August 17, 2009
Wind is still kicking up a bit, but somehow these flies have learned to navigate in 25kt wind. It has been a rock and roll anchorage everywhere we have been for the last week. At the moment we only have a one day weather window and not sure if we want to chance it trying to get to the Solomons. So we may be around this area for 5 or so more days. Jim and Priscilla talk with the immigration and customs people this AM an there is no problem if we have to stay around.
Yesterday we had dinner on the island. Robert has a “yatch club” the little sleeping cottages look like something out of Hansel and Grettel. David was almost as tall as one of the houses. Beautiful landscaping with all the local plants, broken coral and shell in the walk ways and floor of the “club”. Food was same, lap-lap, toro, yams, and watercrest out of the stream. Tom had taken tuna into them and that’s what they served us. Fried with a coconut cream spicy sauce. Like a tempera. Good, but once is enough.
August 15, 2009
We are in Sola, Vanua Lava. Last night we were in a lovely little village called Letelwut on the North side of this island. Not a very big village and had less than most we have seen, but as usual just the happiest people with not much of anything. One lady gave me an egg and ask for soap. They really could have used some deodorant but we don’t have enough for everyone, it seems silly for only one person to smell good.
The weather has kicked up a bit, we hit a 30kt gust coming in here today. This bay is somewhat protected so we’ll sit here at least til Monday when we can check out then see what it’s doing.
We are all good.
August 13, 2009
We are sitting on the boat watching wind and rain again. Yesterday when we got here we anchored in almost 50ft of water, there are patch reefs around us, the water is so clear you can count the fish.
Martha
August 12, 2009
So how’s you day going? We are sitting on the boat watching it POUR rain. This village is just delightful. We got the grand tour from Chief Nickelson yesterday This village is very needy, have given out most of our “things”. Plans were to hike to the crater rim today, but it is very steep and now slick from the rain. It’s about a 2,300 foot climb, Jim and I had no plans to do it. The bay is too stirred up to snorkel. Probably will head back to Vanua Lava Island and do our check-out in Sola tomorrow, then head to the Torres Island. As you know this could change in the next 10 minutes.
Martha
August 11, 2009
13*32′.470S/167*20′.475E
Ureparapara, Lorup Bay we are almost to the top of Vanuatu. Very deep bay into the side of a moutain. The volcano blew out this side of the moutain. As usual the people are delightful. Jim got the water guns out and had a water fight with some of the kids, then sent them to Priscilla. We will spend a day or two or as long as the weather holds. This bay can get ugly with the wind coming down the steep moutains.
August 10, 2009
We are out fishing, there are 2 chiefs at Waterfall Bay one on each side of the Waterfall. We gave one chief a fish yesterday and Chief Jimmy came by later looking for his. No luck so far. Lovely place we had a welcoming ceremony. flower leis, a song and water. Snorkeling not great, big bolder rocks with a little bit of live coral on them, fish but not like Hideaway Bay. The water fall is magnificent it’s within a few hundred yards of the beach, too much water and slippery for us to go in. the local young men swim up to it and jump off the rocks. NOT ME!
Martha
August 9, 2009
13*49′.635S/167*22′.883E
Waterfall Bay, The Banks, Vanuatu. OH MY! Christy this is the waterfall you have been looking for. 1:20pm just arrived. 1 dolphin, 1 wahoo. great ride! Perfect trawler weather. Hope we get a few days of this with out rain.
we’re all good here, hope it’s the same there.
Miss you much
LOVE,
Mom
August 8, 2009
14*18′.792S/167*25′.871E
We are in the Banks Islands. Gaua (Santa Maria), Pwetevut Bay. Welcomed by the most wonderful people. The villages are VERY basic, but the Island is out of a picture book. The blackest sand on the beach I have ever seen, water is very clear. Went for a swim, there is so much fresh water coming into the bay about the 1st two feet is a swirl. Hugh black rocks with live coral on top, very deep cuts. It’s very hot so the swim felt good.
There is an active volcano but it is a 2 day hike. Not for me!
We are leaving here tomorrow heading to Waterfall Bay,supposed to be one of the best yet. We’ll see.
Martha
August 7, 2009
We moved to Port Orly yesterday, Tom got a nice yellow fin tuna on the way. Wish you all could see this, has a bit of the Tonga feel to it. Islands all around white sand beaches and great snorkeling. In the middle of the bay is a small cluster of rocks (100yards by 40 yards) in the middle of that is enough sand to hold a palm tree and some other tree/bushes. The coral formations around it are incredible so much color just looks like a flower garden, one bright red coral we haven’t seen before. And yep anemoe fish. Only down side is the anchor didn’t want to hold last night, and OH! it’s raining. Not sure if we’ll stay here another night or move on to the salt water croc area. I want to snorkel another day, but not my call.
Martha
Wind is still kicking up a bit, but somehow these flies have learned to navigate in 25kt wind. It has been a rock and roll anchorage everywhere we have been for the last week. At the moment we only have a one day weather window and not sure if we want to chance it trying to get to the Solomons. So we may be around this area for 5 or so more days. Jim and Priscilla talk with the immigration and customs people this AM an there is no problem if we have to stay around.
Yesterday we had dinner on the island. Robert has a “yatch club” the little sleeping cottages look like something out of Hansel and Grettel. David was almost as tall as one of the houses. Beautiful landscaping with all the local plants, broken coral and shell in the walk ways and floor of the “club”. Food was same, lap-lap, toro, yams, and watercrest out of the stream. Tom had taken tuna into them and that’s what they served us. Fried with a coconut cream spicy sauce. Like a tempera. Good, but once is enough.
August 15, 2009
We are in Sola, Vanua Lava. Last night we were in a lovely little village called Letelwut on the North side of this island. Not a very big village and had less than most we have seen, but as usual just the happiest people with not much of anything. One lady gave me an egg and ask for soap. They really could have used some deodorant but we don’t have enough for everyone, it seems silly for only one person to smell good.
The weather has kicked up a bit, we hit a 30kt gust coming in here today. This bay is somewhat protected so we’ll sit here at least til Monday when we can check out then see what it’s doing.
We are all good.
August 13, 2009
We are sitting on the boat watching wind and rain again. Yesterday when we got here we anchored in almost 50ft of water, there are patch reefs around us, the water is so clear you can count the fish.
Martha
August 12, 2009
So how’s you day going? We are sitting on the boat watching it POUR rain. This village is just delightful. We got the grand tour from Chief Nickelson yesterday This village is very needy, have given out most of our “things”. Plans were to hike to the crater rim today, but it is very steep and now slick from the rain. It’s about a 2,300 foot climb, Jim and I had no plans to do it. The bay is too stirred up to snorkel. Probably will head back to Vanua Lava Island and do our check-out in Sola tomorrow, then head to the Torres Island. As you know this could change in the next 10 minutes.
Martha
August 11, 2009
13*32′.470S/167*20′.475E
Ureparapara, Lorup Bay we are almost to the top of Vanuatu. Very deep bay into the side of a moutain. The volcano blew out this side of the moutain. As usual the people are delightful. Jim got the water guns out and had a water fight with some of the kids, then sent them to Priscilla. We will spend a day or two or as long as the weather holds. This bay can get ugly with the wind coming down the steep moutains.
August 10, 2009
We are out fishing, there are 2 chiefs at Waterfall Bay one on each side of the Waterfall. We gave one chief a fish yesterday and Chief Jimmy came by later looking for his. No luck so far. Lovely place we had a welcoming ceremony. flower leis, a song and water. Snorkeling not great, big bolder rocks with a little bit of live coral on them, fish but not like Hideaway Bay. The water fall is magnificent it’s within a few hundred yards of the beach, too much water and slippery for us to go in. the local young men swim up to it and jump off the rocks. NOT ME!
Martha
August 9, 2009
13*49′.635S/167*22′.883E
Waterfall Bay, The Banks, Vanuatu. OH MY! Christy this is the waterfall you have been looking for. 1:20pm just arrived. 1 dolphin, 1 wahoo. great ride! Perfect trawler weather. Hope we get a few days of this with out rain.
we’re all good here, hope it’s the same there.
Miss you much
LOVE,
Mom
August 8, 2009
14*18′.792S/167*25′.871E
We are in the Banks Islands. Gaua (Santa Maria), Pwetevut Bay. Welcomed by the most wonderful people. The villages are VERY basic, but the Island is out of a picture book. The blackest sand on the beach I have ever seen, water is very clear. Went for a swim, there is so much fresh water coming into the bay about the 1st two feet is a swirl. Hugh black rocks with live coral on top, very deep cuts. It’s very hot so the swim felt good.
There is an active volcano but it is a 2 day hike. Not for me!
We are leaving here tomorrow heading to Waterfall Bay,supposed to be one of the best yet. We’ll see.
Martha
August 7, 2009
We moved to Port Orly yesterday, Tom got a nice yellow fin tuna on the way. Wish you all could see this, has a bit of the Tonga feel to it. Islands all around white sand beaches and great snorkeling. In the middle of the bay is a small cluster of rocks (100yards by 40 yards) in the middle of that is enough sand to hold a palm tree and some other tree/bushes. The coral formations around it are incredible so much color just looks like a flower garden, one bright red coral we haven’t seen before. And yep anemoe fish. Only down side is the anchor didn’t want to hold last night, and OH! it’s raining. Not sure if we’ll stay here another night or move on to the salt water croc area. I want to snorkel another day, but not my call.
Martha