Panasia Island is two miles in length and half a mile in width at its eastern end. The other portion of the island is narrow, terminating in a rocky point at the West end.
Luckily by the time we arrived at the start of passage into Panasia, the sun had started to peak through the clouds. Along with a low tide, it became easier to see where the reef and coral bommies were. Assisted by community edits on our electronic chart we picked our way in safely. We anchored in about 10 metres of water to the left of the main beach. A magical sight, almost too good to be true after our long trip over and our rolly anchorage the night before. The calm blue water of the lagoon was fringed with glistening white sand and coconut trees. The place was protected from the south-east winds behind rugged, nearly perpendicular cliffs, with ravines between them.
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by John's grandchildren who had paddled out to say hello. John's family, like most of the people who occupy the islands of the Louisiades, are of Melanesian descent, and typically speak English, are well educated, and very friendly. John, being the owner, along with his family are the only occupants of the island, and they lead an idyllic tropical island lifestyle. They live in a coconut palm thatched single room house built on stilts. Plus, John also built a cooking hut that sits on the white coral sand beach, looking over the coral lagoon. He proudly showed us his tatted Visitors' book where all the vessels that have visited his island write a message. He was particularly proud and talked nostalgically of when many yachts were scattered over the lagoon as he gazed out to our boats. With his hands deep in his pockets, John smiled, obviously bringing back echoing memories of earlier days when the Louisiades Rally, organised by Guy Chester, used to visit annually. We could see the visitors' book was sacred to John, but it had run out of pages. We made him a new one.
Money is not very important here, and on many of the islands, the locals have little use for the Kina (the currency of Papua New Guinea) as there is no store nearby in which to spend it. John, as with the other families we met on other islands meet their needs by fishing and have a garden where they grow fruit and vegetables.
As we discovered each village has at least one fisherman with a sailing canoe, which in the Misima language is called a Sailau. John's was like the others we saw; a hand-hewn, wooden outrigger canoe with one mast. The sail is suspended between a yard and a boom almost the length of the mast. The sail is made from bits of nylon, plastic or tarpaulins, usually sewn together with strips of rice bags or rope. Amazing boats to watch and need only the slightest breeze to get going, then they fly.
Over the five days we were there we had the privilege of meeting and spending time with John's wife Gwen, and their three grandkids Emanuel, Jocelyn and Rodney. We also visited John's mother and the rest of the people who live on Little Panasia, the other island John owns. Just magic.
The grandkids were happy and well mannered. Emanuel, at the age of 11 was a competent young sailor. He was able to navigate his grandfather's Sailau and 'captained' our dinghy with ease when we went over to visit Little Panasia. Rodney, at the grand old age of three, was the first in the water to help bring the dinghy into the beach. Bless Jocelyn; she just smiled from ear to ear all day.
As you can imagine, we were well stocked with bananas, paw-paw, coconuts, sweet potato which we traded for prized goods not readily available such as tee-shirts, fish hooks, fishing line, batteries for torches, rope, cotton, needles, soap and things for the kids. Gwen made me a woven basket for some machine needles and cotton for her hand turned Singer sewing machine - which I might add was in excellent condition. Terry was a hit, handing out bubble gum and lollipops to the kids that seem to appear from neighbouring islands as soon as he was out on the deck! John gave us three huge crayfish. We also had a shared dinner on the island. Gwen cooked up a feast of sweet potato and taro in coconut milk, with paw-paw. John just wanted sausages which we put on the bbq, and Dave and Selina brought over some chicken, which was scoffed down pretty quickly! A great afternoon sitting in paradise.
Frank and Linda from Little Panasia, became frequent friendly visitors, with always something different to trade.
Loved this place, but it was time to go. As we followed our track back through the passage, I suddenly saw the yellow head of a bommie and yelled out to Terry. Simultaneously the hull lifts up. Hell. My heart is hammering; my mind flickers - where is the jump bag, EPRIB ...? I run back to the cockpit. Terry has already started reversing full throttle; we are off - great work. Slowly our nerves return to normal, but I can say it took a fair while!