AKAMA REPORT 28
11 July 2004
Sola to - Oyster Island (Vanuatu)
Sola, the most northerly CIQ (Customs Quarantine & Immigration)
point in Vanuatu is a very sleepy little place. As we arrived on a
Saturday night, there were no officials around to clear us in, and
nobody bothered us. This was good, as we needed the sleep after having
made an unexpected long passage. On Monday, we dutifully went to the
customs office only to find out that the officer had left for another
island and would not return until later that day. We feared the worst:
bureaucracy, graft, corruption, island time hours. However, when he did
eventually show up the customs officer and the quarantine officer came
aboard and were most professional and reasonable. We entered Vanuatu
without incident. We were told that there were few mosquitoes at this
time of year, as it is winter (right we know what winter is and this
isn't it); so, malaria is less of a risk. We were also informed that
there are no unsafe areas in Vanuatu. For any yachties following in our
wake, we don't recommend staying in the Sola anchorage in high winds
from the NE through the SE. Sola is on the east side of the island and
when the SE trades set in the roll can be uncomfortable. We rigged a
stern anchor and deployed our anti-roll system, and were quite
comfortable despite swells that occasionally were over 4-feet
trough-to-crest. Other boats thrashed about, or left seeking a better
spot.
On Wednesday, 23 June, we went around to the west side to Waterfall Bay.
The winds and waves were high and getting around put us on a beam sea
for a while, not too comfortable a point of sail. But, once we got
around to the lee of the island things smoothed out. The anchorage
still had only a small and gentle swell that rocked us asleep. This is a
beautiful spot with a striking twin waterfall. The village chief, Mr.
Kerely, and his family welcomed us and granted us the run of the area.
The village is very small, neat and clean. They are very progressive,
while living traditionally without electricity or running water. Yachts
are welcomed graciously. We stayed an extra day here, just to veg out
and to plan our route through Vanuatu. There is a festival here in
September, which of course we have to miss, but we saw a video of last
year's. For a little place they put on a heck of a show.
An interesting aspect of Vanuatu, especially in the outer islands, is
the extent of the custom rights. As westerners, we are used to nobody
owning the sea, or even the foreshore, and of having the right to go
where we wish. In Vanuatu, somebody owns everything, usually including
the reefs as far out as they can be seen down through the water from a
canoe on a fair day. This means that one cannot go ashore, fish, or
even swim or snorkel anywhere without first seeking permission. The
permission is invariable granted, unless the place is a "taboo area",
and a small fee is sometimes asked for, especially for things ashore.
While some may find this custom charming, we find it restrictive and
will probably skip some places. It is just too much of a pain to first
seek out the village chief before going for a snorkel or taking a walk
on the shore. Sometimes it takes a bit of time, as it is not
immediately evident which of several nearby villages might house him.
In a few cases, this requires going to another island. Custom rights
like this were also evident in the Solomon Islands, although in most
cases they seemed less onerously observed. They can and do lead to
economic problems. We were told of many instances in both countries
where a proposed industry was either not started or was abandoned
because people kept coming out of the bush claiming custom rights over
this or that parcel of land, foreshore or reef.
On the 26th, while en route from Gaua Island to the national park on
Espiritu Santo Island, we saw our first whales! As if to make up for
the many missed sightings before, this one was super. First, in the
distance we saw many whales blowing water as they surfaced for air.
They were on a reciprocal course to ours and as we neared we could see
them more clearly. We got the best look through our stabilized
binoculars, and the climax was when one brute surfaced, blew, and then
as it sounded first his back and then tail flukes came out of the water
in a gentle rolling motion.
This reminds us that we should comment on binoculars in a bit more
detail than we did in Report 4 (available on www.nunas.com). We cannot
imagine going back to our venerable 7x50 binoculars, now that we have
used our stabilized 14x40s for a few years. We chose the Fujinon brand,
as they are totally waterproof. They cost a bit more than a fine pair
of 7x50s, but are so much better that they are worth the extra. They
bring things much closer, and when we engage the stabilization feature
all of the jitter is removed, leaving only a slow swaying motion. At
night, ships that appear to the naked eye to be a single indistinct
light are resolved to the point where the individual navigation lights
can be seen easily.
The National Park at the head of Big Bay has a beautiful black sand
beach and an excellent bay with good holding in black sand. We went
ashore and had a guided bush walk; the guide explained the uses to which
the natives put all of the trees, and she identified many of the bird
calls. Unfortunately, it rained about half way through; so we rushed
the last half a bit. The family that runs the place is very friendly.
They have a few bungalows for rent. The swell there was only slight; so
we were very comfortable.
Our next stop was Hog Harbour (15-8.9S x 167-6.5E), the site of
Champagne Beach, reputed to be the most beautiful beach in Vanuatu. We
could not find enough shelter behind the reef near the beach; so we
moved farther into the bay behind a headland in front of Lannoc Beach
Bungalows. On the way in to anchor, a local man in a small boat said
something that we could not understand; more on this in a bit. We went
over to Champagne Beach by dinghy and it was beautiful, but just a
tourist trap. Upon arrival, a man came out and advised that the fee to
use the beach would be 5000 vatu, which is an extremely high fee. We
left and went to the resort in front of which we were anchored, where we
encountered the man from the little boat. He asked us how much they
were trying to get from us at Champagne Beach. When we told him he just
laughed and said, I told you so; they have no facilities - just a beach
but charge high fees". For anyone coming this way, we recommend
anchoring near Lannoc Beach Bungalows. They have a beautifully
landscaped property, reasonable beach, a great view, a dozen or so
cottages (extremely austere but clean), and a small restaurant. Just to
put this in perspective, we spent 3280 vatu (about 40 dollars Canadian)
at the resort and we each had a beer, a kava and a small steak dinner.
The cottages at the resort are interesting. Some are traditional leaf
huts, while others look like concrete. Upon closer inspection, they are
made from burlap! They erect a wooden frame, and then soak burlap
sheets in a mixture of water and concrete. The burlap is stretched over
the frame and nailed in place. When it dries the result is a thin,
reinforced "concrete" panel.
On Tuesday the 29th, we ran south about twenty miles to Petersen Bay
(15-22.6S x 167-10.9E), where we anchored in front of Oyster Island
Resort. This was a very difficult approach, as we had to make our way
through a very narrow passage in a reef. Once inside, we anchored in a
very nice hurricane hole. The resort is very interesting, and it
provides some hope for those of you who dream of escaping to a desert
island. Anna and Jean-Pierre, a genial French couple, leased the island
about ten years ago, and then built a home for themselves and a small
resort (a few bungalows, a restaurant and a bar). We should mention that
Anna and Jean-Pierre are both excellent chefs. On the rest of the
island they have a herd of beef cattle, some goats and some free range
chickens. We asked them if they were busy; the answer was interesting.
"Just busy enough. We don't want a lot of guests, as we are
semi-retired." They love their life on their little piece of paradise.
This is another place we recommend; you can email them at
oysteril@vanuatu.com.vu.
We anchored at Oyster Island for a few days, as we were having a good
time and the weather outside the reef was bad. SAMPAGUITA, MUSCAT and
SELKIE were here when we arrived; so we were among friends, and we met
Frieda and Bruno of MORAY-X, who have been anchored here since January.
One day we were watching Whiskey, a dog, harass a little goat. At one
point, he drove it well out into the water. We feared that he would
drown the goat, so we hopped in the dinghy to rescue it. As we were
readying the dinghy, Bruno and Freida hopped into theirs and were
frantically rowing towards the melee, beseeching us to hurry. They
could not see the goat or the dog and, unknown to us, from the sound the
goat was making they thought that one of the girls from the resort was
drowning and crying out for help. They could not figure out why we were
taking our time and we could not figure out why they were so frantic.
Once we all got to the 'scene of the crime' it all became clear and we
had a good laugh. We hauled the kid aboard our dinghy and returned her
to Anna. Later, Jean-Pierre, gratefully for our assistance, cooked us a
fantastic Italian meal. Since Peter and Flavia of SAMPAGUITA had
earlier rescued J-P's errant dinghy, he treated them too. A party broke
out, resulting in hangovers the next day! The following night we had
another terrific dinner, at the resort, paying this time. Still, it was
a bargain at 4200 vatu (about 50 dollars Canadian) for a big meal and
some beers for the two of us.
One of the attractions at Oyster Island is the blue holes. These are
springs at the bottom of holes at the head of rivers, with water so
clear that in the deep areas it looks strikingly blue. The water wells
up from the hole and the flow is sufficient to crate a small river. We
visited the nearer one first, but access to the hole was blocked by a
large number of water lilies; still, it was a nice run up the little
river. Bruno and Anna came with us to see the other one. We
miscalculated the tide and had to drag the dinghy across numerous
sandbars. This was not easy as the darned thing weighs about 300
pounds. At one point, we had to pull the boat against rapids that were
coursing under a bridge. But, it was worth the effort, as the blue hole
was exactly as advertised. At the head of the narrow river, there is a
secluded round pool surrounded by trees. The water is deep and clear.
We played in the water until the tide had turned and then enjoyed a
leisurely trip down the river and back to our boats.
We went by truck to Luganville, over a very rough road. Parts of it are
paved and parts are nothing more than a collection of potholes.
Jean-Pierre, who was driving us, told us that it was made by the US
forces during the war and it has not been improved since in most places.
He explained that the road passes though the properties of dozens of
people, each with custom rights. So, unlike in developed countries,
where the Government owns the road, this one is owned by all the people
through whose land it passes, and none of them can agree to improve it.
Nobody wants to push the issue, as any one of them could simply fence
off his portion on the road! On the way, we passed the road to Surundu,
where there was a major US base during the war. James Michener was
stationed there and no doubt frequented Bloody Mary's Bar, featured in
South Pacific, which still stands.
Well, that's all the new for this instalment. Stay tuned...we are headed for islands with active volcanoes next! |
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Reports-2 
