The naghol ceremony on Pentecost Island was one of the most moving cultural displays we've seen yet on Sea Child. After arriving late Friday afternoon at Home Bay, Pentecost Island, we met the local chief, Chief Luke, who was to take us to Lonore Airport for the ceremony itself on Saturday. We had assured him that it was not necessary for him to take us, but he said it was his kastom, the way it is done on Pentecost. He escorted us on Sea Child as we motored 5 miles north to a rough anchorage just off the airport, and took the dinghy ashore, securing it above the tide line. We walked the short distance to the airport, and waited for 3 hours or so for all the planes to land (2 Air Vanuatu and one Air Taxi). At around noon, we were all invited to walk the short distance, through lush landscape and up a steep incline, to the large viewing area surrounding the 22 meter tall "female" tower, built entirely of banyon timber and vines.

There were 14 platforms for divers to jump from, from the lowers at around 10' to the highest platform on the top, 68' above the ground. Men were picking at the ground dirt, to soften it up in the event of a hard landing, and other men were climbing in the tower to attach each set of vines to the jumpers. The first four jumpers, all recently circumsized boys, made the jump to be able to join the men in the traditional chant that takes place at a crescendo while the men prepare themselves for their jumps. All four jumpers hit the ground rather hard, face first in the soft dirt. From then on, other jumpers would jump out, twist as they sprang into the air, and land on the soft dirt with their backs rather than their faces. The men wore no clothing except for their namba sheath around their penis, and 14 different men jumped. The music of the men's group would get progressively louder and louder, culminating in a final crescendo at the last diver. It was a show we will no t soon forget, if ever.

We departed Pentecost Island for Santo yesterday at 8:30am. The SSE trades were around 25+ knots, our course 300 to Santo, 68 miles away. First we flew the screecher, making good time across the channel between Pentecost and Malekula Islands, then changed to the large spinnaker, where we ultimately hit 19+ knots. During our jibe 4 miles off Malo Island, we focused our attention at the performance of Sea Child, and made the jibe doing 14.6 knots. We cleared Aore Island off Santo and dropped anchor at 4:00pm, just west of Aore Island Resort. The westher in Santo is clearing this morning, blue skies with scaterred clouds, slight breeze. Most cruisers do not attempt a 68 mile passage in one day, to drop anchor in the daylight. Sea Child continues to amaze us, with her power and performance across South Pacific Ocean, averaging 10+ knots. What a crossing. What a country!