Efate and Epi Islands, Vanuatu

Our passage to Port Vila included a stop at Dillon Bay on the island of Erromango. On our way from Tanna we had very favourable winds and enjoyed the occasional 13.5 knots with full sail. What a beautiful feeling to be coasting along powered only by nature's kindness, ocean spray at your side, the sounds and rythymns of seas and swells following closely on your quarter and the happiness in thinking how smoothly the voyage is going.

On arrival at Port Vila we escaped the big rolling seas and st at anchor for two nights contemplating the approach of possible strong Westernly winds versus the liklihood of entangling our mast head in the overhead wires on entry into the protected waters of the 'marina'. To compound the issue we had to contemplate the shallow sand bar which required the presence of high tide to ensure we did not skim the bottom! Of course this put us even closer to the electrical cables but as it turned out we managed the entry timeously and without incident. We swung happily on a mooring and investigated the city of VILA.

The 'one street' bustling metropolis of Port Vila had a lot to offer for us weary travelers in the form of shops, ice-cream vendors and an all-American cafe' named Jills! We took advantage of being in the city by loading up on those items you rarely find in the outer islands! We also enjoyed the Duty free stores which line the Vila waterfront.

After having attended to most of the yacht requirements we hired a vehicle for the day and hopped off on an Island tour. We had an enjoyable, occasionally bumpy and somewhat spartan journey around the island of Efate. The East coast is all but uninhabited and although the scenery was often spectacular the distance involved was somewaht belabouring for us. We were rewarded by visiting the World War 2 museum which is housed in a 30' x 15' kastom house and loaded with Coke bottles from years gone by. Also, old ammunitions, helmets, propellers and other paraphenalia. We split the pizza lunch we picked up in town before departure and enjoyed the French addition to this part of the world in savouring some fine pastries for afters!

Our stay in Port Vila ended once we had stocked up from the local market and we rapidly moved on to the southern end of Epi.

The southern end of Epi afforded us only one safe anchorage which we spent a few nights in and enjoyed the culinary arts of Jim and his smoker. We swam in the shallow waters along the shoreline and spoke briefly to the villagers who were very keen to see us in their bay! Of course the enticement of Lamen Bay was too much and we soon left with hopes of glimpsing the Dugong (manatee family) which resided there.