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An Inside Look: Part One

So what does it really look like to the outside world, this lifestyle of ours?

Our daughter, Anita , popped up to Vanuatu for a week’s holiday to come and investigate and truly get a feel for what life on a small yacht in the South Pacific is like.

Phil and Jenny had spent the week and a bit leading up to her arrival investigate the local lay of the land so that we could utilise our time together to the max.

The taxi dropped her off at the resort we were anchored in front of so we made the most of their restaurant and excellent steak (we live a mostly vegetarian life onboard Waimanu as she doesn’t have a fridge onboard).

Groceries – photo @thewildlifeofme

After stocking up on fresh fruit and veg from the local markets the following day, we headed off to Palikulo Bay. The Japanese fish factory there had closed down in the 80s and has basically been ignored ever since. With a flat calm anchorage and some interesting ruins alongside the shipwreck, it is a great spot. Donning snorkeling gear, Phil and Anita jumped into the crystal clear blue water for a swim and looking around while Jenny bobbed along in Zoe taking pictures of the rusted glory that is the wreck.

Palikulo Bay – photo @thewildlifeofme

The next day we sailed our way across to a cute little anchorage that has the remnants of a western structure but is otherwise deserted. It is the epitome of a tropical island paradise with no footprints on the beach, the roar of the surf on the other side of the island’s point, and deep, amazingly clear water kissing white, sandy stretches before jungle takes over.

Paradise – photo @thewildlifeofme

After enjoying the serenity of this gorgeous spot for a few hours we headed up to to inside of Malwepe Island. Oyster Island Resort is on the end of this island but is currently closed down as they rebuild it but it is one of the most sheltered anchorages we have ever come across, sheltered on all sides. The most nerve-wracking part of staying here is getting in through a channel that is only 2.3 meters deep at full tide. It certainly is a spectacular entry and is within a short Zoe ride to some of the famous blue holes.

That’s shallow! – photo @thewildlifeofme

 

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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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Life in General

 

This is what quite a “normal” day looks like now:

Morning:

While anchored in another stunning spot (Loltong Bay, 15°32’42.84S, 168°08’56.64E) Phil did a bit of general engine maintenance while Jenny puttered around the boat. We worked in companionable quiet while listening to the birdsong from ashore and the laughter coming from our chattering neighbours. We also watched a ship unload supplies.

Afternoon:

A spot of swimming and watching the local kids having a ride in a longboat dugout with the local fishermen and then we’re off ashore.

 

In short, life is good and you have to make the most of the adventure it is (or can be).

Sunset – Photo @phil.vdm
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Has anyone told you that you are wonderful people?

By midday today Phil was enjoying some sailing after 21 hours motoring.
Then he added to the picture with letting us know the menu: Beans ‘n onions for lunch. Accompanied by Pink Floyd on the stereo.

Early evening sounds nice: Perfect day here. About 200nm east of Norfolk Island. Just about to click 1st 500nm.

Since there is now a little more wind he’s expecting to use the Code Zero some more tomorrow.

It sounds like the weather is quite pleasant up there… hopefully warmer than here!

Somewhere along the line he concluded that since he’s not home I’m getting some rest…
Yeah right! I might have already put most of my clothes on Waimanu, but there is still someone moving into our bedroom after I leave. This should require emptying the room out first! 🙂

One of today’s activities was buying groceries. Apparently we still need to eat food. Who knew, right?

I have already sent several packets of coloured pencils ahead on Waimanu for sharing with kids in the outer islands, and Phil has sorted a few pairs of reading glasses* for folks who might feel unable to contribute to family productivity as their eyesight changes with age, so I popped in to Warehouse Stationery to look for some pencil sharpeners and pencil cases.

It was a wonderful surprise to find them as clearance items.
Taking what I required to the counter the chap there didn’t just make conversation- he wanted to know what I was going to do with half a dozen of each. He knows my kids are too old to need them.

He seemed delighted when I said where and why I was taking them with me and made me wait for a few minutes while he checked something out the back.

Returning, he gave me a good bundle of school exercise books* to add to our supplies and simply asked for a possible photo of where they went so he can share it with his business associates.

School exercise books, sharpeners, pencilcases
Some simple school supplies

I’ve been really encouraged by such positive responses when people ask where we are going and what we might do there. It’s lovely, and so much more positive than being asked Why?

Anyway, time to sleep, plenty of packing and moving to do tomorrow! 🙂

 

*Thank you, thank you, thank you to the folks who have contributed in such wonderful ways. You know who you are!

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Is she really that small? Or: before departure

Thought you might want to see a photo or two of Waimanu. These were taken on Friday, the morning they left Sandspit

Being loaded now, she’s definitely sitting a little lower in the water

And to give you an idea of how tiny Waimanu looks to other people here’s a side-by-side with her berth-mate Swan