Hi All,
We arrived safe and sound in Port Vila @ 12:30pm NZ time or 11:30am Vanuatu time…yes, we lose an hour.
And boy, was it from zero to massive sensory overload!!!! You see, on a passage, while we do talk to one another:))))……it is mainly pretty quite once you are in tune with the engine and wave noises. We both just get in our quiet mode….always listening for the odd noise, but reading, napping, fishing and repeat!!!
We arrived….anchored in the quarantine area and bam….we anchored over a coral head….crunch, crunch…..welcome to the tropics. We thought we would have an hour or so before the officials to tidy up and get ready….then, 10 min later, knock, knock….oh, ok you are here….very nice and easy…..maybe 20 min or so…but only Customs and Immigration….they allow you to go get Vanu money later and come by and pay at their offices sometime next week…..but Quarantine was missing….that’s ok…go get your mooring and he will find you sometime….you can go ashore whenever…sweet!!
Ok…..call Yachting World and they say come on in….we pull up the anchor….no problem….sorry Mr Coral Head….then Dave from Butterfly Trust calls on the VHF….we decide to unload tomorrow and as soon as you get settled come into the Waterfront and let’s celebrate….whoa, cool…..Willie comes in a small boat and leads us to our mooring….no problem….I ask him if this is ok for a heavy boat….he is speaking Bislama….sort of pidgin….we catch a few words….think he said I’ll come back and dive on the mooring….ok…great….there has only been the eye of a Category 5 cyclone go through the area so what could be wrong with the mooring!!!
So, high fives, passage beers out…..and then Willie is back….he says boss says come to the fuel dock and then unload tomorrow….well, we are set here but he won’t take no for an answer…the boss says….ok, beers back in the refer….untie and go to the fuel dock….which is about 1/3 the size of Mystic….ok, it should be good for one night….gulp….then there is Dave….have I mentioned we’ve had 4 hours of sleep and are a little brain dead…oh, the sensory overload and all the activity….so we talk some more…..still no passage beer yet….finally he says let’s go to the bar and celebrate…now your talkin!!!!
OK….many beers later….great couple doing fabulous work….semi plan formed of which we are trying to remember it all this am….Willie shows up….Quarantine is at your boat….ok, back to boat….a little wobbly after the beers….get through quarantine….we can pay Monday…..ok, then Kathy calls Stan and Val on Buffalo Nickel….hey, let’s go celebrate….cool….back to the bar…..many more beers/wine….J&K are finally relaxed, no pain….now for our traditional passage hamburger…..sorry, no buns…..welcome to the tropics…ok, Kathy has prawns and I have the fish n chips…..delicious….S&V have to leave for a Sea Mercy meeting….one more round for J&K…..make it back to boat around 6ish…..a shot of tequila….try to connect w/Internet….more on that later…..able to connect and see no emergencies…..John says night night at 7ish…..really 8ish NZ time!!!
Sleep until 4:00am….wake up and go shit…..forgot to run the GEN to charge the batteries….race up to the pilot house and see we are on the amp hour edge….fire up the GEN….all is working…..go back to bed….mind is now awake so forget it….so up at 4:30am…..
Yep, living the dream:))))
Final Stats:
Position: 17 44S 168 19E
Traveled: 1151 nm total; dropped anchor in Quarantine zone @ 12:30 pm NZ time
Speed: avg 7.8 kts for passage; ran @ 1700 rpm for first 4 days and 1625 rpm for the next 2 days
Weather: 83 deg F and 80% humidity – yikes, that will take a bit to acclimate but no complaints!!!
Boat sightings: 2 today; 13 total
Fishing: Zero, nada, zilch that we kept to eat….just the 1 skip jack….not good:(((((
Sail: down
Fuel burn: 1.21nmpg total, about on target!!
Hope all is well!
John
Mystic Moon
REST MYSTIC REST!!