Tucanon - Moe catches supper
We left Musket Cove marina after Jeannius and before Lisa to ensure that the
anchors didn't get fouled, the reverse order that we had entered the marina.
We made our way to the start line and at 11am, following the signal, leg 10
commenced.
I managed to get the galley fridge defrosted, starting the procedure soon
after rising. It isn't possible to do this when we are in port as the fridge
in the cockpit is filled with beers and other drinks leaving me nowhere cool
to put the produce, while defrosting the other fridge..
The first hour and a half was fine as we sailed under main and genoa on a
broad reach. Suddenly, all hell let loose as the wind and sea both
increased substantially. A deluge of water poured into the boat from open
hatches, soaking the sofa and floor in the salon. By the time we had mopped
up the mess and left the cushions to dry, we were all feeling seasick. I was
already on my knees in the galley, transferring the provisions from the
cockpit fridge back to the defrosted fridge when the disaster occurred..
We had rolls for lunch but no-one was really hungry. After preparing the
rolls I forewent lunch and took to my bed, staying there until it was time
for me to cook supper. We had fish pie but the take-up was not good. The
remainder went into the freezer and I went back to bed.
Sometime during the early hours of the morning, the sea and wind reduced and
we all started to feel better though none of us had slept particularly well.
During the day we sailed at an acceptable speed and with winds of around 11
knots anticipated reaching Tanna, Vanuatu around 6pm on Tuesday evening. We
took the first of our anti-malaria pills Around 2am the wind had reduced to
such an extent we switched on the engine. Had we continued to sail we would
have been on a close reach. Wind from this direction is most unusual for
this time of the year. We should have following trade winds. Apparently
there is a big depression south and this has altered the state of the
weather that we are experiencing.
Next morning, still running with the engine, the wind fluctuated between
force 1 and force 3. The sea was smooth. Soon after noon a squall hit and
thereafter we had strong winds on a close haul with increasing seas. As we
sailed towards Tanna, we crashed through the waves, though managed to
deflect the discomfort somewhat by steering a little off course.
This was how conditions remained until we reached our destination during the
afternoon on Tuesday 6th July. None of us had managed to get much sleep, the
noise, as we progressed through the waves, was too invasive.
The starboard engine, which ceased to work in reverse soon after leaving
Musket cove, wouldn't go into neutral as we attempted to anchor and we
couldn't use the controls below because they had also decided to mutiny
making it impossible to switch the steering from the fly-bridge.
Dick spent all of the first morning sorting out the problems with the
engines, a most awkward task, being stuck in a tiny engine room, with the
temperature around 29/30 degrees.
It has been interesting to monitor how the heat has gradually reduced such
that it is necessary to wear a light jacket or cardigan in the evening when
outside. We are also all using a top sheet at night now.
Whereas I have had to go to enormous lengths to ensure that the fruit and
vegetables don't become over-ripe, the situation has now reversed and I am
suffering a shortage because the bananas, papayas and pineapples are taking
so long to ripen.
The time zone has changed again and now we are only eleven hours ahead of
GMT. On Thursday 8th July, we went ashore to the village for a gift exchanging
ceremony. The local people performed traditional dances for us and sang with such
naturally melodic voices. We were each given a garland and a hat, woven by
the villagers.
The first gift from the villagers was a large cutting of kava and a carved
wooden staff followed by woven bag after bag, each full of fruit. These bags
are the local, ecological version of plastic carrier bags and were
accompanied by twizzel sticks made up of gaily colored feathers and raffia
style bags of all types, from slim shoulder bags and bucket bags to shopping
bags and small purse-like bags.
The WARC contingent responded by providing kava roots and an amazing
assortment of items from hammers, nails and saws, fuel oil, clothes, fishing
line, eye glasses, cutlery and dozens more things, too plentiful to be named
individually. During the afternoon, the local women were available to show any WARC
participant who had an interest, how to make plates and hats etc. from palm
leaves. Dick and I went on a trip to Custom village where we were able to watch
local men and boys, clothed only in a raffia brush to cover the penis,
perform traditional dances. The youngest dancer could not have been more
than three years old.
The performers trooped via an archway through the middle of a gigantic
banyan tree, onto the dirt floor of the area on which they were to perform.
We were told later by one of the performers whose small son also
participated, that the tree through which they had appeared was a male tree
and the banyan tree opposite which was much smaller was a female tree as was
a third tree, to the side of the area, halfway between the other two trees.
After the dancing, the man playing the pan pipes climbed half way up the
male banyan tree and made music while another man made fire by rubbing two
sticks together.The whole experience was quite magical.
We proceeded on from here in the four-wheel drive truck. The roads were so
ravished by heavy rain that it was incredible that even a four-wheel drive
vehicle could travel them. The ruts, many in the middle of the dirt roads,
were as much a 200cm deep and some over a metre wide. The drivers were
extremely skilful.
Suddenly, from the tropical rain forest we entered a desert of ash, rocks
and boulders. We had arrived at the volcano. Leaving the truck we climbed up
to the edge of the precipice and looked down, jumping as the first explosion
took us by surprise. Clouds of smoke billowed from below then, resembling a
firework display, molten rock was thrown into the air.
It had been dark for quite some time before we left the ash desert and the
truck retraced its steps, back along the dirt road to beat all dirt roads,
to the village where a feast had been prepared for WARC participants to eat
with the villagers.
Meanwhile, as we were making our way back from the trip, Oisin and Moe went
along to join other men drinking kava. This is a man only thing. The kava
root is chewed to soften it and then wrapped in a soft cloth over which
water is poured. The resulting intoxicating liquor is then consumed.
Although the effect of the drink is similar to that of alcohol, it is not an
alcoholic drink.
Two mornings we were woken around 5.30am by the sound of wind instruments
which were also played later in the day, not tunefully. As the circumcision
ceremonies are held throughout July and August we wondered if the two were
connected.
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