The two weeks Matt and Jane were with us passed so quickly, it was over before it began. After we brought them back from Havannah Harbour, they stayed with us for a few days on "Destiny" then moved ashore for a few days to a resort and then came back onboard for a few nights. During that time, Matt slipped an engagement ring on Jane's finger and we had a celebratory dinner at "Watermark" on Iririki Island Resort.
Saturday was Kiwanis Charity Race Day in Vila, so we put on our best shorts and T-shirts and caught a free bus to the "track" which is a temporary affair in paddocks around the Port Vila abattoir. The horses we backed may well have been better destined there - we managed to back a string of second-last place-getters in the "Bet Haos" (the Tote)! But in fact the whole thing is a fund-raiser and great fun - everyone in town goes, and the racing is just a sidelight to music, fun, raffles and lots of cheap local foods on sale provided by various Efate villages. We had great fun.
The World ARC Round the World Yacht Rally arrived over the weekend and filled the harbour to overflowing. About 26 yachts in the fleet, most very expensive recent models of famous marques, some downright opulent. One of them, a 61 footer, managed to motor his mast though the overhead cable providing power to Iririki Island and its resort - there was a loud bang, a brief spark and the cable dropped into the harbour. We were fascinated, sitting in the Waterfront Restaurant, to see the repair crews swing into action and run a new cable across the harbour within six hours and they had power restored to the island within another two hours. The bill to the owner of the yacht will be horrendous - we hope his insurance covers him; there will also be a hefty fine from the authorities.
So at 04:00 Monday we rose, took Matt and Jane ashore, and bade them goodbye. We have spent a little time tidying the boat and in the morning we are off to Lamen Bay on Epi Island. There we will visit the clinic and two local schools - a primary, and the high school for North Epi. We'll be back in internet range in a week or ten days.
Cheers from us.
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