Our fishing mojo returned as we cruised in the waters around Malekula. We hooked a 1.35 meter bull mahi in between squalls as we sailed from Gaspard Bay to Banam Bay. It was an exciting catch—we were in 1-1.5 meters of choppy, confused seas as Dominic reefed the sails and reeled in the catch.
Read MoreAfter leaving Awei, we spent a few nights in Gaspard Bay and then worked our way around the southeastern lobe of Malekula to Banam Bay.
Read MoreThe anchorage behind Awei, part of the Maskelyn group on the southern tip of Malekula, has been our favorite anchorage in Vanuatu so far. It is protected from the ocean swell by both islands and the reef connecting the two, making for waters that are consistently pancake flat. The islands define the anchorage to the east and west, letting dawn’s fingers climb slow and dusky up the mast before the sun appears and brings with it the sweltering, fly-swatting realities of spring time in the tropics.
Read MoreThere’s something untamed about Vanuatu. Ni Van Mother Nature doesn’t hold back—she's as likely to wow with her majesty as she is wound with her might.
Read MoreAfter getting our fill of wildlife on our way out of Port Vila, we spent the day sailing north to Havannah Harbor. We had excellent wind, 14 knots from the southeast, and calm, easy seas. Our views of Efate’s western coast were palm studded and brownish-green dry. Conditions held until we were enclosed by Efate’s fringing islands, Lelepa and Moso. Once in Havannah Harbor’s lake-like bay, we anchored in the northeastern bite.
Read MorePort Vila was alright as far as urban centers in the South Pacific go. The weather was calm, and the holding was excellent. The water was jade and cellophane clear. Plenty of cruising boats came and went; a dinner cruise ship with a wild upside down sail cruised by at sunset; helicopter tours launched in the afternoons.
Read MoreA few more photos from our adventures around Tanna: above, the sandstone (ash-stone?) cliffs that herald the entrance to Port Resolution; below, the Dr. Seuss worthy trees that lined Shark's Bay on the southern coast of the island.
Read MoreAnd in the shadow of the volcano grow colossal banyan trees. We only saw those in and around Port Resolution, but they were magnificent and they were everywhere—shading the roads, sliding off cliffs, lining fields of volcanic ash. There is one banyan on Tanna reported to be the size of a soccer field, another the foundation of a guest house...an exciting place to sleep after a trip to the volcano!
Read MoreStanding at the rim of an active volcano is terrifying. Earth seems completely alive, vindictive and grumbling and explosive, like at any moment a dragon or a slew of enraged gods would appear and throw any onlooker into their hellish bowl of gurgling, molten tomato soup.
Read MoreWe left Aneityum six days ago, cruising 50 miles northwest for Tanna with one thing on our minds: volcanoes. Tanna is home to Mt. Yasur, famed as one of the most easily accessible active volcanoes on Earth.
Read MoreWe couldn't to find a guide to take us to Aneityum’s waterfall, but our friend Kenneth was willing to point us to the trail and send us off to explore on our own. The first part of the trail was a road that extended through a sparse field of pine trees still smoking from the fire that burned the night before.
Read MoreWe spent six glorious days exploring Aneityum. Pronounced a-nee-shum, it is the southern most of Vanuatu’s 81 islands that are sprinkled on a roughly northwest-southeast axis in the Pacific waters west of Fiji and northeast of New Caledonia. Aneityum was larger than we were expecting, a mountainous island home to a village of 2,000 ni-Vans (the Melanesian locals who make up 98% of Vanuatu’s population) and fringed with golden beaches.
Read MoreIt was hot and calm in the early afternoon on Sunday. We were 120 miles off the coast of Vanuatu and counting down the hours until we’d be at anchor. Dominic tossed a large pink squid lure into our wake with the hopes of fresh food and a little amusement. I was down below, catching up via email with some good friends we haven’t seen in years (how the list of friends we haven’t seen in years grows longer!) when I heard the happy, frantic clicking of a fish stripping off line from the reel.
Read MoreIn August, our friend Jeff crossed the Pacific from Hong Kong to San Francisco as passenger on a container ship—not to cruise the islands, not to swim with the fishies, just crossing an ocean for the sheer experience of being at sea, surrounded by water and wind. I tried to harness that sense of awe and wonder as we left Fiji last Friday for a 450 nautical mile passage to Vanuatu.
Read MoreWe've spent the last few days enjoying Musket Cove. It's our third time in Malalolailai's largest anchorage, and it feels like home. We are gearing up for our upcoming passage to Vanuatu, so we've spent the mornings inspecting and deep cleaning Helios, the afternoons enjoying long lunches at the cafe and hiking around the island, the evenings breaking bread and hanging out with friends at the beach bar.
Read MoreIt's not all sea fans and adorable baby reef fish out here; often the critters below the surface seem like some of the more diabolical species on Earth. Above, a crown of thorns star fish raises two of its spiked legs to launch an attach on a defenseless piece of coral.
Read MoreOur number one activity in Kadavu has been diving various sections of the Astrolabe Reef. We have visited a few famous hotspots (the Alacrity Rocks, the Naigoro Pass), but most frequently find ourselves jumping in and exploring whatever coral we find near Helios.
Read MoreWe’ve spent the last few days cruising along the northern coast of Kadavu. We’ve been diving the reefs, paddle boarding with dolphin, dodging squalls, swimming with turtles and sharks, and relaxing in the cockpit while the sun paints evening colors in the sky. We’re still eating that wahoo we caught, going on six days of lunch and dinner (and the occasional breakfast) for three. Just another week in paradise!
Read MoreSimilar to the manta pass we found in the Yasawas, Ono has a high current pass filled with microscopic manta food. We dove the pass twice, both times in blustery conditions, but were rewarded with lots of time swimming with our favorite oversized fishy friends.
Read MoreWe left Falaga on August 12 in route to Suva, the most populous city in Fiji and the South Pacific. We really, really didn’t want to leave Falaga, but the ice box and the wine cellar were empty. So when the winds turned a favorable direction, we dove the pass one last time and weighed anchor. The winds were blowing a steady 15 knots from the southeast, making our 200 mile passage to Suva the first downwind sailing we’ve seen since leaving New Zealand in May.
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