night of luxury in a local
resort hotel before embarking on Nordlys and setting sail for Port
Havannah. Cruising life unfolded. We have had some really excellent
sailing breezes, lovely anchorages and also a very rolly night in Lamen Bay on
Epi. We did not see the local dugong who lets swimmers cavort with him in
Lamen. Kastom dancing on Malacula introduced the Hobsons to an item
of dress known as a namba, or penis sheath. Also to the 'delights' of
topless local ladies some of whom had obviously fed many babies.
With all these experiences behind us we arrived at
Rodd's anchorage in Ambrym. Here we met Alphonse and Louise a Dutch couple
who are cruising yachties and more importantly a doctor and nurse
respectively. Visiting this bay themselves a few years ago they found the
local clinic unmanned and very run down. The whole of North Ambrym had no
medical care. With tremendous determination and effort they raised money
for drugs and equipment in Holland and with even more effort persuaded the
Vanuatu authorities to let them practice in Ambrym. Listening to them
describe the harsh reality of actually managing to set up in the third
world as doctor and nurse made me realise that I for one would never have
had the patience required. For Alphonse it was a dream come true, he is a
true saint in his desire to do good work in his chosen profession without any
interest in making money for himself. Listening to them speak was a
humbling experience especially as they in no way courted praise. We walked
for one hour to get to the clinic and saw them in action before having lunch in
the house they have been allotted. Gin and coconut milk may not to be to
everyone's taste, especially at lunch time, but raising our glasses to their
success was a pleasure. It was here that we discovered that they had a
very large supply of condoms that the locals were not keen on using.
Alphonse told me that the clinics in the Banks Islands were crying out for them
as the locals accepted their use there. Thus Nordlys has become a
Requisitioned Condom Carrier as we are off to the Banks in a few weeks
time.
On Pentecost Island we were told that the towers
they use for their famous land diving had been dismantled so going to visit them
was not a possibility. I am writing this in a truly idyllic anchorage on
the southern end of Maewo Island which lies just to the north of
Pentecost. The BBQ somehow managed to cope with dinner for eight last
night. Diving, walking, snorkelling have been partaken of by various
members of the crew. A feast ashore with the local chief tonight and
another version of Rom or Kastom dancing tomorrow. Life in the South
Seas is very good and very hectic despite the heat wave we are having at the
moment. It is 32C in the cabin as I write and the humidity is
high.
 One of the more impressive chiefs we have met. Chief
David and his wife
came to see us in Port Havannah. A man of great dignity
and thought. His village
has 297 inhabitants. We were honoured to meet his wife
who was a very elegant
grandmother who had had four children of her own.
 Is Michael going to strip off and join in ?
 Family transport, seen in Asanvari anchorage one wet
morning
Happy times from the crew of
Nordlys
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