This picture story starts on 23rd of June 2018 just after I check out of Whangarei New Zealand for the 3rd time. Gonna miss this place but time to move on a little more to the west. Next stop Vanuatu.
Bream head behind my head.
Hope Rainbows at the beginning of a sail is good luck.
Video from New Zealand to Vanuatu. The calm part is from New Caledonia to Australia.
Some 3 - 4 meters seas in route from New Zealand.
Hope I don't never have to go thru that shit again.
Was suppose to stop in Port Resolution Vanuatu on the way up, but due to weather conditions we sailed on to Port Vila to do our check-ins. After a couple weeks the winds die down and Irie II, Silhouette, and Sequoia were able to motorsail back to Port Resolution on Tana and catch up with our friends on Talaha Ruby III. And meet new friends as well.
Steam Clouds from Yasur Volcano
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Local fishing boats, just love those outriggers.
Ireupuow Village
One of the main things to do on the island of Tana is to visit Mt. Yasur and stare down the throat of an active volcano.
And a little video to make you wonder? 😈
Back at the Port Resolution Anchorage
From a distance it looked like lava flowing out into the anchorage. but upon closer inspection it was just a stem vent.
We take a lesson on how to cook kustom food. Too bad I can't remember the chief's wife name from Yakuveran Villiage who was raising $ to help with Women's Rights movement throughout Vanuatu.
And then we take a hike up to another steam vent and get our faces painted with different colors of warm clay.
A different view of Yasur riding in the back of the truck to Lenakel.
On the way back we stop at another village for a circumcision celebration.
22 July we take a trip to the other side of the volcano to a Kustom villiage. Think the name was White Sands. Very untouch my modern way of life except when tourist show up for a demostration of Kustom dances.
A hole in the ground were the spirits live.
Next day we take a ride over the mountains to Lenakel for lunch
Then a hike to the waterfalls.
Sometimes it take all the boats in an anchorage to make a sign. Hard to tell from this picture but that's an old dug-out canoe that me and lil bro gather supplies from everybody to make a sign for the newly open restaurant after Cyclone Sandy destroyed to old one.
Celebration for Children's Day.
After the island of Tana, next stop Dillon's Bay on Erromango.
I luck up and caught a MahiMahi on the way.
Another cave burial site. These are not victims this is how they give respect to the chiefs and high priest. No dirt on their face.
Then back to Port Vila on Efata for independence day celebrations and to resupply.
8-19 Sailed to Nopul Anchorage on Ambrym for the back to the roots festival.
We're off to visit the active volcanoes of Ambryn, but a fallen tree after the earthquake two days ago makes us walk a few miles more.
We didn't make it to the summit. Volcano was sock in with clouds and rain. But we had a very good hike up and down.
Next stop, Port Stanley on Malekula were A friend of Carl's water well have been fouled with salt water. So we decided to help out. He already had the roof to catch rain, but no tank. A few dollars later and a lot of manual labor problem solved.
We finally make it to Luganville on Espiritu Santo. One of the main attraction is Millennium Cave. This hike is not your everyday walk in the park. Best to be in shape and fearless.
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The other must do for scuba divers is the wreck or the Coolidge
For great pictures and the story see above web site. For my pics see below
Back to Port Stanley where I pitch in with my tools to help build the medical clinic.
On to Port Sandwich where I gave a piece of fish away so the lady could have some food to sale at the local market. In return she gave me all of this. Now I should have paid attention doing the cooking demonstrations to see how you cook those things.
Visa to Vanuatu is just about expired. And I wish to be in Oz for cyclone season. So time to check out and head for New Caledonia.
One of my sailing friends on another Tayana whom I shared the dock with in New Zealand had a medical problem and his crew member Nicole visa was also about to expire. She needed a ride to New Caledonia and would join Eric there when he got all good. Below is her video of the trip.
Noumea, New Caledonia
On the way to Australia.
Arrived Bundeburg Marina without any problems and a few days of no wind.
Sequoia getting ready for the termite inspection.
Silhouette getting ready for the termite inspection. Notice not a whole lot of stuff removed from his boat. Because he don't have a lotta wood on that plastic boat of his.
Irie II getting ready for termite inspection. Got a lot of wood for that guy to get inspect.
Irie II's new home for cyclone season. Scarborough Harbor Marina.
Major job for this year is to replace those old electronics $$$$$$$ + time = won't see much of Oz.
Mast must come off to replace radar and wind instrument and any other repairs needed.
New Radar, new wind, and a lot of money. Mast going back on the boat.
Well that's how I spent my Christmas Holidays. Hoping next year is better.
