Yesterday it rained all day. That didnt stop B and I going ashore to check out the beach and resort in the Bay. We came back soaking wet, our raincoat are not that waterproof. After lunch we watched a movie then played lots of games of cards.
This morning we took the dinghy around the corner checked out the resort on Champain Beach. When back on Imagine, while having a coffee a turtle came to say hello and invited us all to go snorkelling. We spent about an hour exploring the coral.
It was almost lunch time when we hauled anchor and headed north. We ate lunch on the way. Lunch was interrupted by Robert catching a mackerel (which is being prepared for dinner).
We arrived in Port Olry in time to have a swim in the beautiful sunshine. The rest of the day has been sunbathing. I fell asleep while on deck. When I awoke I discovered my toenails are now coloured. I wonder who that would have been??
Author Archives: Captain & First Mate
Steak for dinner
Valerie and Robert arrived last night to join us for a few weeks. It was an early start this morning. We had to haul anchor and make our way over the reef at high tide, which was at dawn. The idea was then to move to a bay an hour away, but the wind and swell had other ideas. We then tried the next bay with no luck. By lunch time we had made it to Hogs Harbour. This had more shelter from the wind, but there is a slight swell rolling in.Robert set up three rods with his special lures hooks and gigs. Roberts first attempt caught a nice piece of coral. Andrew and Robert then went off in the dinghy. They returned an hour later and Andrew got steak out of the freezer for dinner.
Two young ladies in a double kayak stopped to tell us that Imagine looks beautiful. As they sound very French ( remember we have our French specialist on board!) B thanks them in French and there the conversation started with Alice and Anne-laure. They are from Sydney and they were staying in a bungalow in the Bay for short holiday….Maybe they will come on Imagine next holiday!
Independence Day
We have just had two qiet days. Yesterday we had a grey day with few small showers, so not much we could do outside. However between some cleaning, cooking, napping we had a little bit of spare time for fishing! At least tried ! After three months we can confirm there are no fish in Vanuatu. Except for the Dugong spotted this morning by Andrew. Today we had sunshine with our breakfast and we were hopping for napping on deck after lunch ( we are desperate to get our sun tan back! hahaha). After a little sunbathing we did some more exploring and had a look around another wreck, then some snorkelling.
We did some research on Vanuatu and found out that today was Independence Day:First visited by Europeans in 1606 by the Spanish. They named it La Austrialia. They didn’t get on with the natives. They didn’t stay long and never returned.Next was Louis de Bougainville in 1768, then James Cook in 1770. It became The New Hebrides. The New Hebrides had a joint British and French administration and colonisation. On 30th July 1980 The New Hebrides gained independence and changed it’s name to The Republic of Vanuatu (Our Land Forever). Vanuatu has a population of approximately 40,000 spread over the 82 islands.
Complicité/Complicity
We were doing a little bit of cleaning after breakfast when we heard a dinghy come along side Imagine. We raced out on deck to see Tess and Brett from Complicité. They are both from Australia but they bought Complicité in Fiji from a previous French Canadian owner and kept the French name, easy to translate anyway.We had met them in Port Vila. They had recognised Imagine and came across to say hello. They had been here a few days and told us where to go ashore to catch a taxi/bus to town. They also showed us how to get Imagine closer to shore winding through the bombies.Not long after they left we made our way through the bommies and dropped anchor near Complicité.
We took our dinghy to explore the bommies and made our way to the beach. Then we went across to what looks to be the wreck of a ferry before heading back to Imagine.
Tess and Brett spent the day learning how to use their new kite surf’s. Tess invited us for sundowners and to check out their boat.
The weather is still not wonderful with the south easterly and cloud cover some there was no stars or moonlight.
Arrivederci!
Today was a busy day running against the clock to move from that bloody anchorage. It has been 2 nights without much sleep as the swells against the tide make that anchorage very rolly.Anyway this morning it was time for Gina and Alex to say goodbye and Andrew dropped them at the Beach Resort just before 7am for them to catch the taxi to the airport. We were hopping for a dryer day but the rain didn’t agree and we had to lend Alex and Gina some wet weather gear to go to the beach in the dinghy. We cannot thank them enough for their positive attitude during their time with us as the weather hasn’t been great during their stay.After they departed we went back ashore with the laundry. The resort did our laundry for us while we went into town to get a few things to restock Imagine.As soon as the laundry was ready we hauled anchor and set sail to a more protected bay around the corner.To get There we had to pass Million Dollar Point. It dosent look like much on the surface but below the water lie millions of dollars worth of goods dumped by the Americans at the end of WWII.
Million Dollar Point
After WWII the British and French colonizers thought the Americans would leave their goods behind, for using their island as a military base.To spite the British and French, the military made the rash decision to drive all of the vehicles, food, clothing, drinks, and other equipment to a wharf on the southern coast of the island. The army then drove all of the vehicles into the sea, used bulldozers to dump the rest of the supplies over the wharf, before also driving the bulldozers into the sea, ensuring that the European countries would not be able to get their hands on the items at all, free or otherwise. As a result of the dumping, the waters were contaminated with fuel, rubber, metal and other waste, leaving the local Vanuatuans shocked at the carnage, though they salvaged what they could once the Americans had finally departed. Today, you can make your way to Million Dollar Point and take a snorkel or scuba dive through the wreckage, should you desire to swim through this odd memorial to political spite.
Luganville
This morning was grey, but not raining, so we decided to check out the town. Dinghy ride ashore then a walk through the resort brought us to the main road. There are no footpaths, we just had to walk on the edge of the road. On the way we past a sign promoting don’t litter Luganville. Then we came across a girls school just leaving on a school trip somewhere. You couldnt transport children like that in NZ.
The town was similar to Port Vila, shops that sell everything, supermarket and a fresh garden market. B and I went back to Imagine for lunch. Alex and Gina spent most of the day wandering around town.
Raining again
We got up to a grey sky and it was a bit chilly for the morning swim, so we had breakfast first. As the sky seems to clear up a bit we all decided to have a go at snorkelling around the boat and thinking of getting to that Bommie close by.B took too much time trying to adjust her snorkel mask and the sky turned grey again, Andrew wasn’t so keen anymore and only Gina had a quick wonder around Imagine.We then decided to leave that magical bay and go to Luganville on Santo. B helmed while Andrew slept. It only took two hours motoring to get to the other side of Aore Island and across to Santo.
Then the rain started and it rained and rained and is still raining. The was a short period about 4pm, where the rain eased a little, so we jumped into the dinghy and went ashore. We had anchored outside a resort, so we went to check out how Alex and Gina could get to the airport Thursday morning. The resort booked them a taxi. We found we could use the resorts laundry and bar. It would have been rude of us not to use their bar facilitates, so we ordered drinks. Unfortunately by the time we had finished the rain was bucketing down again. Yes we got soaked getting back to Imagine, but that’s boat life.
On the move
We were up at dawn, hauled anchor and headed north. B at the helm guided Imagine around the reefs and out of Port Stanley. Gina then took the helm as we went up the coast.
About an hour from our anchorage the wind died and we had to motor the rest of the way. We found good shelter at Port Lautour at the southern end of Aore Island.
As we anchored a large turtle popped it’s head up to say hello. It was only a matter of minutes before we had seen another three turtles. We all jumped in for a swim but the turtles stayed away. Tomorrow we will go snorkelling around the Bommie nearby.
Water like glass
For a Change, this morning instead of sharing a couple of pomeloes we shared only one but huge pomeloes ( the one that was given yesterday by Jack, the resort guy). It was so big it wouldn’t fit in the bowls we have cereal. On top of being huge it was absolutely delicious. We almost regretted not accepting more than one.
There was no wind, not even a slight breeze. The only ripples on the water were being made by Imagine gently sliding with the tide. It was so clear it seemed like you could touch the bottom (13m down). From the deck we watched the fish swimming around the coral.
When there is work to be done, you can’t sit around all day watching the fish (just a couple of hours). I got out the dive gear and cleaned some of the hull. The barnacles have been growing fast. After that it was rest time, while Alex and Gina went snorkelling along the nearby reef.
More relaxing this afternoon then it was all hands on deck to hoist me up the mizzen mast to replace a light. Now there is not much of a sunset but we will have sundowners anyway.
Nanwut Bungalows
More pomeloes for breakfast. Then it was time to go exploring. We jumped in the dinghy and crossed the bay to another island. This village is richer than the ones we had just visited further south. They had boats with outboard motors and their houses were made of concrete blocks with reinforced steel. They also had cell phone coverage and a satellite dish (tv reception). We were sown around by a very proud father. This afternoon they were having their version of an engagement party. His daughter is getting married next month in Port Vila. So the village was putting on a celebration this afternoon. He invited us to return this afternoon to join them.
We then headed off to another small island but couldn’t find anywhere to land safely. So we motored across to another island with a beach and a rustic resort. Nanwut Bungalows was built by Jack. For anyone interested it’s 2500 vat per person per night including breakfast. Call Jack, Url Island, Vanuatu, phone 5252315. He has had only one set of people since Covid.
His grandchildren were there and had caught 7 fish from the beach. Jack gave us a pawpaw some pomeloes and cracked open a coconut for us to drink.
Back on Imagine B and Alex were inspired by the kids and decided to try fishing for lunch. I made a ham sandwich. B did catch a fish, but the hook was bigger than the fish. Everyone had sandwiches for lunch then we relaxed for the afternoon.
