Port Vila to Oyster Island
05 September 2013
Annie & Erin
Erin and Annie signing of from what has been an Idyllic Island Paradise holiday.
Tony has been the perfect Skipper, Host, boat boy and "Olfala"
The highlights being the Port Vila Market with the wonderful produce brilliant flowers and the beautiful so happy and kind local woman in there fantastically colourful "mother hubbard frocks". We are wearing ours to Island Night at the Oyster bay Resort tonight. And of course Tony will be in his Lava Lava..
We have had the most perfect sailing weather aft of the beam all the way, sliding along beautifully averaging 7.4 knots on all of our legs. Annie hogging the helm, Erin has had some fantastic runs also along the lee of some beautiful islands.
After long hours of trailing many different lures we finally caught 2 Tuna and of course the big one that got away.
We have lived an Paw Paw for breakfast lunch and dinner and have been baking beautiful bread..The best meal being Tuna Steaks and fried bananas under he stars in the warm trade wind breeze.
We were very fortunate to have an introduction via our friend Annie Shnackenberg to visit her place of birth on Amae.
Were greeting the hugs and kisses and warmly welcomed into the village and shared a morning exchanging our gifts we had bought from home, clothes for the children and supplies for the classroom.
They have so few "white Falas" visiting that they were giggling at our white skin.
We have so impressed with the wonderful relaxed, friendly Ni-Van people, they are proud people who appear to cherish their heritage and culture. The villages are all immaculate, dirt yards swept daily to give the appearance of carpet.
We have been swimming at least 3 times a day starting at 6.30 am, we are all early risers.
The snorkeling was disappointing around the bottom of Afate, due to the crown of thorns starfish killing off the coral.
As we travelled north it has improved and we swam with the turtles on Epi Island.
The snorkeling was brilliant on Ambrym and nearly as good at Champagne Beach. The most beautiful beach we have been so lucky to experience.
We noticed a red glow in the night sky. It was Ambrym Island volcanic activity ( two massive active volcanoes) with the molten lava reflecting off the clouds, spectacular as we sailed towards it the next day and watched the smoke billowing above the cone.
Currently we are moored at Oyster Islands on the East Coast of Espiritu Santo with most of the fleet in and out of here.
We are sad to be planning our departure for tomorrow, we have had perfect conditions, wind from behind and creeping north all the time, the water getting warmer all the way, and the thermal underground waters feeding the bays with even more warmth, we have swimming in layers of warm tepid waters.
Leaving these beautiful Islands with a wonderful feeling of being so fortunate to have met these beautiful proud people.
Tony has been a joy to share this all with and seems to have been very content with his all girl crew for the last few weeks.
Happy sailing to all