Going Home! (April 2014)

We arrived in Port Vila last night after a 130 miles sail from Tanna. The winds were light to start but picked up yesterday morning but we averaged a little less than 5 knots using the small spinnaker and mizzen on a downwind reach. Conditions were very pleasant however and we didn't need to burn any diesel so life is good. We caught a nice yellowfin tuna about 15 pounds, a mahi 23 pounds and a small skipjack tuna. We lost another big mahi and a billfish so overall fishing was good. It was nice to eat some fresh grilled yellowfin tuna last night as it had been weeks since we caught one.

Our time in Tanna was outstanding. It was one of our best stops yet. After visiting so many tropical islands with mountains, waterfalls, reefs and beaches it was refreshing to stop somewhere different. Funny how months of paradise can almost make you numb to the spectacular places we have been and explored. Tanna was different as the volcano was a once in a lifetime experience. Only here in Tanna can you stand 2000 feet up on the rim of a live volcano and watch it explode below and right in front of you. It was shocking the power of the volcano.

Several people in our group from Resolution Bay were scared and quickly left the crater rim. Not us of course. I figured they couldn't be killing too many tourists and our odds were good to survive. The crater would explode putting severe pressure on you ears. They call these bombs and rightly so. The lava would shoot up in the air like a spectacular fire works display just a couple of hundred feet in front of us. Then it would settle down, boil below and build pressure once again. Every two-three minutes it would explode with another spectacular display. I took several videos but will have to wait for an exception internet connection to upload them to facebook.

After the volcano experience we met our friend Tom at the Yacht Club and walked with him to his village. He had invited us earlier in the day after going spearfishing with Eric and Aaron. We had traded fishing supplies with him and his friends for bananas, papayas, and live chickens. He wanted to have us for dinner and kava. At the village we at stewed turtle that they had shot earlier that day with rice and casaba. It was delicious. I know there will be a lot of judgment on the turtle thing but this is how the islanders survive. They do not use money for the most part. Tom told us that food is free and they only need some money for clothing and such. After dinner we had kava with the men in the village. They retreat to a separate area where women are not allowed. Kava on Tanna is not processed. It is a root and the way they make it is to chew it and spit it out into a leaf. When they get about a cups worth they wrap in mesh cloth and poor water over it into a bowl making the muddy water. It is disgusting thinking about the chewed and spit out mush but we didn't want to offend anyone and we all had a couple of coconut cups full. Not much effect but we could tell by the other villagers that it certainly will mess you up if you drink enough.

Tom invited to take us to the hot springs in the morning and we accepted. Eric and Aaron wanted to go bat hunting with them that night but apparently a little to much kava was consumed and none of the men were up for bat hunting. They have big fruit bats there like we saw in Fiji and they are a part of their diet.

Tom showed up at the boat at 6:30 on Sunday morning to take us to the hot springs. We showed him some of our photos and he was very excited and asked if I could print a couple of them for him. I broke out the printer and printed four 8X10 photos and put them in plastic sleeves as he wanted to display them in his hut.

He then hopped in the dinghy with the three of us and directed me to Sulfur Bay. The swell was running about five feet and we had to come into the beach. Tom was wearing jean shorts and was supposed to go to church afterwards and suggested we beach it. I was not comfortable beaching the dinghy in these conditions and decided to anchor as close as possible to avoid getting Tom too wet. Big mistake, as soon as we anchored a huge set of waves came in a flipped the dinghy upside down. I was ankle deep on the beach and Eric and Aaron were next to the dinghy when it happened, thankfully not hurt. I rushed back out to help but the quickly had it flipped back over. Eric pulled it to deeper water and I hopped in. We got the motor started after about 20 pulls so thankfully no damage to the motor. I then noticed my camera was no longer in my pocket....shit. Aaron had put his wallet in the bow compartment and it was missing. We searched the breakers for an hour but no luck. We lost a camera and a wallet but at least the dinghy was OK and no one was hurt. Another hard lesson learned. This gamne is full of hard lessons and not much you can do but to avoid the same mistake in the future.

We then toured the hot spring and laid in the hot pools of water. We were allowed to lay in the man tub but no women are allowed in that tub. Apparently this is a male dominated society, sorry ladies not my rules. We had to promise the villagers to give Tom some fishing tackle as gifts are expected to visit anywhere in Vanuatu. Tom did not explain this to us so we didn't know to bring anything.

When we got back to the boat there were the two live chickens Tom's friend had promised us on the back. Eric, Aaron and Tom went ashore to clean them. They went to were a hot stream runs into the bay behind the boat and after killing the chicken Tom dipped them in the very hot water. Eric said the feathers pulled off easily after being par boiled...lol. They got back to the boat, we said our goodbye's to Tom and got ready to leave. What a visit to Tanna!

We will probably be in Port Resolution one more night and then head up to Ambrym. I will update more when we have final plans.