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A Very Windy Calm

It looked so calm and still for our next leg travelling from Ambae to Luganville, Espiritu Santo (locally known as just Santo and the largest island in Vanuatu) that we left the big sun awning up all night. The next morning we motored away with it still up. But as we neared the end of the island we could see the effects of wind, plenty of wind. So down awning and up sails it was for a beam reach across. 

It was a bit choppy at first then regulating to a more even ocean swell. Between islands here it is open ocean, sometimes exacerbated by strong currents so the seas can be big and steep. We were clipping along at 8-9 knots, with a top speed of 11.8 knots. The wind kept increasing to a steady 25 gusting up to 38 knots.

Jenny was sitting on stern seat and trying to stay dry while Phil was hand steering (instead of using the self steering gear) and trying to keep her dry. Of course the inevitable happened and we caught a huge wave side on which resulted in both of us soaked to the skin. These waves were as big as Phil had seen since leaving NZ! While he wasn’t very popular with Jenny he was forgiven. It helps that the water up here is so warm.

We reefed down as we were now in a steady 30-35kts although Waimanu handles so well! We altered course for safer option and came in under the lee of an island at the entrance of the channel to Luganville Harbour.

Anchoring just before lunch we had covered 33 nautical miles in just over 4 hours.

We live under the sun awning!Espiritu Santo
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Onwards and Across

We bought fresh mandarins at the market which consisted of a bunch of ladies under the big mango tree at the hospital entrance. There was a barge that had unloaded goods the night before when it arrived at 2100 and left in the morning at 0700 so it was good to stock on fresh things. As we had run out of work, by Friday lunchtime we set off on our next adventure armed with our fresh fruit. It was exactly a week after dropping anchor in Lolowai. Early on Saturday morning, we slipped down the coast on the full tide. In the wind shadow of the mountain we motored on flat water.

Fresh fruit!

Discovering a secluded little inlet down the coast in the later that morning after only a passing mention from some yachtie a long time ago we thought to check if out. Think Rangitoto coastline with a little dent. We anchored in Dixon Bay (15°19’29.58S, 167°48’17.16E) to the delighted audience of giggling kids watching from the rocky bluff. A local fishing boat came in to assure us anchoring there was safe although there wasn’t any wind anyway. We were the first boat to stop so far this year and they only get 3 or 4 in an annum.

 

Dixon Bay village kids

There was a cut away in the rock and a concrete ramp smaller than a driveway. This we lifted Zoe onto. (Zoe is the zodiac and our little runabout dinghy) We had rowed in rather than getting the outboard set up which made things a little easier.

The young local chief met us and showed us around the very small village. Phil asked if they had any elderly and was introduced to one man. We asked for fresh fruit and the kids disappeared while we did a sight test with him. He needed strong reading glasses. The kids returned with a load of island sweet grapefruit. We shared some out and traded some to take home to Waimanu. Back at the boat ramp the kids started swimming and Phil joined them. The water is over 27°C! Phil and the kids all jumped in from a high rocky outcrop. It takes some pluck, that’s for sure.

Anchored in rocky Dixon Bay

Wanting to shorten the voyage to Santo as much as we could, we carried on along the North West coast of Ambae. We found an anchorage of sorts off a steep boulder beach named Loone Lakua (15°21’37.02S, 167°45’42.72E) and with the dinghy anchor astern, we pointed to the slight swell and enjoyed a quiet night, watching some more of Colditz, a 1970s BBC TV series about the POW camp that we are now halfway through.

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Busy Lolowai

It has been so busy here in Lolowai, we haven’t been updating everyone quite so much.

Jenny has been throwing herself into writing and has found a lovely spot on the deck of a tiny wee cafe that is situated to catch the breeze. It has been going quite slowly though, as there are many interruptions with the guys (new friends of Phil’s) coming down for morning tea and chatty visitors turning up for lunch. The cafe is run by a local named Fred and is positioned with a great outlook, which was useful to observe a bunch of the village guys unloading a small freighter that recently came in, by means of a longboat and a human chain.

Meanwhile, Phil has been flat out with a number of building projects. He has fixed plumbing and installed new stainless medical benches. He has also redone some spouting and downpipe systems connecting to water tanks. This included repairing a cement tank built by NZ Armed Forces in 1994.

There are two large yachts in the bay at the moment, one from Australia and the other from Germany. We had sundowner drinks onboard the Australians boat from 5pm until 8.30pm. They have a quality French wine onboard which we are discovering is quite normal in Vanuatu.

Onboard our home (back in Vila) – Photo @Jenny vdM

 

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Lolowai Hospital

Phil has been itching to get to Lolowai since leaving NZ. We know a Kiwi couple who are retired and have been involved (aloing with a number of others) in upgrading the hospital here, a project between the NZ and Bundaburg Rotary club. As is the norm, the hospital is not big at all (having approx. seven beds and covering a broad number of health malidies for every age group). Our friend Sam (one half of the aforementioned Kiwi couple) gave us a tour of the place when we first got her before Phil happily launched himself into ditch digging and plumbing jobs. We then had lunch with the building team at Torgil in the tech training centre. Also: showers (make the most of them wherever you can).

Lolowai is the perfect anchorage and is the top of an underwater volcano, the crater of which creates a lovely sheltered bay.

We’re likely to stop here for a few days and do some work around the place (it is always useful having building skills). We are both loving this lifestyle and are getting more and more tanned by the day.