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We set off on Thursday morning to head south to the Maskelyne islands. We arrived at Uliveo island on the afternoon. Too late to go ashore.That didnt stop two locals we had meet before (Stewart and Philip) from coming out in their boats to great us.

On Friday we first went to visit the school. Gina and Alex our previous crew had left us books and pencils to add to what we already had.we also took the boats guitar as i still haven’t learned to play it. Hopefully the kids will be better at it then me.

While I went back to Imagine to load the dinghy with more things to donate, B enjoyed talking with Phillips wife who was patiently preparing the dying colors and dip the hand rolled bananas leaves that will be used to craft braided mats and baskets.

Next we handed out the last of the pillows and kids clothes that Kmart gave us. We also had some adults clothes and a couple of blankets. We left Stewart (the islands tour guide) a small anchor for his boat. We could see he was useing an old meat grinder as his anchor. Im not too sure how well it worked.

After lunch we motored across to the neighbouring island Awei and we left a jar of honey that we are not going to be able to take into Fiji, a hammock and some more rope.

This morning we set sail again. The sun hadn’t quite made the horizon when we hauled anchor. The light rain made it a hazy morning. Heading south to Port Vila, the sun has came out making it a warm trip, but by evening we were greated by two squalls. As it got dark we had to rely totally on our instruments, chartplotter, radar and AIS to see where we were going and see small fishing boats. Very few have lights on them, but you may get a glimpse of a touch light (If they have one). It was 1am by the time we glided through the dark to our anchorage.

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Yesterday we set off early leaving Port Stanley behind. We reached Banam Bay around 3pm and were greated by a pod of small dolphines. It was too late to go ashore but not too late for a swim. Not long after we got out of the water we had a visit from three kids in a canoe welcoming us to their bay. They had brought us some pomeloes.

A few minutes later two more canoes arrived from across the bay. They weren’t quite as polite. Without invitation one of them climbed aboard and was looking around to see what we had. They told us we should go to their village to see the waterfall. They didn’t mention they charge people to go see the waterfall. We asked them to leave and they did.

This morning was productive. We had breakfast and a swim then did a few jobs, all before 8am. We then loaded the dinghy with things for one of the villages we had vistited before. As soon as we had dragged the dinghy up the beach Rasras and some other kids from the village raced down to meet us. They had recognised Imagine therefore hadn’t come out to harass us in their canoe.
Once in the “Vilig  Nuba Fiv” (village number five) we distributed kids clothes donated by Kmart NZ along with adults clothes donated by others. We noticed the village boat had no anchor so we went back to Imagine to get them an anchor and rope donated by Darren (my brother). They gave us some pomeloes and told us to come back and they will get us some Chinese Cabage.

We went back to Imagine for lunch, then loaded the dinghy again and headed to a different part of the Bay. We found the track that took us to the village where we had repaired their boat a few weeks ago. Again they had recognised us and welcomed us in. We distributed the clothes to both adults and kids, getting lots of laughter as we tried to match people to sizes

Paulo showed us the new house he was building, while others went off to get us some fruit and veggies. They brought a spade that had split while they were digging and asked if we could fix it. We took it with us when they drove us back to the beach. I went to Imagine to get the angle grinder to cut the split section off. That didnt last long as the battery was almost flat. So it was old school time and use the hacksaw.

We then returned to Vilag Numa Fiv and found Rasras and his mother who invited us back to their house and gave us some Chinese cabage. They told us there had been five boats come into the Bay this season and we were the only one that offered them anything for their fruit.

Back on Imagine B prepared dinner using the Chinese cabage, which we would call Bok Choy.

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Yesterday, as usual B and I were up at dawn and had a swim before breakfast. Then dropped the dinghy in the water and headed to shore. The manager of Ratua resort, meet us on the beach and told us a bit about the resort that was owned by her family since 2016. She invited us to look around the island, which we did. We strolled along the beach, then inland where we came across the horses. Guests are able to ride along the beach.

We returned to the bar where we were told how the resort came about.
A Frenchman came to Vanuatu and fell in love with the island and the locals. He owned a small village in Bali, so he disassembled the village and shipped it here. This is why the resort has a Bali feel.

In the afternoon while B and I sun bathed and snorkelled from Imagine, Robert and Valerie went ashore to check out the island.
This morning it was aufwiedersehen to Robert and Valerie as they decided to spend a night at the resort before going to Luganville for their plane. We then set sail south, making our way to Port Stanley before dark.

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We spent yesterday in Palikulo bay. The wind was still high so we didn’t do any snorkelling. Valerie and Robert went ashore exploring the beach. In the evening they made dinner, pancakes (Robert’s Mum recipe).

This morning we set sail heading south again. With the wind just off our nose we made good time. We arrived at Port Lautour, just off Ratua Island. It wasnt long before turtles started popping up to say hello.

We snorkelled around some bommies nearby. We saw sting rays, a turtle and lots of colourful fish. Then on deck we soaked up the afternoon sun. Tonight B made a very good Pad Thai Beef for dinner and Robert gave her one Imagine Michelin Star. 

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We spent two days at Port Olry. We went into the village to see if we could buy some bread and fresh veggies but came back with only pomeloes (actually asked locals if we could get some directly from the tree!). We had a walk on Thion island and practiced with the casting net, so next time there are fish swimming around Imagine we could catch some (yeah right?).
Next we headed south and back to Hog Bay for a few days. Robert and Valerie explored the Bay in the kayak, while B and I went out into the Bay in the dinghy with the fishing rods and feed the fish. We all did a bit of snorkelling and laying around in the sun. 

Robert and Valerie invited us all out to dinner at the resort restaurant. The resort (Lonnoc Eco Beach Bungalows) was built by a local 35 years ago and had just been handed over to Alex the manager. We all enjoyed the delicious meals and couldn’t resist to the pancakes with local fresh fruits for the dessert.

Yesterday the rain had set in again so we headed further south and back to Palikulo Bay. It was a long trip back going against the wind waves and tide. It was dark by the time we got here so we didn’t attempt to go though the reef to the anchorage. We anchored just outside in 20m of water.

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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??

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.