wind Archives - Adventures with ThevdMz

October 3, 2017

An Inside Look: Part Two

Phil and Anita headed off the next morning to check out one of the local Blue Holes. We headed up the river in Zoe, skimming over the shallows (and at one point wading the boat through as we were just short of high tide) passing under the bridge and enjoying the surrounding jungle until we popped out into the Hole.

The Blue Holes are fresh water springs that bubble up to the surface but bring lots of natural minerals with them, causing a rather amazing colour. One of the local villages has the entrepreneurial insight to set up some shade shelters, seats, steps and a swing and then charge visitors to utilise the natural fresh water swimming hole. We explained to the chap on watch all we were doing was having an explore. He wasn’t too happy as it meant he was missing out on a bit of income so we came him a rather small amount and headed back down river.

That afternoon we headed off back down to Palikulo Bay, this time anchoring next to a different wreck, said to be Vanuatu’s first tug. With a mirror-like quality to the water, it was perfect for taking artistic photos of reflected rust while listening to the shrieks of laughing coming from the local village kids having an evening dip.

Wreck of the Tug – Photo @thewildlifeofme

The following morning we swept around the point and out into the ocean wind to head further down the coast, anchoring off of Ratua Island Resort. The channel between the islands of Malo and Aore can develop quite interesting wind and tidal patterns and this time was totally different than when Phil and Jenny had first come through, halving the time it took to tack from Bokissa Island through to Ratua Island.

The anchorage off of Ratua Island is quite sheltered with a lovely lagoon that is home to a marine sanctuary. This meant that on the Eastern side of the island, turtles use the shallow inlet as a nursery for their young (usually seen in February) while on the deep Western side, the adult turtles (many over a meter across) shyly explore the visiting yachts.

Turtle Sanctuary – Photo @thewildlifeofme

There is a deep channel between Ratua Island and Aore Island, despite being only a couple of dozen meters wide. The current is strong but the water is clear and the sea life is incredible. Phil and Anita gave Zoe a bit of a rub down before donning mask and snorkel and drifting back down the channel with camera in hand and muffled exclamations bursting out in the form of bubbles. The perfect end to another stunning day.

Another Perfect Day – Photo @thewildlifeofme

August 9, 2017

Luganville Harbour Hangouts

Our cooking skills using what we have (long term foods and bursts of fresh produce that is locally grown so often rather different from “normal” in NZ) are greatly improving. Phil makes good Aloo Methi especially for not having chili and using dried parsley instead of fresh.

After our turbulent crossing, we anchored inside Tutuba Island at the entrance of Luganville Harbour for a flat, calm and peaceful night. Then we were off to Beachfront Resort which is across from Sarakata River from town.

It was Vanuatu’s Independence Day on the 30th July so it made town quite an interesting place to be. At times quiet and other times very busy but not quite as predictable as normal.

The next couple of days we anchored off Beachfront Resort and two out of three days we made the 3km return walk into Luganville itself to catch up on things. It was good to stock up on groceries and have a bit of lunch at a local cafe to also check in on the world in general. We also topped up the fuel and water tanks and started a few loads of laundry. We also spent a good bit of time chatting to a young fella in his 20s. He was a BK (boat kid) and had grown up cruising on a yacht, now continuing the lifestyle himself.

Motoring back to Tutubua Island, we enjoyed the small sandy bay at the western end and anchored just on dark. One thing we have enjoyed doing is visiting the various resorts in the area for a drink at their bar. It’s a good place to catch up on news and enjoy something a bit different.

Days are warm up here and you will often find Jenny sitting in the cabin before 9am, alternating between reading her book and watching the thermometer steadily passing 27°C.

After finishing up a few more errands back in Luganville, we headed up the coast and anchored on the eastern side of Palikulo Bay, northeast of Luganville. There are old rusty remnants of a ship here along with the decaying structure of a fish factory it’s wharf with some very inviting photos. We spent the day doing some jobs on the boat with Phil sanding and applying Sikkens.

Temperature Gage – our normal

August 6, 2017

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

August 3, 2017

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.

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.

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.

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.

July 19, 2017

Trade Winds

The crossing from Ambrym to Pentecost was a bit wild with guusts of up to 35kts. Just a little windier than anticipated… We spent the night anchored in Home Bay on the southern end of the island. This was also the spot cruise shops anchor off and home of the seasonal and infamous Land Diving (the original bungee jump).

Phil has also been learning how to trade, swapping a big bunch of small eating bananas (they taste much better than the ones in NZ) and four huge pampelmouss (grapefruit) for an old tee shirt and a pair of trousers.

July 17, 2017

Ambrym the Volcano

Vanuatu has been a favourite in our family for many years. We sailed back from here to NZ in the 80s on some yacht delivery trips as well as visiting on cruise ships more recently. The love we have for this place has been passed on to our kids, our daughter having come here in 2007 to live on one of the outer islands for a month doing some building upkeep work on a local school.

On her way to Pentecost, she flew over the volcano island that is Ambrym. Her descriptions of seeing the contrasted sleeping volcano covered in growth right next to a very active one with lava seeping out came across as somewhat story book but stunning in a wild way (the pilot of the 20 seater plane she was on even did a couple of loops around to really show it off) .

On Friday we anchored on the far western coastline of Ambrym and watched this gracious but raw beauty from a different perspective.

There was a slight roll for our anchorage of the night in Craig Cove (16°15’20.34S, 167°55’14.64E) where we shared the bay with a small, coastal, inter-island freighter and a barge so we moved on the following day. Our next stop between Ranvetlam and Ranon (16°9’06.42S, 168°6’32.16E) was a lovely flat sea with a black sand setting and a gentle cooling breeze. It made up for the gusty sail from our previous spot.