+1

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We had a beautiful sunrise, the first in a while. Coffee, swim , breakfast and laze around, interrupted by fishing. We have just had drinks and nibbles. We cant call it sundowners as there was too much cloud cover for a sunset. Gina is in the galley preparing dinner.

+2

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It rained all night. Breakfast in the cockpit and we were serenaded by the rain drops on the deck. We spent the morning sorting through all the photos. Then at 10am the rain stopped and the sky cleared. We decided to go exploring. So we all piled into the dinghy and headed to the beach we are anchored off.
There is a small village on the island, but there didn’t seem to be anyone there, so we didn’t enter without an invite. Next we crossed to the mainland and to the wharf at Litzlitz. The piles on the wharf were covered in oysters wish made it difficult to tie up our inflatable dinghy. The workers on the wharf were pointed to where the shops were and it looked like there was a beach we could land on. After navigating the reefs and bombies we got close enough to see the beach is only accessible at high tide. So we made our way back to the wharf. After finding somewhere to tie up the dinghy we walked into town. Well it was two very small shops. 
One of the locals named Bella told us there was a market and supermarket in the next town Lakatora , only 15 minutes away. We started walking and after 10 minutes a truck pulled along side and offered us a ride. We climbed onto the tray of the truck and we were off. Five minutes later he dropped us off at the markets.
We wondered the market and then across to a series of shops before heading back. Half an hour later we reached the dinghy. The sunny side afternoon was again quiet relaxing time.

NOTE: Locals don’t relate time and distance like we do. At Litslits we asked how far the the market? Reply was “15 minutes if you walk fast” (she meant run).
On Emae we asked how fare is the school? The reply was “one cigarette.” He started smoking a cigarette on the beach and it would be finished when he reached the school.At Banam Bay we asked how fare is the school? The answer was “not far.” How long would it take to walk it. The answer was a shrug of the shoulders and “till you get there.” Well, let’s call it Islands Time!

+3

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After breakfast we set off for Port Stanley, thirty five nautical miles up the Malakula coast. Full main and stay sail gave us a 6kt speed. Unfortunatly it didn’t last long. By 10am the wind had dropped to 6kts, so the motor replaced the stay sail. Just as we finished lunch the wind came back. Motor off and stay sail out as the wind increased to 22kts. 
It wasn’t long before we reached Port Stanley and surfed the waves through the entrance. We checked out three places before dropping anchor off Surao island.Here we are sheltered from the swell but the low liing islands don’t give much shelter from the wind. Luckily the wind is supposed to die down over night.
We tried our luck at fishing but it’s B’s omelette for dinner. One day we’ll have fish. Gina made us all Moritos as a consolation prize.

+3

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It was 8.30am by the time we had washed, had breakfast and piled everything we needed to repair their boat into the dinghy. Just before we left, Polo (one of the villagers) had come out in his canoe out to give us some fruits.A few of the villagers were already on the beach waiting for us. Once again climbed into the back of the Ute and headed down the muddy track.
When we reached the village and boat we worked out how we were going to go about it. We were the main attraction of the day, as all the village gathered around to see what we were doing. We each started sanding different holes in the boat. By the time it was sanded there was a big black cloud and rain heading our way. The villagers quickly found some tarpaulin and made a tent over the boat just as the rain came down. There hadn’t been enough time to secure it properly so everyone was holding the edges from blowing away.
Ten minutes later it was back to work. They cut up a piece of plywood big enough to cover the largest hole and we fibreglassed it into place. We epoxyed between three and six layers of fibreglass depending on how big each hole was. When we had packed up our stuff and the villagers all had a close inspection of the repairs, we told them not to use the boat for two days.
Back in the Ute and we were being brought limes, lemons, pomeloes, nuts and beans. They drove us back to the beach and helped load the dinghy.
This afternoon has just been a lazy time.

NOTE: This village are descendents of the survivors of the 1913 volcano eruption on Ambrym. All the villagers on Ambrym were wiped out. The survivors made it to the shore of Malakula and meany never returned to Ambrym, instead started the village Nduen here on Malakula . 

+5

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This morning B and I had our morning swim, then after breakfast we all went ashore. Rasras met us on the beach, along with several other kids. The kids guided us to and through their village. We met some of the villagers I had previously met and had left clothes K Mart NZ had donated. Some of the villagers remembered and brought out cucumbers and beans. Rasras climbed up a tree and through down four popemelos (grapefruit). After touring the village we headed back to the beach. 
As we reached our dinghy one of the men fishing with casting nets, asked if we could help. Their village boat had hit a reef and needed repair. He was from a local village I haven’t been to before. We said we would have a look at the damage and see what we could do.
We first returned to Rasras’s village with pillows, clothes and a blanket. Then we climbed onto the back of a 4×4 Ute and headed down the goat track to look at the boat. The boat has several holes in the bottom and a few cracks in the side. It’s a big job. We told them we will do it tomorrow. So the returned us to the beach and will pick us up in the morning. Back on Imagine I found the fibreglass and resin. Sand paper and grinder went in the bag ready for the morning.

+2

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Woke up this morning at 6am as per usual but still no swimming as the water seems to have too many of those bugs and B still recovering from her jellyfish sting. We had breakfast on deck and the plan was to stay there for another day, because of the weather forecasting another couple of days with high winds.Everyone was busy doing different things …Gina and Alex catching up with their photos and videos, Andrew making bread, B organizing some lunch ( pasta salad) …Grey sky and wind were not encouraging us to do much, however we like a busy day rather than a lazy day and the holding tank ( toilet tank ) needed to be emptied  which means we have to be far enough from land to do so.That’s why Andrew decided that it was no winds that Imagine couldn’t handle and with two different options to head to, we hauled the anchor by 10:30am. On the way up North, we had the main up with two reefs ( precaution not too be overpowered in case of gusts) and as the wind was slightly more east than usual and not so strong, we unfurled the head sail for a nice ride. Unfortunately as soon as B went down below to serve some lunch the wind picked up and we had to reduce the sails again …another trip with Southerly wind surfing the waves through some squalls gusting up to 35kt ( 70km/h) …not easy helming but fun and sporty for sure!By 2:30 pm we anchored in Banam Bay, a well sheltered anchorage. First thing: Andrew had to climb the mast to fix the lazy Jack ( the lazy jack is the bag that retains the main  sail when we put it down). Then Gina had a go to feel the high, obviously she loved it as she decided to get some climbing courses when back to New Zealand. It was then time for a swim…A drink …And dinner.

+3

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This morning we all went ashore and walked across the island to Sofren’s village. We were loaded with gifts. Sweaters for the boys and pyjamas for 5 year old Kindi. A coat for Sofrens mother and sweaters for Nassi and Sofren. Their wives got pillows (donated by K Mart NZ).
We were shown around the village. Definitely very different from our busy city life style! However the little Kindi seems very happy with her new pyjamas and was jumping and dancing, showing it to  everyone around.
Back on Imagine we had a chilled afternoon. 
Late in the afternoon B and I went back ashore where Sofren met us with bananas and coconuts to thank us for the gifts. The women of the village were preparing some dinner on an open fire. It looked like large pipies (shell fish) bananas and a couple of crabs. Everyone was involved including young Kindi.
The strong winds and intermittent rain is forecast for the next couple of days, so it looks like we will stay here for a while longer. 

+6

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we started the morning with coffee then B and I did our morning swim around the boat, while Alex and Gina finished their coffee. While swimming we both felt stings like mosquito bites. We head been bitten by sea lice. As soon as we were out of the water we sprayed our selves with vinegar. That kills the poison and stops the welts apearing. After breakfast we all hopped in the dinghy and headed across to the reef for some snorkeling.

That’s when it happened. Another First for Imagine. In the five years of sailing the Pacific and swimming most days no one has been stung by a jellyfish. Sea lice, yes, but no stinging jelly fish. Who else but B? The jellyfish tentacles wrapped across her shoulder and down her arm. There were a few stings across her chest, stomach and upper leg. We got her into the dinghy and sprayed her with vinegar. By the time we were back on Imagine the welts had appeared. There was nothing more we could do to alleviate her pain. We kept applying vinegar and rubbing ice cubes across her body. The pain started to subside after one and a half hour. This evening B still has pain in the arm but not as severe. A glass of wine should help, she said. Anyway we had a chance to see some nice little electric blue fish and a big starfish same color.

Tonight Gina is preparing dinner:We will have fajitas with chicken. Now fish has been added to the menu, as a local fisherman stopped and gave us a parrot fish in exchange for some outboard fuel.