Rowan has arranged for us to go swimming with dugongs tomorrow, so we needed to get to the southern tip of Malekula island. We were the last boat to leave the anchorage at 8am! Alia Vita are joining us, the rest are all off to various islands, we plan to meet up with Aldabra and Rala on Ambrym island later in the week.
There was not a lot of wind , we had a couple of hours of gentle winds but the rest of the time we motored. Mid afternoon we got to the channel between the little islands. These waters are fairly well charted but not to be relied on totally, so we gently navigated our way in the narrow deep water passage. There were reefs all around us. We think it must be an old caldera. Loads of small boats crossing between the islands. We subsequently learnt that the islanders all have small farm plots on the island across the channel.
We were glad not to be coming in at low tide as we only had 3.4 m under us. it was a tricky small anchorage as quite deep with reef all around. we have to have enough swing room for 360 degrees. As we were anchoring we had Carlroy in an out rigger canoe with two little kids visiting us. He was very chatty, he said the village had 300 people living there. They have a primary school, but the teachers were on strike today so that was why the kids were all out. Not just the UK that has a problem with strikes! Like in Fiji the kids all go to boarding school for secondary schooling at the bigger islands. Carlroy said he would come back tomorrow to trade some fruit with us.
Rob and Frances came over for tea and cake, followed by sundowners. We were glad for an early night.
Leaving Pentecost Island
The red dot is where we were anchored in Pentecost, our blue dot arriving at the Maskelyne Islands
Coming through the channels
Villages scattered about
Flat islands full of coconut plantations
Interesting shaped islands with loads of local boats plying back and forth
Alia Vita with the big volcano on Epi Island behind them
Entering the village anchorage
In the anchorage
Carlroy and his kids
Last born son, Iain
Full moon and glorious sunset
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