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SLOEPMOUCHE
--- 46’ Norman Cross trimaran --- 5’ draft --- June 08- Oct 08
Subject/
Area: Vanuatu – part 3: Northern part
Dear
SSCA,
Here
are more cruising notes concerning the islands north of Efate all the way to Santo.
We will only cruise the Banks next year so we won’t be able to cover that area
in this letter. As we wrote in our
previous letters about Vanuatu, the ultimate cruising guide here is the Rocket
Guide (hereafter abbreviated: RG)(www.cruising-vanuatu.com). Get the latest
edition as this great guide is updated every year or two. With charts, aerial
photos and sailing directions to most anchorages, you will have no problem
making landings. CM 93 electronic charts are slightly off in some areas so do
not rely blindly on them! Nor on Cruising Guides or our waypoints. This sailing
season was different than last year and different than the year before as
well! This year there are more periods
of light winds and sunny days alternating with squally troughs and a few days
of “enhanced trade winds”.
MALEKULA: We will start
our counter-clockwise cruise of Malekula with a little bit more about Masquelynes
(we covered a little of these islands in our 2nd
letter). A caveat about the Masquelynes,
especially around the Pescarus anchorage: Many boats and land tourists
complained about being “conned” or “ripped-off” by one or more young men who
propose to act as guides to areas like the Giant Clam reserve, or to organize a
custom dance and/or feast, and who later ask more money or more than the
customary fee or even take you to the wrong area if they don’t feel they’re
getting enough money for the effort.
They are a well –known gang in the area, but the custom chiefs and
villagers seem unable to control them. Two or the main guys are Jimmy and
another name like Jeffery. Kalo runs the bungalows on the beach at Pescarus and
can probably tell you who to avoid in any dealings. This situation is
unfortunate because it gives all the Masquelynes a bad name. There are many very nice people who have
been to legitimate workshops for tourist guides and have certificates, but
yachties are suspicious that they may be forgeries. Awai anchorage: well protected anchorage behind the reef. The
reef is high enough to break any waves so you are in a smooth pond while the
wind generators are producing! Amazingly we were 13 boats here coming back from
the SW Bay festival! At low tide, you
can walk across the sand bar between the small island and the main island for
nice coastal walks. Gaspard Bay: another good spot and a definite cyclone hole if
you go all the way inside … we checked the depth by dinghy and it is possible
to go in with 6’ draft and we would even feel safer than inside Port Sandwich!
One yacht reported being asked an anchoring fee here, but no one asked us. There is no village here; people come to
fish or cut copra. The reefs noted in the RG were easy to discern even in
cloudy conditions. This report bypasses Port Sandwich and Banon bay (see 2nd
letter) and starts again at Pankumu bay. The anchorage was as
described in the Rocket guide and a bit rolly due to strong SE winds. We did
get into the river with our dinghy but we had to cross the shallow bar with
breakers (very exhilarating!). Alas we were only able to navigate the first
half a mile. Even tho this is the
second largest river of Vanuatu, there are too many shallow rapids shortly
after you get in. Crab Bay: We anchored in the first anchorage, just in front of
the sand spit. Not a lot of room but each of the 3 anchorages mentioned in RG
can accommodate a boat tho there is not much point weaving around reefs to get
in further. It is also possible to
anchor just inside behind the protection of the first reef, before you arrive
in the anchorage area and still be protected from swell. Calm here in 20-25 kts
E-SE! The mangrove area is now a protected park and thus no fishing, no
collecting, … but they might collect 500Vt/pers if you visit … we didn’t see
any native at all! Nunbeken Bay: We anchored
at 16d07’44-167d29’48 in 22ft on foul ground but had a very calm anchorage
despite the tradewinds. As at Crab Bay, you can just duck in behind the first
reef and get out of the swell without going all the way in. It looked on the aerial photo that you could
go all the way into the mangroves but when we explored by dinghy, we were happy
we didn’t try as it was almost too shallow for the dinghy in some places. Port
Stanley offers several anchorages. We anchored off the eastern end of Uri
Island (see RG) where we were welcomed by the small community. We
toured their clean village and snorkeled in the marine park where we took uw
photos of very vibrant corals and the giant clam shells they protect there. We
also anchored temporarily, on rubble, off the dock in Lislits in order for one
of us to walk to Lakatoro to get bread. Wala Island is now a little spoiled
by cruise ships so a 1,000 Vt/pers/village is asked to visit the 5 villages!
Altho some negotiating is possible Twice a day you see an exodus of small
paddling canoes going to the mainland to work in their garden or to go to
school. Vao Island: we were lucky to meet Juliette, a very nice
enterprising lady who gave us a tour of the island after we charged the
batteries of her mobile phone! ( the new request of islanders in the new
millennium!). There is a large French Catholic school there. We took lots of
photos/video of several nasaras
(ceremonial dance areas) and local artists who do nice wood and coral carvings.
We had a nice sail around the north side of Malekula to Malua Bay. We were
welcomed by one of the 3 schoolteachers from the 7th Day Adventist
primary school in the bay. The school (as all schools in Vanuatu) is always in
need of any materials. We had nothing
left except scrap paper, and they were happy for that. After visiting the
school, Fredrick, one of the teachers, guided us to a nice swim hole on the
river that flows to the anchorage. There is also a nice swimming hole only
about 100 yds from the beach just where the road crosses the river. Natives
paddled in their canoes to speak to us and to offer us fruits. Chief Don came
with the yachtie’s gold book to sign. Comfortable anchorage, as you can anchor
very close to shore to avoid any swell rolling in. We also walked with Rodrick
and Alfred to the Lekhan Spirit Cave, described in the Lonely Planet. (about
45min OW). It is a big cavern where the top caved in letting the light thru.
Some pictograms can be found on the walls and some bats inhabit part of the
cave. Willekh Bay: we checked it out in order to update the Rocket
guide. Isolated you will be, as there’s no village! Anchorage is protected from
the wind but you get a swell … amazing how swell rounds any point to get at
you! Good snorkeling with lots of turtles at the reef around the isolated rock
on the Southern part of this little bay. Lamboumbu Bay: The copra pier is now
gone but you can still put your dinghy at the stone jetty and walk to the small
settlement (Presbyterian church school). Some swell despite being tucked in!
Met Amil Setla, a Chief of a small village in the “neck” of Malekula (where
unfortunately there is no anchorage).
He belongs to a tribe of the Middle Nambas. We had only heard of Small and Big Namba tribes. He showed us a fascinating area with many
custom stories and tabus and spiritual power.
He, as the eldest son of the paramount Chief of the area had been
initiated to all the custom ways. We saw human bones, and an ancient overgrown
ceremonial “nasara”. In the afternoon he took us to a beautiful
waterfall at the end of about 11/2 hr walk up the river passed crystal clear
natural terraced pools. That’s the beauty of Vanuatu: by talking to locals, you
can just chance on fantastic spontaneous opportunities to get glimpses of an
endangered ancient culture. Tavendrua
and Dixon Reefs: We arrived
here during a period of black and squally weather, and so did not dive on the
reefs. Winds were very strong from the
SE so we anchored just north of Lamendranga Pt (name in RG, name on chart is
somewhat different) (16 20’.102S-167 22’.821W) near the mouth of a little
river. Decided to walk to the Pt and look at the anchorage in the big bay. We found the village is not where the RG
points it; it is actually on the north-facing side of the peninsula. (facing
Dixon reef) There are no dwellings along the shore inside the bay itself.
Villagers said that most yachts anchor in the north corner of the bay in front
of a black sand beach. It looked
calm. Next day we went into the bay and
could easily see the channel around the reefs even in black cloudy wx. Keep a
good watch for a few isolated reefs indicated on the charts inside the bay. We
anchored on the south side behind the reefs, but found the holding only fair in
the 20 ft depths. Walked along the shore southward all the way to the next bay,
nice views. Took some GPS Points asked for by the RG so hopefully the next
edition will give more detailed info. South West bay: We spent a week here
waiting for the tradewinds to calm down so we could sail back to Port Vila and
we were busy ashore the whole time! So many things to do here! We anchored at
16deg29’56S-167deg25’54 in 20 ft of good sand. No dangers anywhere around so we
felt safe in strong winds. No swell in SE winds so we had restfull nights.
First we visited Loorwen village and
met Chief Esrom. We took him as our guide in our dinghy exploration of the
inside lagoon. Our good friends Roger and Lucie on Catimini (fellow SSCAers)
followed on in their dinghy. On hearing Luc’s offer to help with tourism advice
and promotion, we made a Custom ceremony on our floating nakamal (cockpit)
where we exchanged gifts and he announced that we now belong to his nakamal and
that he considers Luc his brother! Roger & Lucie were the witnesses. He
invited us to his home with his brother (the Pastor) for dinner and that is
when the South West Malekula Yacht Club (SWMYC) was born. We talked about a
Yacht Club flag and Roger made a small model. The Pastor’s wife painted 2 flags
for the opening of the club. Once you enter the river mouth into the inland bay
by dinghy, look for first flag to indicate the dinghy stop and the second one
in front of the Yacht Club where you can get a guide for the lagoon and maybe
book a local meal for later. The village showed us custom dancing and other
video/photo subjects. We also visited the small French community of Bennorce at the SW point of the bay in
front of Ten Stick rock ( that earned the natives 10 sticks of tobacco during
WWII so US planes could use it for target practice.) After a nice visit of the
community, we snorkeled with Chief Ronald on the reefs surrounding the rock.
What a surprise for us to discover some of the nicest reefs we have seen in
Vanuatu! 5 eagle rays, a small Napoleon
wrasse, 2 huge grouper that would have fed 30 people and countless other fish
amongst lively colorful corals of all kinds.
We had a GREAT dive (during the 3 day festival) swimming through the
numerous crevasses lined with the most colorful fans! Saw a HUGE tuna that
liked our silvery bubbles, a school of giant parrots, and lots of action with
good-sized fish. South of 10 Stick, there is a waterfall you can see from the
sea. You can do most of the way by
dinghy at medium tide up along the beach, inside the reefs. Half way, we met
Kali, who sometimes lives isolated with his small family in a small valley. He
is a Vanuatu boxing champion and has competed overseas. He wants to build a
stone dam at the foot of the fall so visitors can bathe under the fall. Nice
people! Wintua was very muddy and
crowded…. Not the most impressive village! But it’s close to the airstrip and
has a bank and bigger stores. We went further north to Labo, a very nice community nestled on the hillside. They started a
conservation project there in 2005 and have a beautiful site right along the
beach that offers great photo opportunities. They will put on custom dances and
other activities even for small number of visitors. There are several small
waterfalls at easy walking distance. Worth a visit! You can anchor your boat
closer to there if you wish. The community is very keen to get cruisers and
were thinking to put on a monthly Nalawan Festival during the cruising season.
That way, the whole community sets up the dance show and the village
demonstrations for more than just a few visitors at any one time. When Luc
offered to film and promote their effort, they showed us a fabulous dancing
performance at a breath-taking site. We had a shower at a nice waterfall (where
the men have their evening kava), we saw weaving, local vegetables growing and
much more. That’s when the idea of the 3 Day Malekula SW Bay Festival was born:
Opening the Yacht club at the lagoon, a day of Custom Dance and activities at
Labo, and a day of snorkeling and diving at 10 Stick reef.
Tomman
Island/ Melip: We were due back in Port Vila in a few days, and a window
opened, but before we took off, we gave a ride to Longlel, the principal chief
of Tomman island, about 10-12 mi from SW Bay.
In pre-missionary times, male children had their heads bound so that
they developed elongated heads! The last one died some yrs back, but we saw
photos. The Chief told us that the 3rd week in July there would be a
3 day Grade Taking Ceremony on the island, a very special event, the last one
being in 1998! They would allow visitors to attend and take photos for a fee
that would help off set the costs of the ceremony, which for them is quite
expensive. They were so keen that they gave us the program and quickly
organized a women’s and a men’s dance for Luc to film as a promotional preview. That same afternoon just about sunset, we
pulled up anchor and 28 hrs, and a bunch of tacking later, we were in Port
Vila, just making it in before the wx window closed! Later we returned to the Melip anchorage shown on the RG and took
some GPS points requested. Moses, the chief
of Melip, almost adopted fellow SSCAers, on “Catimini”, as Roger repaired the
HF telephone, their only way to communicate with the outside. Johnny, the French-speaking son of the Chief
of Tomman, often comes greet yachts and can get fruit and veggies. It looks tricky, but you can get in close to
the beach in front of the village in very good black sand bottom; otherwise,
you’ll be exposed to the swell rolling in. (16d 34’.694S/ 167d 29’.421E) You
can dinghy up the river seen in the satellite photo in the RG quite a long
way. Go at high tide as the bar at the
mouth is very shallow, and you may have to walk the dinghy in, or time the
swells for an exciting surf-riding entry.
You can dinghy to Tomman if you have a good motor. There is a small channel cut through the
reefs, ask the islanders who paddle across daily to go to the gardens or the
Catholic school. Very interesting island
with complex ancient culture.
The water between Tomman and
the main island as you travel to/from SW Bay is deep enough to pass without
problem. With
good light you will see the isolated reefs clearly.
THE FESTIVALS:
So often in Vanuatu, we find out about things
only after the fact. This cruising
season, we were so excited that we had 5 different events in the islands to
tell about and even better, most were scheduled one after the other so it was possible
to attend 4 in a row if so desired. We
had suggested dates to the SW Bay folks to make this possible, and Lamen Bay
set their date accordingly. Only Tomin
Island and the Ambrym Magic Festival dates were pre-set and unfortunately on
the very same days in July. On the VHF
net in Vila, we announced 2-3 times a week the events, programs, anchorage
info, and encouraged yachties to go.
The uniqueness of Vanuatu is the incredible traditional native customs
(kastom) that are still practiced or remembered here; each island or tribal
group has its unique culture. The “festivals” were a mix of contemporary and
ancient traditions. Will tell about the
festivals in detail in a separate letter.
Will only say that the turn-out of yachts overwhelmed our expectations
and totally awed and amazed the villagers!
SSCA was well represented!
AMBRYM: see our 2nd
letter for anchorage details. We came back at the end of August to assist to
the famous”back to my roots” festival. We anchored again at 16d06’6S-168d07’7E
in Nebul
Bay in 13-20 meters in black sand. From the beach there, it is an easy
45 min. walk past several villages to Olal, or a 5-mile dinghy trip best done
only in mild conditions. Ask Chief
Johnson from Nebul Bay village. Chief Sekor in Olal has now a hand-held VHF so
you should be able to hail him from the anchorage if needed to arrange dinner
or custom dances. We were lucky to be there for the inauguration of the first
Rom Nakamal … ask Chief Sekor to explain the difference to you. One young
couple of Czech cruisers did even get a custom wedding while we were visiting.
A memorable experience! Nice villagers here too J It takes a little effort, but to
witness one of their festivals and Rom Dance is definitely worth it. Unique to the Northern region of Ambrym, the
Rom dancing truly gave us the feeling of stepping into a living National
Geographic magazine. There’s a long
complicated cultural significance to the dance. The high Chief decides who can dance. Men pay high prices in pigs and goods for the privilege. Some of the dancers disguised themselves
with layers and layers of dry banana leaves and wore elaborate tall conical
masks, the design of which is closely guarded by each clan and passed along to
initiates who pay. The masks are
destroyed after the ceremony, which is why ancient masks that exist in
collections are so rare. The other male
dancers were clad only in “nambas”, a woven sheath that covers only the penis
and is attached to a wide bark belt holding it straight out or erect. Women danced in grass skirts only. The rhythm was primitive and compelling to
the deep bass reverberation of a gigantic 3 meter “Tam-Tam” accented by the
energetic higher pitched beats of smaller tam-tams and hand-held bamboo
models. The dancers sang and chanted
and stamped, vibrating the ground around them.
This was the first dancing we witnessed where we could believe they were
actually dancing the dance for it’s original spiritual purpose, not as a show
to entertain tourists. Very powerful.
Pigs were killed and the nakamal was revealed with its painted “tiki”
guardian, and giant masks.
Back at the YC where burgees and
flags donated by yachties gaily flitted on bamboo poles; everyone dived into
the abundant “kai-kai” feast with the dancers and villagers. Chief Sekor and
his village recognize the great resource that yachties can be to isolated
islanders. Don’t expect cold beer and
watching the World Cup finals on the big screen at this YC, as there is no
electricity yet. Do not miss the
Festivals each year in July and Aug. In
2008: 22-24 July, the Magic Festival, and 20-22 Aug, the Back-to-My-Roots
Festival with Rom Dance.
PENTECOST: see our 2nd
letter
MAEWO: Asanvari: Quite a
difference from our first visit in Apr 08 as the only boat, Aug after the
festivals found us with 14 others! The
ICA Musket Cove to Asanvari Rally this 2008 season saw only 13 boats! ICA did install 3 moorings in that deep
anchorage for which the YC charges a 500vt fee. (Always snorkel or dive
moorings to check them) We all found a place, and despite the flukey intermittent
gusts from all directions, and a giant barge that anchored and tied ashore at
the waterfall at 3AM (!) one night, we all happily co-habited the bay. Rod’s 75th Birrthday (Saw Lee Ah)
and some organizing by Yvonne on Providence in coordination with Nixon and
Nelson of the YC resulted in a very nice dinner and fun farewell evening for 35
people, many of whom had been to the festivals together and were now heading
their different ways. Nixon did a great
job providing activities, bread delivery, fruit&veg&handicraft mkt, and
the delicious dinner. The yachties once
again trouble-shooted the ever-fickle hydro generator, which once again:
works…for now!
Mbenavui
Pt. (Moon Cave): A strong SE set up
a good southerly swell. When we looked at the anchorage suggested in the RG,
and looked with our own eyes, we decided to anchor instead in the most southern
bay visible on the satellite photo (15d 14’.073/ 168d 06’.848) behind a rocky
outcropping. In fact, from where we anchored, we could see the big black opening
to the Moon Cave, and were as close or closer to the other caves than RG’s
anchorage. We saw people on the beach
near us, so asked to visit the caves. They said 2 children would go with us in
the dinghy and guide us into the Moon Cave and then show us where to land to
see the other caves and petroglyphs. In
one cave they are making their own stalagmites! A fun game that actually could teach us about how long the
process takes. Another cave serves as a tunnel for the actual coastal walking
track. No one asked fees, how
refreshing! We gave the children some
gifts as a thank-you. At low tide, the swell was minimal, but in the night it
increased with the tide. Therefore, we
would suggest to visit the caves as a day stop and continue 3 nm more to Narovorovo, which is more calm. Narovorovo:
anchorage at 15d11’039S-168d06’406E, if you anchor close to the beach it’s
better protected from the swell going up along the coast. We hiked with Winifa
(one of the trained tour guides – they have workshopsJ) across the
island to see the other coast. It took us about 2 hours to get to a great spot
overlooking the east side. We decided to not go down to the beaches as it would
have added another 90min before taking the same path back. Naone bay: we totally agree
with s/v Tamariki that the cascades and waterfalls here are the best we have
seen in Vanuatu! Alas the swell along the coast cannot be avoided as they is no
indentation in the coast line to protect you. We anchored at
15d00’718S-168d03’805E in good sandy bottom in front of the river. It was quite
rolly. You can go with your dinghy up the creek and tie up at the first cascade
that is the road. From there, after getting permission from the chief, Maurice
took us up to, around, and through (!), the cascades. You walk in the running
water that sheets over the rough textured rocks, above you, below you, around
you, under you, and then plunges over the edge in a giddy roaring rush! Thanks digital cameras, as I did photos and
video in all directions, it was so pretty all around us with waterfalls and sea
views. There are at least 3 different complexes of cascades each with names and
different custom stories. Elliot is not the chief anymore, after 7 yrs he gave
the torch to his assistant chief. The normal fee is 1000vt, but they will also
accept gifts. Since the tour takes you about 2 hours, you can easily plan to
arrive here early morning and take off for a better-protected anchorage for the
night. We left mid-day for Ambae, Lolowai and had a lively sail in winds
gusting to 25-30 (acceleration in the channel).
AMBAE: We anchored
in majestically scenic Vanihe bay, as we wanted a little
solitude. No village or easy access from shore so we saw no locals there. The
bottom is perfect volcanic sand with no corals or rocks. Pick any spot, even
very close to the cliffs or the beach in order to avoid the swell and waves
created by the wind bursts coming from behind Lolowai point. The towering brown
cliffs, about 150m high, form a dramatic backdrop as they rise out of the clear
blue waters, and swallows and flying foxes flit and dive and soar passed the
sheer walls. The scenery is more
reminiscent of Sea of Cortez than Vanuatu.
It is an easy and short dinghy ride into Lalowai bay where the
village is located. You have 2 leading markers to get you inside the old crater
bay but we decided to stay around the corner in the more isolated and less
noisy anchorage. Nice people, as usual … small limited stores … bread and eggs
available. It was probably an important center at some point, but now is sadly
untidy and shabby. There are no doctors at the hospital, only volunteers that
pass through. There is a bank and a post office, but no internet. There was one
bright spot in this unappealing town, Lucky Joes Restaurant , which is run by
Joe’s sisiter, a very sweet lady, named Celia.
There is no sign on the building; we found it by accident asking around
if anyone with a garden would barter for fruits and veggies. The tiny resturant
is clean and neat inside, and a plate is 200vt. The chicken curry and rice
looked delicious. Too bad we’d just
eaten! We were attracted by some good
live pop music emanating from an old shed, where we discovered a very talented
band jamming. They play reggae but also very good instrumental new age tunes. I
recorded some of their songs to include in my professional video productions in
Vanuatu and they were pleased to know that some outsiders found they had
talent! Next year, they ask me to call them 1 month in advance so they can
practice and prepare 5 new songs for recording! Not wanting to leave at 4 in
the morning to sail to Santo (like some other cruisers), we decided to break
the trip by stopping in Loone bay. We anchored at
15d21’594S-167d45’687E exposed to that eternal swell running along the island.
Not a great stop for a monohull! And difficult access ashore as the coast is
quite rugged and the surge makes even going up on the steep boulder beach
difficult! There is an easier dinghy
landing on sand in the tiny bay just east, (under a derelict turquoise building
on the cliff). We moved about a mile north in front of Jerome Bani house (in
Sarramundi,) as he guides people up the volcano crater lakes. But 5 hours going
up with 2 hours return discouraged us to go up … Like the crater in Ambrym,
it’s much harder to reach than the easy Tanna top! Always curious about
out-of-the-way anchorages, we decided to check out Devils Rock at the West
end of Ambae, as the description in the Rocket guide made the snorkeling there
sound interesting and adventurous, and Lonely Plant’s mention of sharks was
intriguing. After RG’s warning of swirling currents and “unsurveyed waters”,
what a surprise it was to discover a well-protected calm anchorage in a very
dramatic picturesque bay with a RED sand beach! We anchored in 20 ft of good
volcanic sand at 15d26’874S-167d40’610E. We might have been lucky that there
were light wind conditions those 3 days and that the moon was in mid-phase, but
can say that it was delightful. Easy access on the beach and nice reception
from James, a son of the old chief. It appears the father has divided the
“rights” to the sea front between his 2 sons.
James has rights to the windward side, and his younger brother has the
Devil’s Rock and anchorage side. James ended up being our principal guide. He showed us his surprisingly beautiful and
horticulturally rich garden. Along with
a good variety of vegetables, he has bush medicine plants and a species of
orchid endemic to one of Ambae’s volcanic lakes. We hiked with him on the edge
of the cliffs overlooking Devils Rock. We went twice snorkeling around Devil’s
rock and discovered an underwater arch that we could free-dive through!! And
there’s a “pancake ceiling” u/w cavern around the other side of the point.
Visibility was incredible, and we even encountered a huge grouper and 7
dolphins while snorkeling! (But not one shark!)
SANTO: Petersen Bay/Oyster Island area: arrived at the pass south of Mavea Island
around 4 pm with sun right in the eyes and intermittent clouds, but were able
to go through a double set of red and green markers without problem and anchor
inside. Piece of cake! After one yacht grounded earlier this season
and spent the night on it’s side, the yachties and Grant, the new manger of
Oyster Island Resort put in the markers: long pieces of pvc pipe painted red
and green and designed so that at low tide, the pipes fall over and lie on
their sides, and at high, when water in the pass is deep enough, the pipes
float upright clearly marking the safest way in. This channel is not where the Rocket Guide waypoints indicate the
way in, but, if they are still there in future seasons, they take the
uncertainties out of getting in to the inner bay. At at least 2/3s high tide, we never saw less than 9 ft. of
depth. Once inside, you have a number
of totally-flat-water areas to anchor, the most popular being near Oyster Bay
Resort. It is being upgraded and at
this writing, had free satellite wi-fi if you take your laptop to their covered
table near the terrace. Future plans
are for coverage in the anchorage.
Though there are new owners, the food is still very good and good value
at economical prices. Grant is keen to
draw in yachties (the main owner of the resort is Colin, a NZ yachtsman
himself!) and offer services that they often seek. The 2 rivers to the blue holes are easy to find and
beautiful. The landowner of both is
Orbet, which was confirmed by Grant.
You can find him near the copra dryer on the main island. He may ask fees or not (it’s nice to thank
him with some small token). If you
dinghy up, there may be people at the bridge that will ask a fee up to 1000vt,
but they may not be the landowner or a family member. As throughout Vanuatu,
there’s often more than one who may claim to be “landowner”. The resort
recently acquired a vast forest area where cascade and river tours will be
organized in the future. Cave diving in uw river holes is already done
occasionally by a local dive center. In a few months, a digger is going to
excavate the pass leading into the lagoon so most yachts will be able to get in
even at low water! Sarunda Bay: small bay with 2 private residences taking one
side. Protected behind shallow areas Palikulo Bay: still deserted bay
(for how long before developments?) Nice walk to the abandoned slipway all
around the peninsula. Well protected in most wind. Luganville, Beachfront anchorage:
just south of the Sarakata river. A little to very bumpy in tradewinds but
closest to town. You can either land your dinghy at the Beachfront (yachties
really welcome) or dinghy into the river (mid to high tide) and tie off just
off the public market. We went with Santo Island Divers (77 ) dive the beautiful reefs off North of
Tutuba island. Crystal clear water and healthy reefs were the order of the day!
We also dove with Aquamarine on Million Dollar Point where you see the tons of
WWII equipment dumped in a pile. Most of it is below 50ft so you won’t see much
in snorkeling. More interesting was the several dives we made on the famous
Coolidge wreck with both Aquamarine and Alan Power Diving. They all pick you up
at the Beachfront and offer special rates for yachties. When the tradewinds
picked up and kicked a sea in the anchorage, we moved across the channel to Aore
Resort. While the resort does not really seek to attract cruisers, it
still offers over 10 moorings at 1200 Vt/night. We explored the area on both
sides of the resort and found not suitable anchorage as the bottom drops so
quickly to 80ft from shore. Meals, laundry, internet, garbage disposal are
available at both resorts. It is too bad that Luganville does not have a well
protected and convenient anchorage close to town as Port Vila offers! Two
restaurants to recommend in town are the Nemo (French chef in 2008) and the
Deco Stop Lodge … both a 200Vt/taxi ride away. Coral Quay Resort: contrary to
what stated in the RG, there are no moorings and the anchorage is as exposed
than the Beachfront. Being further away from town we didn’t see any reason to
anchor there! One place that needs to be visited is the village of Vunaspef
where they have the famous Millenium
Cave Tours. If you like hiking, walk and swim in rivers, caves with rivers,
you will be thrilled. It is possible to stay overnight there too. The best way
to go there is to arrange your own transportation: hiring a taxi for the day
(he waits while you tour) cost about 5,000 Vt for up to 3-4 people. The tours
cost 2,000 Vt or less pp. If you go with a local tour operator, they will
charge you 6,500Vt/pers! You can call Samuel direct at 547 0957.
After
3 years exploring the beautiful islands of Vanuatu, we will explore New
Caledonia this coming cyclone season. After that we will cruise Vanuatu again
and this time explore the Banks. We’ll inform you of our discoveries as usual J
PS:
feel free to peruse our updated website for lots of technical & cruising
info www.LSAC.bravehost.com
Commodores
Luc Callebaut, Jackie Lee and Zenne
bravenet.com