We are 3 islands up in Vanuatu from the last time I summarized our life on the blog. We continue to be hedonists for the most part, still traveling with Gypsea Heart & Blue Rodeo. As I look back, we have done a few interesting things lately. First of all, the luck is back on this ship as far as fishing goes because we finally landed a nice mahi mahi. It was big enough and our friends were tired enough of fish that we were able to take all we could hold and then offer up the rest to a couple of islanders in addition to the carcass which they seem to always appreciate. They have the big pots to make a fish stew from the head & bones whereas we don't.

From Vanuatu 2014

We sailed to the island of Ambrym and quickly arranged to climb the volcano- Mt Marum for the following day. We also tried to seek out their signature ROM dance performance (local traditional dance with elaborate costumes) but it just seemed a bit pricey for the "show" so we decided to pass. We knew we would be spending our extra money for land diving. We spent the better part of a day scoping these things out which isn't unusual. Every person we meet is very polite and stops to introduce themselves, there is the handshake, and then usually very universal questions. We joke around some about having t-shirts made that provide answers to common questions thinking we could use them if we're in a hurry to save time. They could be something like: Hi my name is __, I'm from ___, it took me ___ years to sail here, I'm headed to ___, it's just the two of us and no, we don't have any kids! But actually, this is part of the experience that we like- the local people are warm, curious and respectful and we try to be the same. Their traditional way of life intrigues me but pains me just the same. When we're walking around in some of the villages, it's funny to watch how many kids materialize and come closer. If we stop to talk, in time, we'll be in a circle of wild-eyed beautiful faces. They're shy to answer our questions but there's usually one or two with a better grasp on English and the poise to carry on a conversation. They often touch my hair. It's the complete opposite of their own. The other day one said it was so soft. It's easy to be comfortable around kids here!

We hiked Mt Marum with Mark & Anne. It took 3 ½ hrs to get to the top on a well maintained trail that started out in forest interspersed with villager's gardens, then a coconut plantation where they harvest copra to sell, then we reached the flat ash plain. It wasn't anything like the true ash plain of Tanna where the windblown ash got into every nook & cranny of our bodies. It was more like black sand & made for easy walking in a relatively barren but still beautiful landscape. The last half hour was straight up to the top of the crater and unfortunately, it had begun to rain. We summited in the clouds and the orange molten lava center that we were supposed to see was shrouded in fog. Not to mention the island to sea views we were hoping for. At one point the sulfur gas smell was burning our noses and I started to wonder if we would expire up there but we didn't stay long enough to know since there wasn't much to see anyway and it was quite windy. Before we headed down, the fog cleared enough for us to get a glimpse of a boiling orange circle so at least we got something for all the sweat. It was still a great hike and we were glad to be out and seeing what we could of the island. Our guide's name was Tomata and due to typical island organization fall-throughs, he wasn't informed that he would be guiding us until minutes before. He was essentially dragged out of bed and onto the trail. We tried to take good care of him though since he had no water or lunch, just a bag of cookies and flip flops. We of course had everything and then some. We Americans are so complicated next to other cultures. It cracks me up when I think about it.

From Vanuatu 2014

The following day we left for the island of Pentecost to make it for the last land diving event of the year. The history of Pentecost's land diving is that they would erect these elaborate towers out of local trees & branches, attach customized length vines to them and then make platforms for the men to dive from, each ankle attached to a vine that acts as a bungee cord. It was originally done to help insure a good yam harvest and the goal was to grace one's forehead on the dirt if the vine was made to the right length. Now, the main reason they dive is for tourism but everything in Vanuatu is on a quiet scale so it can feel pretty authentic. There were the 6 of us and then 3 other people there to watch 7 divers and a really nice group of dancers in traditional dress. They sing, whistle and dance as the divers climb the tower, get their ankle vines attached and then get up the courage to plunge into the air headfirst. The tower creaks and shakes and then there's the sound of the tightening vine as it stretches to it's fullest at the bottom of the dive. I found that I was relieved when it was all over since I knew if anything went wrong, there would be no good outcome. We were told that Queen Elizabeth came many years ago to watch and it was off season so the vines and wood for the tower were not at their best and consequently, there was a fatality. Not a good thing to watch I'm sure! The new camera has a burst feature so we got a good series of shots for the progression of a diver which makes it even more impressive. It'll be great to get some internet at some point and post them for you to see..... shouldn't be too much longer. We're craving civilization.
From Vanuatu 2014


At the same anchorage we did the land diving (Londot Village), we went to a snorkel spot that had an old fighter plane wreck from WWII. We found the wing and part of the engine but the best part was a really nice show of colorful soft corals that we usually only see on scuba dives. I can never figure out what makes what grow where. In an otherwise unattractive bouldery area, there were all these bright, showy corals.

From Vanuatu 2014

The following day, we did a bike ride with Mark on the road that runs the length of Pentecost. From the village, it looked like it would be such a great road to bike on but about 5 minutes after we got started and around the bend, our smooth dirt road turned to rutty rocks and about 15 streams to cross. We did it, for 4 hours and it was nice to get out and see the island but it was once again, not what our bikes are really made for. Nearing the end, we stopped at one of these streams and sunk into the water which we agreed was the best part! But along our bike ride we came to Waterfall Bay which, you guessed it, has a waterfall right in front of it and the anchorage looked so inviting. As soon as we got back to the boat, we upped anchor and motored over to this bay, the waterfall in full view from our anchor spot. How nice! Traveling in the lee of Pentecost is luxury sailing- no waves!

We met 2 new European boats in this anchorage, both in the middle of circumnavigations. They passed on a wall dive site waypoint a few miles up and so we all headed up to Batnavine Bay the next day. The wall dive was nice but not the caliber we're used to although we did see a few turtles and lots of schooling fish along with some reef cruisers like tuna and some kind of mackerel. After the dive we went snorkeling though and found a fantastic reef that really topped the dive. It was so good we stayed another day in order to snork that spot again. Jon spotted an octopus who had the best disposition of any octopus we've ever met. It was a good sized one, it lived in shallow water and it didn't want to miss a thing. At first we went down and were carefully snapping pictures, trying not to scare him into his hole. Closer, closer, practically touching him with our camera, then Jon reached out for his tentacle and the octopus wrapped it around his finger. Then we started taking pictures of each other with the octopus, then of each other taking pictures of each other and then Mark suggested we give the octopus rabbit ears in the photo- got that one too! We did everything except put our arm around it but we thought that might be pushing it. He probably wouldn't have minded anyway.
From Vanuatu 2014


We made a visit ashore to meet the chief and again we walked with a crowd of kids to tour the village. I really liked the chief's daughter Jane. She had such a great personality and you could just tell that given the chance, she's going to go somewhere. She's the only one I've seen who had her ears pierced although she only had one earring in. Before we left the next day, Anne & I went ashore and gave a few things to the people we'd met- I gave Jane a pair of earrings and some magazines along with some oreos. Her classroom got a box of colored chalk. You give what you can.

Then yesterday we zoomed over to Maewo's Asanvari Bay, a place we liked last year. It too has a waterfall that plunges into the anchorage. Today was a much welcomed rainy day and the boat is finally salt free for the moment. We took a long swim all around the anchorage and out around the point. The coral is in really poor shape here and we're not sure why. This is the sleepiest village we've ever been to and there's hardly anyone around anywhere. I think whatever happened to this coral has nothing to do with people. Anyway, I had dived down and was just swimming along when I caught a gray shape out of the corner of my eye and wouldn't you know it was a curious dugong (manatee), right next to me. At first I thought it was a dolphin because their tail is very similar but the head is unmistakable. It just hovered there, checking me out and I had time to get everyone else so they could have a look before it faded away into the blue. Well cross that off our list! We'd been wanting to see one of these type of manatees since last year. Much different than the west Indian manatee and a lot smaller. We also saw 4 bumphead parrot fish (big, greenish blue with a boxlike head) and a large eel swimming out in the open. All in all, despite the dead coral, a fine day of snorkeling.
From Vanuatu 2014


Thanks to friends, we are up to date on the Game Of Thrones episodes. At least we're up to date on something! Somewhere along the way, someone got the idea that whenever something is amiss, we'd say "Hodor!" after one of the characters on GOT. So about our watermaker membranes..... Hodor! I can't remember if I already mentioned this but first, our package of membranes & orings/pressure vessel endcaps got hung up in customs because our boat name didn't make it on the label. So we "freed" the package via many phone calls & emails after proving that we are indeed a boat in transit. Because of this several day delay, we decided to stop the package from going on to Santo further north as previously planned for fear it would get lost and instead, we'd have friends on Slip Away pick it up and keep it safe till we met up. We thought all would be well until they informed us that the package they picked up was only a little box. Upon looking in to this further, we discovered, for reasons unbeknownst to us, that the company had mailed 2 boxes halfway around the world on our dime instead of one! And better yet, the package with the membranes in it was not stopped at customs so went to Santo as planned and is sitting there waiting for our pickup. We can't replace the membranes till we have both packages and they are in opposite directions. So.... everything is typical and we have no packages in our hands. But the bill is paid.