Season 5 Photo Journals

Season 5 Route

Continue reading "Season 5 Photo Journals"...

Season 4 Photo Journals

Season 4 Route

Indonesia to Thailand Sailing

Australia Driving and Sailing

Continue reading "Season 4 Photo Journals"...

Around Thailand Route and Blurbs

Our route around Thailand

Nai-Harn Anchorage

New Years at Patong

Dec 27th Ao-Chalong

Dec 26 Koh Hong

Dec 26 James Bond Area

Dec 24 Tham Phra Nang Krabi

Dec 24 Koh Dam Hok

Dec 24 Koh Dam Khwan

Dec 23 Phi Phi Don

Dec 23 Phi Phi Le Coral Garden

Dec 22 Phi Phi Le

Dec 20 Koh Muk

Dec 19 Koh Phetra

Dec 18 Ao Pante

Continue reading "Around Thailand Route and Blurbs"...

Sailing Mooloolaba to Darwin

April 30 - July 20, 2007

It surprises most people when we say "we don't/didn't have time" ... after all, we are on vacation, right!?!?!  Ha!  It is amazing just how busy we can be, especially when covering a lot of miles in a relatively short period of time.  Since leaving Mooloolaba we have been constantly on the move.  As such, we really have been falling behind in our photographs and journals.  For those who enjoy the journals more, or as much as the photographs, we apologize ... in order to help us catch up we have covered our journey from Mooloolaba to Darwin in two photograph journals.  We've added more text then normal to these photograph pages, but mostly you will just have to enjoy the pretty pictures!

May 2007:  Mooloolaba to the Whitsundays

Covering: Great Keppel Island, Middle Percy, Scawfell, Brampton, Whitehaven Beach, Nara Inlet (Hook Island), and CID Harbour (Whitsunday Island)



June 2007:  Whitsundays to Darwin

Covering:  Townsville, Magnetic Island, Cairns, Lizard Island, the sail 'over the top', and Darwin


Continue reading "Sailing Mooloolaba to Darwin"...

Road Map Tasmania Photos

3/14 - 3/22 Tasmania




Hobart, Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, Freycinet Peninsula, Mt. Wellington, Bruny Island, Huon Trail, Richmond



Tasmania back to Mooloolaba & Billabong:

3/22/07 - 4/21/07

On March 22, 2007 we flew from Hobart, Tasmania to Sydney, where we stayed with our friends until the 28th (in their lovely house in Pittwater).  On the 28th and 29th we drove like crazy, covering over 1,000 km in the two days.  We only intended to stay with Steve for a week, but before we knew it three weeks had flown by!!!  Finally, on the 22nd we returned to Billabong for good, spending the next week getting her back in shape and ready to go.

By the way Steve is a great boat builder -- check out his website at: www.marshalldesign.blogspot.com .
Continue reading "Road Map Tasmania Photos"...

Road Trip Sydney to Melbourne Photos

3/5/07 - 3/13/07



3/5 - 3/9 Sydney to Wilson Promontory

Kiama, Jamberoo & Kangaroo Valley, Jervis Bay, Depot Beach, Narooma, Tilba Tilba, Bermagui & Moon Bay, Eden / Boyd's Tower, Buchan Caves, Lakes Entrance, Wilson Promontory


3/10 - 3/13 Phillip Island to Melbourne

Phillip Island, Great Ocean Road & Otway National Park, Melbourne


Continue reading "Road Trip Sydney to Melbourne Photos"...

Road Trip Brisbane to Sydney Photos

2/20/07 - 3/4/07

2/20 - 2/23:  Brisbane to Coff's Harbour

Mt Warning National Park, Tenterfield & Bald Rock NP, Washpool / Gibralter Range, Yamba, Coff's Harbour, Sawtell



2/23 - 2/27:  Dorrigo to Broken Bay

Dorrigo National Park, Nambucca Heads, Trial Bay / Southwest Rocks, Crowdy Bay, Port Stephens, New Castle, Pittwater/Broken Bay, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park



2/28 - 3/01:  Blue Mountains

Wentworth Falls, Leura - Katoomba, Blackheath, Three Sister's, Jenolan Caves

3/2 - 3/4:  Sydney

Including the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras


Continue reading "Road Trip Brisbane to Sydney Photos"...

Southport back to Mooloolaba

February 10 - 17, 2007

After almost eight weeks in Bum's Bay, Southport, Billabong was finally on the move again!  It was a quick trip; our goal to get to Mooloolaba so that we could leave Billabong and discover Australia by land.  It was also an uneventful trip; some rain & thunder, crab hunting with no results, lots of midges & mosquitoes, and a few anchorages to ourselves and other's shared with hundreds!

Our journey went something like this:
2/10:  Still in Southport, but out moved of Bum's Bay
2/11:  Morning visit to Tippler's, then moved on to Tiger Mullet Channel
2/12:  Stayed in Tiger for the day w/ lightning storms (did some crabbing, but didn't catch anything)
2/13:  Slipping Sands (rain & lightning)
2/14:  Russel Island
2/15:  Tangalooma, where we hooked up with old friends on Gypsy Wind
2/16:  Arrived in Moolooaba by the afternoon.  We were treated to a BBQ and hot showers!





2/17 - 2/19:  Got the boat 'put away', packed, and were ready to hit the highway!
Continue reading "Southport back to Mooloolaba"...

Southport and the Gold Coast

The Month in Review

January was a nice relaxing month, with a bit of site seeing and a few boat projects thrown in.  We spent the whole month anchored in Bum's Bay (a.k.a Marine Stadium), just outside of Sea World, in Southport.  If you've been reading our BLOGs, then you know we love this spot.  Our boat is ultra-protected in a beautiful spot, and between the dinghy and bus system we have access to all of the surrounding cities.  It is fantastic to sit in the cockpit watching the sun set and the city lights come to life.  Staying in one locale for so long has also allowed us to make a number of new friends, including one couple (Raymond & Melissa on Basilea) who plan on traveling up to Indonesia and Thailand on the same rally we do.  This is terrific news for me, as I tend to me more reserved than Chris and have a harder time making and losing friends as we move from anchorage to anchorage. Most of the people we have been meeting are Australian.  We have watched the anchorage fill up and empty time and time again, with various summer holidays, but we seem to consistently be the only foreign flagged vessel.  Everyone has been ultra friendly, even offering use of vehicles and berths. One thing we've discovered is that Australian's sure can drink.  We've had many a social night that has been tough to handle the following morning!

Chris has been a bit psychotic with his fishing lures.  I do believe he has probably hit every fishing store within a 50km radius, and I can't even begin to count the number of hours he's been playing and experimenting with different designs.  Meanwhile I've been enjoying some computer time and planning our land travel down to Melbourne and Tasmania (to occur in mid-Feb/March).  Most of the time Chris and I are in-sync on just about everything.  So it was quite funny when I showed him a number of land travel options ... all of which had us going through the middle of Australia and visiting various outback locations.  While I was thinking, "Cool, we'll drive through the desert to the middle of nowhere and really see the outback", Chris was saying, "What the hell would we want to go through a desert for, especially in summer?"!!!  After much negotiating and discussion we finally settled on driving from Brisbane to Melbourne and then touring Tasmania.  I guess I forget that not everyone enjoys a good desert summer!

In the last week of January we were lucky enough to have a car.  Ray and Mel flew home to Melbourne and let us use their car while gone.  It was terrific to have the freedom to go anywhere, anytime, including getting inland a bit to see the Gold Coast Hinterland.  The Hinterland, as well as some of our other 'big' site-seeing trips (Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Sea World, Brisbane, and Byron Bay) are covered below.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (1/12/07)



Since cruising, we'd normally leave the parks and zoos to the kids, and be off 'hunting' in the true wilderness.  But there were a few things I just didn't see happening naturally ... such as cuddling a Koala or shaking hands with a Kangaroo.  Imagine what the claws of a wild Koala would do to you if you dared pick one up, or the punch of a huge 'ol Kangaroo if you walked right up to him (assuming you ever caught up to him in the first place).  There were also a few native creatures that as much as I wanted to see, didn't really desire seeing them if they weren't caged; mainly the crocodiles.

As we stood in line at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Chris made fun of us; we were the only two adults without any kids!  Oh well, if growing up meant I couldn't goggle at various animals, then I suppose I'll just never really grow up.

Our first stop was the Koala's ... cute little buggers that, despite the huge long claws, you just wanted to snuggle.  The only way to actual hold one is to pay for a photo.  I was willing to do this, until we watched a few of the kids and I realized that you got to hold the Koalas for all of 10 seconds ... hardly a cuddle!  Oh well, maybe somewhere down the road I'll get in a hug, but for now just staring at them was satisfying enough.  Which, if you think about it, is surprising given that they are almost always sleeping!  Thanks to their leafy diet they don't have much energy and therefore spend about 20 hours a day asleep!!!  I suppose what is so entertaining about them sleeping is the various positions they manage to balance (and sleep) in ... we still aren't sure how they weren't falling left and right!

Another favorite stop of ours was the Kangaroo pen.  We figured they'd have kangaroos (it is Australia after all), and that maybe during the 3:00 feeding we might get to hand over some hay or something.  So we were a bit surprised when we entered a gate and found ourselves surrounded by kangaroos and wallabies.  You could pet them, feed them, or just sit and hang out with them!  I learned that the Joey's don't just hang in the pouches in the picturesque manner I've always imagined;  both mom and child head up looking out over the horizon.  Rather they seem to just climb in, in any old manner, with feet, tales, or perhaps just an ear sticking out.  Imagine being upside down while your mom is jumping around!  Some of the kangaroos were HUGE!  With forearm muscles bigger than my calves!  If you read our BLOG, then you already know that Chris was especially captivated by the 'bits' of the male kangaroos ... if you missed the blog, you can read part of it by clicking here). We had such a good time ... I think we visited them at least three times throughout the day!

We did think it was a bit cruel however that the kangaroo area is right next door to the crocodile area ... crocs, after all, eat small wallabies!  They had a number of small fresh water crocodiles and one huge salt water crocodile.  It was a bummer to learn that you aren't safe anywhere, because the big guy can live in fresh water too!  The crocodile feeding was very exciting to watch;  with the blink of an eye the croc was out of the water, had snagged up the chicken, and was back in the water!  Besides being amazingly fast, we had also heard that crocs can 'learn'.  One guy had gone as far as to tell us that when we are up north, in croc territory, not to always park our dinghy in the same spot, because the crocs would figure this out and one day we'd come ashore to find them waiting for us!   I wasn't sure how accurate this guy was, but at the sanctuary I did notice that when we first passed the crocodile pool the croc was just hanging around, but when we came back for the show, he had moved to below the feeding platform before the feeder (or food) arrived.  Last time I checked crocs didn't know how to tell time ... so there must be something to this learning thing!!!

They also seem to be clever guys!  When the worker was in the fresh water area with the smaller crocs I was amazed to see some of the crocs actually camouflaging themselves, waiting until he passed to make their move (and I was even more astounded by how calmly the guy just pushed them away with a bucket before walking by!).  One of the crocs even 'knew' to wait until the worker turned his back before trying to make an approach!  And the whole time, while all these crocs stalked and plotted, the worker just calmly stood there answering questions from the crowd.  Crazy Australians!!!

We also checked out the spiders and snakes ... learning that of the top 10 poisonous snakes, Australian is home to ... ALL 10!!!  We tried to spot a Tasmania Devil, but none could be seen.  The dingoes were equally boring ... we only spotted one, and he was sleeping!  They had some amazingly beautiful birds, many of the same variety of those we got to watch at Steve and Lynne's in Nambour.

Towards the end of the day we caught the Aboriginal dance show.  I love the sound of the didgeridoo (an aboriginal wind instrument), it's unique deep sounds are captivating.

Finally, on our way out, we stopped to watch the Lorikeet feeding.  They are wild birds (not in an aviary), so they aren't guaranteed to show or eat.  We sat and watched the mass crowd of people all holding up their plates of honey-ed food; and not a lorikeet eating!  The waiting people were more entertaining then the people.  Those with patience enough to stick it out were finally rewarding when a large flock finally dug in.  Chris got a special treat when he was shooting photos and the flock alighted from a tree and swarmed right through him ... I thought for sure he'd be left with at least one plastered to his forehead!

It was a fantastic day!

Birthdays & Sea World (1/23/07)

This was a milestone birthday for Chris ... he was turning the big 4-0!  And it turned out to be big for me too, because he decided that for his birthday he wanted me as his fiancée!  I couldn't believe that after three years sailing together, five years dating, and SIXTEEN years of knowing each other we were finally 'official'.

With Sea World in our 'backyard', we decided it would be a fun way to spend "his" day.  Sea World here isn't all that different then the Sea World in San Diego, but since neither of us had been in some time it was quite fun.  We especially enjoyed the dolphin show, shark aquarium, and polar bear (although we only got to see him for a minute before he disappeared).  The 'eye', a large Ferris Wheel, is currently visiting and the view from the top, where we could see the anchorage and city, was outstanding.  We ended our day at Sea World cooling off in their water park and racing down the various water slides.

We finished off his birthday with a quiet dinner (one of our new favorite dishes, apricot and cumin stuffed lamb) aboard Billabong.  And since we are on the topic of food, I should mention that we've finally tried kangaroo (kind of sick considering how adorable we thought they were at the wildlife sanctuary).  Chris originally wanted it for Christmas ... figuring you couldn't get any more Australian than that!  But I had refused, and so for his birthday 'week' (yes, I believe in long-term b-day celebrations), I served him Kangaroo Bangers (sausages).  And honestly, they were quite good (not to mention low in saturated fat and cholesterol)!

Brisbane & Area (1/24 - 1/25/07)

Brisbane is about an hour's drive north of here.  Many times we had considered taking the bus, but just hadn't gotten around to it.  Now, with access to our friends' car, we jumped on the opportunity. Brisbane is a big city with just about every store and shopping center you could imagine.  The Brisbane River runs right through the city center.  You can actually anchor 'in' the city, right beside the peaceful botanical gardens.  We only had a day and we had some shopping that had to be done (such as buying cruising guides for Indonesia and Thailand at the local boating book store), so we didn't do any of the 'cultural stuff' (such as museums or art galleries), but we did mange to get in quite a bit of walking.  We spent the majority of our time in Central Brisbane, with a side visit to Fortitude Valley, which seemed to be a mix between China Town and camping/sport-store haven!  The shops ranged from high-end classy to low-end knock-offs;  restaurants, cafes, and fast food joints could be found every few feet; and while we didn't partake, the area was brimming with art centers and museums.  It seems that whatever your pleasure, Brisbane would have something to entertain you ... if you could survive the muggy weather;  it was suffocating at times!  We watched one thunder system roll in and could easily understand where Brisbane gets its hail reputation from (although we were lucky enough to not actually get hit that day!)

Just outside of Brisbane is a huge treat ... an IKEA!  Okay, so you're not impressed, but we love that store.  As we didn't want to have to split our time between Brisbane and Ikea, we made a special trip out to Ikea on the 24th, and visited Brisbane on the 25th.  I'll tell you one thing Ikea has done right; consistent location recognition.  We knew their was an Ikea near Brisbane, but could not remember the name of the town, and didn't know its exact location.  So we hopped on the main highway and headed in the direction of Brisbane ... Chris' theory; Ikea's are always next to a main freeway/highway.  Sounds lame, but funny enough, there it was, in easy, plain sight of the highway! Ikea isn't quite as exciting when you can't really buy anything (nowhere to put it all on a boat), but Chris was ecstatic to go to their Swedish market and stock up on all kinds of stinky-fishy foods!

Byron Bay (1/27/07)



Byron Bay is actually in New South Wales (versus the Gold Coast); about 100km south of Southport. Lonely Planet states, "There's something for everyone in Byron Bay", and they are right.  It's not a huge town, but it's filled with various shops, craft stores, and restaurants.  It is a huge surfer town and backpacker paradise.

We first drove out to the cape, where a lighthouse sits near the most easterly point of Australian's mainland (supposedly this lighthouse is one of the most powerful in the Southern Hemisphere).  As it was nearing noon, the hottest part of the day, we opted not to walk the circuit around the cape. Instead we parked near the town centre and walked amongst the various shops.  There was everything from new age to hippie to surfer duds.  And every type of cafe, bar, and restaurant imaginable.  We grabbed a cold drink and took a break ... catching Serena's outstanding performance in the women's final of the Australian [Tennis] Open.  It was a full day of walking the streets and browsing through the various shops.

On our drive home we ventured off the main highway to drive through the small towns of Brunswick Heads and Ocean Shores.  We were surprised to see a small marina (w/ some pretty good sized sailboats) in Brunswick Heads.  We had no idea you could get a boat up the river.

Hinterland: Mount Tamborine & Springbrook National Parks (1/30 - 1/31/07)

Mount Tamborine is only 20 km inland from the coast (and about 20km north of Southport).  It is vibrant green and littered with farmland.  The road up is steep and picturesque.  We had gotten a late start, so only planned on a scenic drive (versus hiking).  Through the trees we could see the coastline with its tall high-rises shooting up from the sea.  We passed through a number of small towns (or villages as Lonely Planet calls them).  They were small and cutesy ... lots of cafes and antique shops. I did, half-heartily, try to convince Chris to go on a small walk, but it was sweltering outside and leaving the comforts of an air conditioned car wasn't appealing.

The next day we took off for Springbrook National Park (about 20km south of Southport and 20km inland).  As we drove up the steep, narrow, winding road we were reminded of parts of New Zealand; green landscapes, panoramic views, and Jurassic ferns.  The Springbrook NP is actually made up of three separate regions; Springbrook, Natural Bridge, and Mt. Cougal.  We had planned on visiting Springbrook for its waterfalls and short walks and Natural Bridge for its swimming holes. Unfortunately we didn't realize just how much gas the car would suck up on the steep inclines, and of course the ultra-mall town of Springbrook didn't have a station ... see what happens when you aren't used to driving (feet don't require gas)!!!  Luckily we had enough to explore the Springbrook area.

Our first stop was the Canyon Lookout, where Chris commented, "I like this drive-in hiking"!  From the lookout expansive greenery merged with the city skyline on the coast.  In addition we could see at least four waterfalls.  We drove down the road a bit where we could hop on a trail for a small circuit walk to the Twin Falls.  It had been awhile since we'd done any 'bush' hiking and I hadn't realized just how much I missed it.  The sounds and smells put me on a natural high ... I felt as though I could've hiked for days.  Under the cover of the trees the air was cool and bearable; we couldn't have asked for more lovely conditions.  The waterfall didn't disappoint and was worth every bit of the uphill walk getting back to the car.  The only downside of hiking in Australia is that we are both aware of just how many poisonous snakes and spiders Australia is home to (and we still can't get used to it) ... it is a bit hard to fully relax when one paranoid eye is always on the lookout for something ready to kill you!

Our next stop was the aptly named, Best of All Lookout.  All I can say is WOW!  It was stunning. There was a slight haze on the coast see we couldn't see the coast clearly, but still, the panoramic view was fabulous.  I think what I enjoyed most was the serenity of it all; it was so calm, quiet and peaceful.  The only noise was that of the local birds.  When I talked I felt the need to whisper as to not disturb the balance of nature.

I love Southport and the area, but getting out of the city was like a breath of fresh air.  I came back feeling revived and very excited about our upcoming land travel, where I'm hoping we'll visit a number of other National Parks.
Continue reading "Southport and the Gold Coast"...

Sandy Straits, Moreton Bay, & Southport

12/02/06 - 12/11/06;  Sandy Straits

Finally, after four weeks docked in Bundaberg we were once again off sailing and looking for remote anchorages (something not easily found in the middle of an Australian summer).  We started off by working our way south through the Sandy Straits.  There isn't much to this area, it's rather flat, nothing really ashore, and no stores or homes, but it is peaceful and we were able to finally 'dry out' after the weeks of socializing in Bundaberg!  The Sandy Straits was our introduction to huge tides, strong currents, and shallow waters.



In addition to the normal wind watching, we had to attempt to plan our sails based on current (hopefully going with us) and tides (preferably rising or high).  Usually it was impossible to have all the elements ideal, so we'd find ourselves barely skating through shallow areas (seeing 7.5 feet quite often), pushing against current (usually a good 2 knots), and/or motoring against the winds.  In the protected waters of the Sandy Straits it was often interesting but never too rough.  Once anchored we'd experience loop-d-loops as Billabong would swing 'round and 'round, sometimes riding to the current and sometimes to the wind.



By Tuesday (5th) we'd made it to "Gary's Anchorage", a very nice (even if shallow and tight) spot, where we were finally able to get off the boat and do a bit of walking.  Of course we were quite paranoid walking in the wilderness ... after all Australia is home to some of the top poisonous snakes and spiders.  Within 30 seconds of coming ashore Chris spotted a Funnel Spider, an extremely deadly little guy.  And, as if that isn't enough, no-see-ums and mosquitoes instantly surrounded us!  Not all of the wildlife is deadly or annoying; we also spotted a number of sea hawks, a couple large turtles, and a shark fin (off in the distance).

The 7th through the 9th were quite mellow as we waited out a [weather] system passing through; including brilliant lightning storms and a constant drizzle of rain.  Finally on the 11th the weather looked good, so we pulled anchor and continued our trek south.  In order to exit (or enter coming the other way) the Sandy Straits one must cross over one of the more notorious bar crossings in the area.  Up until now we had heard a number of horror stories about bar crossings, including boats being rolled and pitched poled, so needless to say we weren't really looking forward to it.  We were patient, waited for good weather, and a day that a number of other boats crossed over as well.  In  addition, Australia has set up a terrific volunteer marine service, which reports bar conditions (among other things).  Everything looked good, but as we approached our nerves were rattling ... especially Chris'.  He was beyond antsy and anxious -- even suggesting we anchor a bit just to think it over.  We'd been thinking about nothing else for the last week, so I voted we just go for it ... get it over and done with and perhaps gain a bit of confidence with these damn things.  The Sandy Strait bar is about three miles.  The first mile is also known as "the mad mile".  Nice name eh?  It definitely held up to its reputation; it was like a washing machine with waves every which way.  We had to exit with the current going against us, otherwise the current and wind would be against each other creating even larger, usually impassable, waves.  Chris couldn't sit/stand still so he took over steering, reporting our speeds against the waves/current (one time we actually went backwards for a few moments).  Once through the mad mile the conditions improved, but now we had to watch the depths.  Here we could also see where boats could easily be rolled in worse conditions; we had some large rolling waves, but none were breaking and they were spaced decently apart, I could only imagine what hell it would be in just 10 more knots of wind.  Two miles later we were through and both breathed easily again.  Now we could settle down for the over-nighter to Moreton Bay.  We motored sailed along the coast, still amazed at how flat and small Australia looks from the coast.  Just after lunch we snagged a fish, thrilled since a number of other friends of ours who had sailed down weeks early hadn't gotten even a bite!

12/11/06 - 12/17/06;  Moreton Bay / Brisbane Area



We almost never enter any bay or anchorage at night, no matter how well lit, marked, or open ... it's just not our thing -- we don't like the added stress.  So Moreton Bay was one of our first nighttime channel entrances, and while it is well marked, we both needed to be up to navigate through it.  Entering right around midnight meant that neither of us really got any sleep during the prior night's sail, adding to the navigational challenge.  We opted to go just past Brisbane, anchoring near Karragarra Island.  We were quite excited when later in the afternoon Island Sonata, who we hadn't seen since New Cal, arrived.  We had a terrific reunion before crashing, both of us exhausted after the anticipation of the bar followed by a nearly sleepless night.

We stayed anchored off of Karragarra Island for three nights, enjoying brief walks on Lamb and Russell Islands.  We were surprised to find that Russell Island was actually quite large, with a decent grocery store and internet access.  Both islands also have inexpensive ferry access to Brisbane, but we decided to forgo Brisbane, catching it on our way back north in the upcoming months.

On Friday (15th) we continued south, following Island Sonata (Chris called them our remote depth sounder) through the shallow channels towards the Tiger Mullet Channel and South Stradbroke Island.  Once, we hit ground, having to throw Billabong into high gear and plow through (a completely counter-intuitive act).  Just prior to our chosen anchorage Island Sonata reported 5 feet ... well, that just wasn't going to work - no plowing through that, so we anchored and waited for the tide to rise.  Chris took the dinghy and hand-held depth sounder to find the best route while I made lunch.  A few hours after lunch we figured the tide was about as good as it was going to get and went for it.  There were some interesting spots, where we are sure our keel left a few good plow marks through the mud, but we got through and were soon resting in a nice protected little spot.

The next morning we took the dinghy over to Stradbroke Island.  The island is quite bare; vast sand dunes stretching far.  It's a narrow island, so we were able to walk across and check out the ocean ... why we ALWAYS do this is beyond me ... why would people who live on a sailboat, who have traveled over 17,000 miles on the ocean feel the need to go look at it?  Whatever, we do, so we did.

The cool thing about this little stretch of land is that tons of wallaby's (small to medium-sized kangaroo) live on it.  It only took us a few steps inland to see a bunch of them hopping away.  Of course we instantly became stalkers, trying to get closer and closer, but never really succeeding.  These guys were good at hiding ... usually we didn't even see them until we'd stumble too close to a shrub they were hiding behind and BAM ... they'd come hopping out, fleeing away.

We had been admiring the large power boat we'd anchored by, so imagine our surprise when the owner dinghied by one day and invited us for margueritas ... for no other reason then he saw that we were from California, which is where he had bought his boat!  He was just on his way to pick up his son and son's girlfriend who were coming in from Southport by helicopter (nice eh?),  This is a beautiful boat, with restored wood, and tons of space ... I was in awe!  We ended up staying until nearly midnight (extremely late for cruisers used to going to bed with the sunset), and drank entirely too many marguerites ... obviously we had a fantastic time!

The next day was quite mellow (due to hangovers).  We were surprised when Island Sonata called us on the VHF saying "Stop that ice cream boat".  Ice cream boat?  Yep, we couldn't believe it either ... just like an ice cream truck, but floating!  Now how fun is that?  And here we thought we were in a secluded spot!!!

12/18/06 - 12/31/06:  Southport



On Monday (18th) we moved a few miles through the channel to Southport (officially we anchored in "Bum's Bay" just off of Seaworld).  We couldn't believe our eyes as the scenery slowly changed before us .... first a few nice homes, then islands of fancy Florida Keys style houses with docks out front, and finally high rise buildings jetting out from the sea like huge sea aliens.  Boat traffic increased and helicopters flew over head ... island life was officially over!  We were a bit hesitant about the 'big city', but it didn't take long to adjust ... obvious just by the fact that we've now been here over four weeks!

Island Sonata was trying to get to Sydney for the holidays, so they departed the following morning, while we moved to a more secure and protected spot within the anchorage (turns out that was one of our better moves).  Southport and the surrounding area is quite different than anywhere we've been in the last three years .. perhaps that is part of its lure.  We are anchored in a small, protected bay, with walking access to one of the best tourist beaches we've seen.  Within dinghy or bus ride distance are a number of different cities, offering everything from Queensland's largest mall, to high rise apartment buildings, to grassy parks.  It is unique to be anchored somewhere so calm and serene, yet within sight of high rise buildings and flowing traffic. (You can also read our BLOG description of the area by clicking here).

We've spent the last two weeks of December alternating between lazy days on the boat, to walking the various cities until our feet ached.  It's seems that every mall we visited was impossibly bigger then the last!  As Christmas approached we watched in fascination as boat after boat piled into Bum's Bay ... and even when we thought it impossible for another boat to fit, still more came.  Apparently beaching and boating during the holidays is huge here.  As we dingy around the bay we are also quite surprised to find that we appear to be the only foreign flagged vessel in the anchorage!  We found it quite amusing to hear the conversations of people passing Billabong ... it usually goes something like this;  "Hey, there's a Billabong", "Is that an American Flag", "California? ... but their name is Billabong" and so on.  I can honestly say that I have heard such conversations at least 15 times over the last two weeks!  (In case you don't know, Billabong is an Australian word).

As for the holidays, we joined some locals a few days before Christmas for a little dock party.  Again they were surprised to hear we'd sailed "all the way" from California.  On Christmas Eve the locals on a boat that was anchored behind us invited us over for drinks ... which ended up going until around midnight.  The one thing we've learned about Ozzie's is that boy can they drink!!!   Christmas was just the two of us and quite mellow.  We relaxed in the cockpit and enjoyed watching some of the boating action around us.  On the 26th, aka Boxing Day, we went ashore for family phone calls and to check out the Boxing Day sales.  We actually had our Christmas dinner that night, and enjoyed way too many hours watching the TV series 24 (our gift to ourselves for Christmas).  For New Year's eve it was once again just the two of us (along with the other 150 boats anchored here of course).  Originally we were going to try and get to Sydney via train, but were shocked to find out how expensive land travel around here is.  So it was a mellow New Year's, but fun with some game playing and at least three different fire work shows within easy view.
Continue reading "Sandy Straits, Moreton Bay, & Southport"...

Bundaberg & Nambour Area

10/28/06 -  11/03/06:  Passage & Arrival

When we were looking for a weather window to Oz, Chris asked me what kind of conditions I would be happy with.  I replied, "10-15 aft of the beam".  "That's way too little [wind]" he told me, but I was talking apparent, and after our 'rough' year I wanted something tame ... something boring.  Good & bad, we didn't quite get 10-15 apparent, usually we had less.  On one hand the seas were smooth and the sun was out; it was fantastic.  On the other hand we motored about half-way to Australia ... the noise and diesel fumes bugging both of us.  In the end though neither of us could complain (in fact whenever we make it somewhere safe, regardless of the trip, we tend not to complain)!  The most excitement in the trip was when a whale shadowed us for a wee bit, and at one point surfaced right behind three fishing lures we were trolling.  We were lucky he didn't snag a hook and relieved when he lost interest in Billabong.  Our trip ended nicely when Chris brought in a 4 ft Wahoo the morning of our arrival.  For a few more details on our passage and arrival click here to read our BLOGs.



11/4/06 - 11/13/06:  Port to Port Rally Events

Our first week in Bundaberg was consumed by various social events put on by the Port to Port Rally.  We ate and drank and ate some more.  We also spotted our first kangaroos!  During one of the Rally BBQs an excited man came running in, announcing there were kangaroos out in the field across the street.  It was funny to watch all the tourist pour out of the tent to go stare at these creatures that were just standing there (eating), much in the same manner as a deer in the headlights.  I tried to get Chris to chase after them so that we could all see them hop, but lucky for him one took off hopping on its own, while I squealed with joy!  The local Australians probably think we are all just a wee bit crazy, after all they see kangaroos nearly daily (just another form of road kill around here).  When one man didn't get up to rush out of the tent the excited man said, "Hey come on there our kangaroos!", to which the local boringly replied "I'm Australian, mate!".

During the day we managed to bus into the 'city' a few times; where we found a 'real' indoor mall and both Kmart & Target!  Yes, it is hard to believe that we are so easily impressed and excited!  The week ended with a tour of the Bundaberg Rum factory and a visit to the local (huge) hardware store.  We covered most of the week, including details on Chris' impressive 'invention' (as seen right) in our BLOGs, so I won't bother to go into all again (click here to see the BLOGs).

11/14/06 - 11/19/06

This was pretty much a 'down' week for us.  After all the drinking and eating during the previous week we needed a bit of time off (not to mention some exercise).  We still managed to be social, including visiting with an older couple we had met at one of the P2P Rally events.  Joan and Fred, both in their eighties, had us over to their house for an excellent meal (honey prawns), and entertained us with stories from their past, including some interesting tales from Africa.  If we have learned anything from our travels, it is about hospitality and the kindness of locals to complete strangers.

One of the highlights of the week was the purchase of a small-ish 12 volt freezer.  A freezer at last!  For the most part Chris had always claimed freezers were a luxury we didn't really need ... and of course three years without proves he is right, but ahh the joy of having one!  In truth, I owe it to his growing interest in fishing ... the only way he can fish more (and catch more) is if we can preserve it for longer periods (ie freeze it).  While I'm excited about more fish, my real joy comes from the tinkling sound of ice cubes clunking against the side of my glass!!!

11/20/06 - 11/27/06:  Thanksgiving in Nambour

We were quite excited to finally bring Billabong to Australia, as when we purchased her she was originally registered in Mooloolaba, Australia, and her previous owners now reside in Australia.  So we had been looking forward to visiting Steve & Lynne and bringing Billabong back to her roots!

Monday we hopped aboard a bus and after five, mostly boring, hours arrived in Nambour.  Steve brought us to their house, which he had built himself, and instantly we were in love with the place.  The house is simple, uncluttered, and airy; surrounded by a walk-around deck and filled with endless windows.  The yard is vast and green, with a terrific garden, papaya trees and perfect palm trees.  And best yet, tons of exotic colorful birds visited hourly, enjoying the feeders, mini pond and bird bath.  Chris instantly grew worried; how would he ever drag me away from this land paradise, back aboard Billabong?

We ended up staying a week.  Enjoying time on the deck watching the birds, various street fairs and farmer's markets, a few scenic drives, and a visit to Mooloolaba.  With the huge kitchen and terrific garden we did a lot of cooking & eating (what's new there), including a fantastic traditional Thanksgiving meal.   We also took advantage of endless power, lots of water, decent internet, and the good 'ol T.V.!  It was especially good that Steve and Chris could talk boat stuff, while Lynne and I could talk anything but!  We loved every minute of it, but still missed Billabong and felt the itch to finally move on and begin trekking south.  So we returned to the boat on Monday with plans to get the boat ready and start looking for a good weather window south.

11/27/06 - 12/01/06

The next four days were spent cleaning and organizing ... basically trying to get all the crap put back away!  We celebrated a second Thanksgiving with some of the cruisers and said goodbye to some friends who wouldn't be going South.  We also, finally, after months of indecision, decided that we would not ship our boat from Australia to the Mediterranean, but rather would join the Darwin to Indonesia Rally in July 2007.  This was a huge decision for us, and we'd spent a number of days and nights debating our next steps after Australia.  We still aren't sure what we'll do after Thailand ... but hey, that's a whole 'nother year away!!!
Continue reading "Bundaberg & Nambour Area"...

Season 3 Photo Journals

Season 3 Route

Continue reading "Season 3 Photo Journals"...

New Caledonia

September 30 - October 27, 2006



It seems that our third year of cruising, was a tough year of sailing.  Starting with the passage down from Majuro we had a lot of weather work and a lot of wind.  It was never overly frightening ... not the kind of stuff that makes you worried about boat or life, but just tiring work, the kind of stuff that you just get plain sick-and-tired of.  The kind of stuff that, quit frankly, makes you want to stay put once you reach a destination.  I think that's what happened to us in New Cal anyway ... once we got to Noumea we were so happy to be relaxing on the dock, in the sunshine, not worrying about the weather, that we more or less found ourselves 'stuck'!  But if you're going to stick somewhere, Noumea seems as good of a place as any!

As I'm tired of bitching about all of our passages, you can refer to our Blog, if you haven't already read it, for a brief synopsis of the trip over from Vanuatu.  As noted, the only good thing about this passage was the delicious tuna we caught.


Unfortunately we were both quite sick upon arrival, and Chris remained sick for most of our first week there.  As we were at a 'real' dock for the first time in some while we took advantage of the facilities, especially the free flowing water!  We did mounds of laundry and gave Billabong a good wash down.  Chris got a kick out of my money saving tallies -- I would point out all the money we were 'saving' by doing the laundry by hand, cooking on the boat instead of eating out, and so on ... thereby justifying staying at the dock another day or two!!!

We thought Port Vila was decadent with the various restaurants and awesome cheese selection, but Noumea easily outdid Port Vila 10-times in the food department (and so began our steady weight gain as well)!  We did eat out a few times, and had to laugh when even the Chinese vendors served their dishes with a baguette (the French staple) on the side!  Luckily Noumea is pretty big, so we were doing quite a bit of walking which helped shed a few of the thousands of calories we were taking in!

On Thursday, the 5th, we visited the city museum and then bused out to the Cultural Center.  We found both places quite nice, but were disappointed in the lack of English information (or any non-French language).  It just seemed that these two places should at least be multi-lingual.  This was also the last time we'd venture out on the bus for any distance ... The buses had been on and off strikes over the last week (and we heard that this is always the case), we hadn't thought much of it because everything was running smooth that morning.  Well, just our luck the bus we need to get back to Noumea from the Cultural Center isn't running anymore, as they went on strike!  I suppose we could've just called a cab, but they are pricey, and we are not only cheap, but stubborn.  So we started by walking (trying to hitchhike, but no one would pick us up) out to the main road.  Once there we continued walking and hitching.  We stopped at another bus stop, thinking that a non-strike bus might be able to at least get us closer, while Chris and Island Sonata rested and read the schedule I continued to stand, thumb out next to the busy street.  Lucky Days, a guy pulled over.  I think he was shocked enough to see Chris was with me, but his eyes opened wide we he also saw John and MJ.  He was driving a small two-door car with an eight year old already in the passenger seat.  He told us to go ahead and try to cram in (which we did, quite funny when you consider John is over 6 feet, and the four of us were trying to fit in the back all together).  We were a bit concerned by the mass of empty, crushed beer cans on the floor, but our driver was currently drinking a Yahoo, so we hoped the cans were left over from a different day.  He didn't speak much English (and we speak no French), but he was extremely friendly and thrilled to learn we were on yachts.  He dropped us in town (which was out of his way) and we thanked him with some gasoline money (which he hadn't even asked for).

The next day a street fair of sorts was taking place.  It was mostly 'crap', but fun to walk along the stalls and listen to the loud & obnoxious music blaring away.  I saw a cute dress in one of the stalls and, in my newly learned French, asked how much it was.  And here-in lies the problem with only learning part of a language.  It was great that I could now ask the cost of something in French, but what to do when they reply in French and I know no numbers???  Luckily she also spoke some English.  I wanted to try the dress on, which they said was okay, but there was no place to go ... just here she told me.  Here???  I was standing in a very open stall in the middle of the street with tons of people walking past.  Ah yes, the difference between most of the world and Americans ... we are such a conservative, reserved culture when it comes to our bodies and nakedness!  Anyway, I scurried into a corner and tried to get on the dress, over my shorts and with my bra still on.  Well, the ladies were clearly laughing because I was so modest, and I joined in.  It was a halter-top dress and my bra was just not looking right, so the ladies had me take it off too.  Well, I didn't end up buying the dress, but the changing in public was a first for me (post-adolescence anyway)!

On Monday, we were thrilled when Convergence showed up as we hadn't seen them since the previous year and weren't sure if we'd meet up this year or not.  We decided to all go for dinner that night ... and learned yet another thing about the French, they tend to be closed on random days!  After much walking Sally-Christine finally spotted a open restaurant.  Chris and I were only mildly embarrassed that after being in Noumea for over a week we still didn't know where anything was or when they were open!

Tuesday we took a car trip with Jean and Mark on Renaissance 2000.  It was a great way to explore part of the island ... and even better that we could do it without moving Billabong!  We had some great views (such as pictured right), found a terrific spot for lunch, and got a glimpse of the huge nickel plant.

Thursdays the city centre park hosts a number of stalls, varying from food to crafts and with some type of performance going on.  We heard it was 'hit or miss' ... as you never knew who or what would be there.  With rain looming in the sky we went to check it out.  It was pretty low key, but there was some tasty food, including a traveling wood stove for pizzas.  The rain finally hit so we called it a night without waiting for the local entertainment. (We also went a few Thursday later, and were overwhelmed by the number of people that were there.  We once again enjoyed the huge range of food, and this time took in a bit of the entertainment which included dancers from Tahiti).

Sunday we attempted to eat out again ... this time with Dave & Judy on Freebird.  They always seem to know where to eat, so we trusted they knew where to go.  Hah!  Turns out even fewer things are open on Sunday than Monday ... unless you have a car and can get to the tourist drag (which we didn't).  After discovering the one restaurant we were trying was closed, we looked for a cab and when none appeared we started sticking out our thumbs.  We weren't having much luck when a couple in the apartment above the corner from where we were standing saw us and asked what we were doing.  We asked if they would possibly call us a cab, and were completely shocked when instead they came down and gave us a ride!!!

After two weeks in the marina, we figured we should get out and 'do' something.  Not yet convinced we wanted to go anywhere far (as eventually, either going or coming back we'd have to beat into it), we opted to go out to Isla Mate, a small island just three miles from Noumea.  The backside of the island is a huge kite & wind boarding haven.  I didn't feel confident enough to give it another go, but Chris spent a few days of the week trying to remember how it all worked (we hadn't kite boarded since La Paz, Mexico).  He did pretty well, but ended up hurting his ribs a few days into it, forcing him to call it quits.  Our friends on Ram, Roxanne, Freebird, and Traveler were all out there as well, so we enjoyed a few drinks, and games aboard the various boats.  I spent a lot of timing baking and cooking it began to dawn on me how much food we had that would not be allowed in Australia (mainly honey, cashews, and dried cranberries).  In order to spread the calories, I'd send Chris out to the other boats every afternoon with the treats.  The other source of entertainment were the gigantic Remoras.  Until then all of the remoras we had seen were quite small and usually attached to small-ish sharks (under 6 feet).  These remoras were so big that at first I thought they were sharks (I'd hate to see the size sharks these guys attach to)!!!  And they are quite aggressive, going after the various scraps Chris and I would throw over.



Isla Mate gets cram-packed over the weekend.  Tons of boats flood from the city, out to enjoy a bit of R&R and get in some kite/wind boarding.  On Sunday afternoon the anchorage again clears out as everyone heads home.  What was particular 'funny' about Sunday (the 22nd), was that just prior to the boats heading in, a VHF Securité message came on.  It was, of course, all in French, except one word which doesn't translate ... Cyclone.  Well, if you didn't know any better it would seem quite frightening to hear the word Cyclone and then see all these boats head back to the marinas!  Luckily we have other methods of getting weather and were able to figure out that Cyclone Xavier had just formed, north of Vanuatu.  Directional predictions were not yet in.  Monday, we thought it wise to get a slip in the marina before they all filled up ... '"just in case".  We just got one of the last slips in Port de Sud (pictured right).  The next few days were focused on weather and Xavier ... everyone trying to predict where it would go.  I don't think we ever were too worried about it hitting New Cal, but the marinas did start to get out the cyclone chains!  We were however quite concerned for the number of boats up in Luganville, Vanuatu, and for the islanders themselves.  Luckily Xavier missed most of Vanuatu and Fiji and finally died out.

We finally decided that, while we would be missing out on some great sites, we just didn't want to beat to weather anymore, and therefore didn't really want to go anywhere else in New Caledonia.  With that decision made we opted to join the Port to Port Rally, a free rally hosted by the Bundaberg Yacht Club, traveling from either Vanuatu or New Cal to Bundaberg, Australia.  On Saturday October 28th, we departed Noumea for Bundaberg.
Continue reading "New Caledonia"...

Vanuatu Wrap up - Photos

Port Vila, Efate (9/22 - 9/27)



Finally on the 22nd we figured it was as good as it was going to get, and spent the next 12 hours beating against the winds for Port Vila.  Luckily the seas weren't too bad, and we were able to point pretty high into the wind, making good time and good heading.  Unfortunately we didn't leave quite early enough, and therefore found ourselves racing against the setting sun.  We need about an extra hour, but with Island Sonata helping us we were able to make it safely to our mooring ball in the dark.



We couldn't believe when we first rounded the point to Vila's bay ... there wasn't a single cloud hovering over Vila!  Never had we seen Vila so clear ... it was a bit ironic, as it seemed the clouds had been following us around over the last few weeks.  Once inside the bay, with the sun just having set, we were motoring up the channel, when a huge cruise ship was making it's way out of another bay into the channel.  Although we knew he was going to turn, and had given him ample space, having such a massive ship pointed directly at Billabong was a bit nerve-racking!  When the cruise ship finally turned, and passed just along side us (heading out the channel while we were heading in), we could feel it's vibrations!

The next five days it was cloudy and rainy ... go figure!  We did our usual 'get the boat ready' routine, some last minute internet-ing, and of course the typically weather watch.

On Thursday, the 28th, we said good by to Port Vila, and Vanuatu, and headed for New Caledonia.
Continue reading "Vanuatu Wrap up - Photos"...

Port Resolution & Mt. Yasur

Tanna, Vanuatu
August 24 - 29, 2006



We sailed around from the Evergreen mooring balls to Port Resolution on a beautifully clear day.  We were against the wind and the seas were a bit uncomfortable, but Port Resolution was a must, as it provided easy access to Tanna's active volcano, Mt Yasur.  It didn't take long before we spotted plumes of smoke emerging from the volcano's crater.  It was easy to spot the big blows from the huge amounts of smoke that drifted upwards.  We had heard that many people hear the rumblings and/or see the glow from Mt Yasur even in Port Resolution, but that first night we didn't see or hear anything.



We decided to hike from Port Resolution to Mt Yasur and arranged for a truck ride back.  We had heard that the trucks tended to get up there a bit late and we wanted plenty of time to explore and take photos (optimally you want to arrive during late afternoon and stay until after dark so that you witness the volcano in both the day and night).  Plus it just feels more 'proper' to hike up a volcano than to be driven!  We were told it would take us about 2-1/2 to 3 hours, and that most of the walk was pretty easy, with just the last 20 minutes or so being difficult.  If one drives (four wheel drive being necessary), you can get right up to the base of the volcano, which then leaves you with an easy 5-10 minute walk up to the rim.  The walk was mostly uneventful, although attractive, as we eased our way along a dirt road surrounded by lush green flora.  Along the way we stopped near Shark's Bay to view a bungalow being built high up in a Banyan tree.  About half way to the volcano we heard our first rumble; it was a low deep growl that raised goose bumps of excitement on my skin ... I couldn't wait to see what came with that rumble!  While I was excited at the chance to see an active volcano, I have to admit I was preparing myself to be disappointed.  We had heard SO many glowing reports about the volcano, I figured there was no way it could live up to my extra high expectations.  And while we had read about the dangers (including the three deaths to date), both in the guidebooks and on a few signs prior to entering the volcano's territory, I truly was thinking Just how dangerous could it be if  thousands of tourist visit it each year?  How naive I was on both accounts, our adventure on top of Mt Yasur turned out to be an adrenaline junkies dream; both life threatening and gripping.  In addition, its power and brilliant light show easily exceeded my expectations.

By the time we entered the road that led up to Mt Yasur, its grumbling had turned to roaring and provided consistent background noise.  Our anticipation was ever increasing.  After already walking a good 2-1/2 hours the steep and rocky incline up proved difficult and took us about 45 minutes.  Every time the road turned I would anxiously peer around hopeful that at any minute Mt Yasur would come into view.  At last a barren ash covered field spotted with old lava rocks lay before me.  And now we could easily see the plumes of smoke that accompanied each roar.  Steam escaped from a number of vents and we could feel the warmth through the red and grey ashy dirt.

Just before heading up to the rim, we stopped at the "Volcano Post".  The world's only post station on an active volcano!  Okay, a bit cheesy in the tourist department, but how could we resist mailing a few post cards (unfortunately we had forgotten our address book when we flew out to Tanna, so our mailing list was a bit short).  We didn't stay long, as we could now see the lava debris shooting skywards from within the volcano's crater, and like kids in a toy store, we had to see it NOW!  I almost felt as though if we didn't get up there right away, then at that very moment Mt Yasur would go dormant and we would miss our one and only chance!

None of us were prepared for just how loud and heart-stopping the BANG of the eruptions would be; every time at least one, if not all, of us jumped.  We rushed up to the edge of the volcano and peered down into a huge crater, where existed yet another crater, where all the action was occurring.  At first we joked about not being close enough, but it didn't take long before we realized that we were plenty close after all.  We were so amazed and stunned not only by the noise, but also the huge amount of debris that was flying out of the inner crater's mouth that we hadn't even managed to get out our camera gear.  Chris & John (boys being boys) were harassing each other about their skittish jumps each time the volcano went off.  KABAM!!! And Chris jumped back has John laughed and just as John was antagonizing him KABANG, another huge blast sent John jumping back and Chris laughing.  The four of us stood looking into the crater, still goggling over the smoke, lava rock, and noise that emerged from the volcano when grrrRRRRR KaaAAABAAAM.  And with that huge blast it went something like this among the four of us:

Wow look at that!    
That one's huge ... oh my.    
Oh my GOD it's coming this way.    
AHHHHH. 

The four of us split into a mad frenzied confusion.  Okay some kept their heads;  John stood still and looked up tracking the huge lava ball that was now heading right for us.  Chris moved, but still looked upwards, ensuring he was moving away from the potential landing spot of the magma rock.

MJ and I were a little less successful with our survival instincts.  MJ went into such a panic that both laughing and running she peed her pants.  Afterwards she couldn't remember if she had looked up or not.  I, in one of my less intelligent moments, just plain out ran ... laughing, screaming, and shouting Where do I go? Where do I go? over and over.  I didn't run very far, because in my panicked state I seemed to only be able to go left and right, as if dodging bullets.  With each frantic turn came the only thought able to cross my silly mind Where do I go? (to which no one ever did answer!!!)

KAPLOP! The large piece of magma thundered to the ground ... having traveled just over our heads, and landing less than 15 feet from where we had all been standing barely moments before!  Full of adrenaline and still just a bit overwhelmed with a range of emotions from shock and panic to giddiness, we all turned to stare at this foreign object that had just hurled itself towards us.  It was as if we were looking at an alien; staring wide-eyed and not daring to approach.  Of course the cameras came out immediately, it was a must that we get pictures of "our lava rock", but it still took a minute or two for the shock to subside enough for any of us to actually go near the rock.  Once we had gained our wits we continued to laugh in amazement (and a bit of relief), and as the initial shock waned, Chris and John got to poking and playing with the over-heated piece of magma.  Flames immediately emerged when Chris pushed a stick into the soft brightly glowing rock.  He created a 'coconut face' by poking three holes into the lava rock, all of which fire spewed out of.

We had arrived on the rim alone, but now a few tourist were showing up, and we excitedly told them our story and showed them "our" lava rock.  We also decided that perhaps we weren't standing in the best spot and moved a bit over on the rim, to what we hoped was a safer location.  Both MJ and I were also lectured on the appropriate lava avoidance procedure (basically look up and wait to see where the debris is going to fall before moving --- do not just run blindly!).  I guess it wasn't one of those facts of life we needed to learn growing up!  Still, with each ear-splitting eruption it took huge amounts of will power to not turn and run.  More than once I felt my head attempt to recede much like a turtle's into his shell, and after the 'our lava rock experience' my knees continued to tremor, right up until we were sitting back in the car park.  I was scared, enthralled, overjoyed, and overwhelmed.  I couldn't stop laughing, smiling, or shaking!  It is no wonder that volcanoes are held as magical, spiritual places among natives.  It is yet another example of just how powerful nature is and how much respect mother earth deserves.

As the sun set the show only became more spectacular.  With the fading light, the magma that shot from within the crater now glowed a glorious red.  It was the most brilliant fireworks display I've ever seen.  Although Lonely Planet mentioned three erupting sections within the volcanic crater, we could only distinguish between two of them.  One seemed to growl and moan before ejecting a small amount of magma with an earth shattering bang that sent everyone shrinking back from the rim ... it made up in noise what it lacked in display.  The other ejected tremendous amounts of glowing magma high into the air, with a large amount landing on the inside of the outer crater (just below the rim where we stood).  Both let forth huge amounts of smoke; sometimes brown and dense, other times light and grayish, and often accompanied by an intense sulphurous odor.

While I could've stood in awe and watched the show all night, it was also a bit stressful ... I was never relaxed, my heart rate was up, and with each loud explosion I'm sure I gained a few new white hairs.  More often than not the BAMs and BANGs of the eruptions would shake the ground beneath us, reminding us of just how much force was used in expelling the large amounts of magma from within.

Periodically Chris went to check on "our" lava rock, reporting back over and over that yes, it was indeed still wicked hot!  Heat be damned, he and John still managed to break off a chunk ... now there's a souvenir!

Finally, around 6:30pm we made our way down to the car park.  Our ride was late so we sat in the back of another truck waiting, and watching the glow and intermittent explosions from above.  We finally were calm enough to eat a snack (how silly to think we'd be able to 'picnic' up on the rim!).  We still talked continuously about our experience and the amazing power of the volcano, chatting away as if we hadn't all been up there together!  Just as we were getting ready to leave a huge earth shattering burst sent a brilliant display of red magma into the air, catapulting a gigantic piece way beyond the rim, where we could easily see its glow even from the car park!

Earlier we had learned that the current activity level of the volcano was classified as a "2".  During levels 1 and 2 tourist are allowed up to the rim.  At level 3 you are only allowed up to the car park (at the base of the volcano), and at levels 4 & 5 you are not allowed up the road at all.  As we drove away, viewing the pulsing red piece of magma we all laughed at the idea of visiting an active volcano (at any level) in the States ... as if!  Here there were no rules, no security or guides directing you, no rails to retain you, you are truly at your own risk!  Between safety paranoia and law suits, such an attraction would never be 'allowed' in America.

Much like the hike up, the truck ride was an adventure in its own.  First our ride never showed, but luckily another truck had a bit of room to spare.  The truck struggled down, dropping into huge crater-like potholes on the tight, narrow dirt path (road is really too strong of a word for what we traveled over).  Once on the slightly larger road, our speed increased throwing back huge puffs of dust and bouncing us all over the wooden benches of the open pickup.  Once again we were covered in dirt and dust and exhausted from an extremely great time!  After a cold beer at the Port Resolution Yacht Club (to toast our survival of flying lava), we took the dinghy back to Island Sonata, this night we could clearly see a splendid red glow emerging from just over the trees.

Back on Island Sonata the adrenaline still coursed through us and we endlessly chattered away as we reviewed our photographs and video.  It was easy to laugh and joke since "our" lava rock missed us all, but it was daunting to think of just how dangerous it was up there!  And we had to laugh at the group we rode back with, as they all wore hard hats, as if that would help at all if hit by flying lava.  If the force of the flying rock alone didn't kill you, it would only be a matter of seconds before the extreme heat vaporized both the hard hat and ... well no need to get gross, you get the point.

As I attempted to drift off to sleep that night I was continuously awakened by the sound (in my dream) of Mt Yasur erupting, and my brain telling me to look up look up, don't close your eyes or it'll land on you!  I would open my eyes to discover all was safe as I was in bed and sleeping was okay, but no matter how much I tried to relax into sleep, it took hours to finally let go.  Still the next morning I would've gone back in a heart beat if we'd had the time!
Continue reading "Port Resolution & Mt. Yasur"...

Evergreen, Middle Bush & The Nekowiar Festival

Tanna, Vanuatu
August 18 - 23, 2006



We came very close to giving up on Tanna's Nekowiar festival.  First we couldn't nail down the date, as it is typically not announced until just a few days prior.  We spent quite a few hours scouring the town of Port Vila, checking in with the National Tourism Office and two tourist centers.  It seemed that every time we checked, the date had been changed; first the 12th or 15th, then the 18th or 19th, than not until the 20th or 23rd. UGH ... it was a planning nightmare.  The ever changing date wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't need a good weather window to get down to Tanna, after all if our boat was there we could just hang around until it started.  But a good weather window was our second problem, as the strong trade winds continued to blow; directly from the direction we needed to sail!

We did attempt twice to sail Billabong there, the first time the winds started to clock around faster than we expected and we were worried we'd be caught half-way there with 25 knots on the nose.  The second time we had succumbed to motoring the whole way if need be, but the wind and swell were both higher than predicted and we couldn't motor/sail fast enough to reach Tanna before the weather window 'closed'.  Our friends, MJ & John aboard Island Sonata were able to motor-sail during the second attempt, largely due to their two engines (sometimes catamarans have their advantages!).  Once in Tanna, they attempted to get first hand scoop in hopes that we could still join them.  Around the 14th, with the date still in flux and flights filling up fast, we just picked a date we hoped would be close enough based on all the information we had.  At this point I was beginning to wonder if this festival could truly be worth all this trouble.

On Friday the 18th we flew from Port Vila, Efate to Lenakel, Tanna.  It was the one of the smallest planes I've ever been in and, as with the other small islands we've visited, we found the casual atmosphere of the airport entertaining.  There are times when I wonder just what the heck am I doing traveling via sailboat;  the air-ride to Tanna took less than 45 minutes, via Billabong it would've been more than 24 hours!  As we made the rocky approach to the airport we spotted Island Sonata moored just outside Evergreen Bungalows with MJ and John goofily waving from their hard top.  That evening we had dinner at the Bungalows, followed by an attempt to see visit the Jon Frum Village for their Friday night singing and dancing ... unfortunately the 'band leader' was absent so, as we later termed it, "there'd be no Fruming tonight!" The Jon Frum Movement is a home-grown religion formed of a resistance to the rigid rules of the [Presbyterian] Church.  It is a hybrid of Christianity and traditional beliefs, with cargo (wealth) being a secondary belief/goal.  They believe a mysterious man called Jon Frum who, it is claimed, was the brother of the god of Mt Tukosmera, and is from the USA, will someday return, bringing with him endless wealth to his followers.  The 'rumors' begun back in 1936, when it was said that Jon Frum had come from the sea and announced himself to some kava drinkers, telling them there would be an abundance of wealth and no more epidemics.  Our favorite quote is from the Lonely Planet guidebook:  When asked when Jon Frum will come, one 'Frum'er' replied, "How long have Christians waited?  Nearly 2000 years, yet we've waited only 65!"  We had thought it would be fun to visit a Frum village with Island Sonata, because Chris was dying to say, "This is John, from .... " ha ha!

The date of the festival had finally been firmed up, and our timing was perfect, the festival would start on Monday the 21st, concluding on the 23rd.  While the date was solid the rest of the details were flaky at best, we continued to get different stories on what to expect and when various dances would take place.  The Nekowiar is sometimes more commonly referred to as the Toka, but really the Toka dance is just one dance of many that takes place during the three day festival.  The festival only occurs every three to four years, with the last Nekowiar occurring in 2003.  Originally this event celebrated the end of tribal wars, but nowadays it is a symbol of alliance and friendship between neighboring villages.  Multiple villages attend, each trying to outdo each other with the quantity and quality of gifts, make-up and decorations, and the skill of their dancing.  It is also a way of deepening the gene pool, as the ceremony often results in marriages between different clans.  The festival is known for its rowdy and sexual nature.  Beginning the second night with the women's dance and continuing until the next morning, anything goes, as the Ni-Vans believe that their sins will be washed away with the pig's blood the following day.  What we heard was that a man could have sex with any women "captured", and who was willing (including in some cases married women)! The preparation for the  Nekowiar can take up to a year; gathering pigs, yams and kava as well as practicing the various dances.  This year the festival was being held in Middle Bush, a secluded high up village, a bumpy 30 minute truck ride from Lenakel.

We arranged transportation and entrance through Sam at Evergreen Bungalows.  Sam and his wife, Marian, were instrumental in helping us understand the festival and arranging our attendance.  We set out early Monday morning, and were accompanied by Sam's father, Chief Tom.  Chief Tom was a great guide as he seemed to know just about everyone at the festival.  The truck ride was jolting, but the lush, dense green surroundings that increased as we traveled higher and the sharp cliff drop-off were breathtaking.  We arrived to women's chant-like singing, thunderous clapping, and earth shaking foot stomping.  We could easily hear the festival before we could see it.  At the "entrance" five men in traditional ni-Van clothing (penis sheaths, aka nambas, such as pictured right) greeted us.  Things were a bit confusing at first as the men led us to a pig pen for viewing.  We were told we could buy one if we wanted (not to keep, but rather it would than be given back to the village/festival).  When we opted against pig purchasing the men seemed rather disappointed until Chief Tom talked to yet another Ni-Van, showing him our receipts for paid entrance via Evergreen.  What we later learned was the typical entrance fee is a pig, as most of the villagers have little use for paper money.  We were relieved when the men seemed satisfied, as we were well outnumbered and the ni-Vans in their traditional gear were a bit intimidating!


The energy that surged from the dancers on the dirt field was amazing.  Had we not stayed for the entire festival I would've never guessed that it could actually be increased.  The Napen-Napen, the women's' dance which represents their various trials and turmoil, was already going in full force.  Eight large groups of women consisting of all ages, stomped, sang, clapped, and skipped with such force that the earth and air vibrated around us.  They were clad in traditional grass skirts, some with added color of reds, yellows, blues, and greens.  Their faces were painted in the same bright colors, in what is sometimes known as 'beauty magic', and their heads were donned with feathers and colorful wreaths.  The groups were further identified as Pagans and Christians.  The so-called Pagans were more traditionally dressed in that many were topless or wearing woven bra-like tops, while the Christians wore flowered sarong-like tops that provided complete coverage.  Some of the women in the 'Pagan' groups had tied woven pandanus leaves around their breasts in a belt like fashion.  This was puzzling until we noticed that those without the 'belt' (or a bra) were practically injuring themselves from the extreme bouncing that occurred ... their breasts slapped down with such force that we could hear the 'clapping' even up in the platform!

 People crowded around the dances, watching and in some cases teasing.  Apparently it is customary for the men to taunt and mimic the women, trying to throw them off ... however it is extremely tabu to touch a women or her grass skirt, and 'security' men walked around with long sticks 'guarding' the women and ushering the crowds.  Two platforms had also been built, which allowed for a good view over the majority of the field, where I truly got a sense of just how energetic and big the festival was.  Their swishing skirts stirred up endless amounts of dust that at first seemed to add to the atmosphere, but later became overwhelming.

What we learned that first day was that the 'real' festival did not begin until the following evening.  The Napen-Napen would once again begin Tuesday evening and continue through the night until the Toka dance started at dawn on Wednesday morning.  The Monday Napen-Napen, and the morning/afternoon dances on Tuesday where more like a rehearsal ... but one would never know as they walked amongst the dancers, feeling their vitality.  While we knew we'd see some of the dances again, seeing them now (and those on Tuesday) was a great opportunity,  as the crowds and hormones would only increase beginning Tuesday night, making it nearly impossible to easily (and safely) walk about.

The women danced for nearly seven hours straight, and never did they seem to slack off.  Around noon we retreated to a covered area and joined the locals eating lunch.  We were the center of attention as children and adults stared and smiled at us.  We were given peanuts and bananas and in turn handed out pretzels which usually got a good look over before popped into the children's mouth.  By the time our ride came to pick us up, we were covered in dust and our heads were still pounding to the Napen-Napen rhythm.

Back on Island Sonata we cleaned up and prepared for the next two days of festivities.  As a huge portion of the Nekowiar occurs from late evening, throughout the night, and into dawn, we had decided to camp up in Middle Bush ... we didn't want to miss a thing!  It would make for interesting camping, as Chris and I were not able to bring our tent due to the flight weight restrictions, and IS only owned a three man tent!!!

We departed early again, to allow us ample time to setup before any dancing started.  Evergreen had arranged a place for us to set up, and in typical islander fashion one of the villagers (Esmil) took us under his wing, both guiding us and watching out for our tent.  About 15 children gathered to watch us erect the tent.  Chris brought out huge smiles when he started juggling rocks.  Instantly we knew we'd made the right decision by camping, because now we were much more "one of them" and welcomed with open arms.  Esmil walked us around the village and various camp sites, where we saw the gigantic mounds of green kava ready to be given as well as the huge pigs awaiting their unfortunate future.  Women sat around making huge piles of lap-lap, the local ni-Van dish consisting of mashed yam, coconut and sometimes a bit of meat wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in the earth.  We also got to see some of the boys preparing for the upcoming Nao dance (pronounced 'now'), as they sat patiently while their mothers applied paint to their faces and adjusted their head feathers.



 The Nao dance (again a type of rehearsal for what would come), was brilliant.  The Nao is performed by the men and boys of the hosting village.  Dressed in nambas or grass skirts, and carrying bamboo sticks tied together for their noise-making effects, this custom dance made me feel as though I had truly traveled back in time.  It was at this point that I knew, without a doubt, the Nekowiar was worth all the frustration it took to get there.  A few groups of women stood jumping and waving the traditional ceremony leaves as the men sang and danced.  I felt lucky to be watching something so native, traditional and raw.

 After the Nao, Esmil escorted us down the road a few kilometers to where two Toka performances would take place (again rehearsals for the next morning).  The dancing was a bit delayed as some of the men were away at a circumcision ceremony, but it gave us an opportunity to sit among the Toka men as they prepared their make-up and outfits for the dance.  With brightly colored faces, sarongs, and tinsel-type decorations, the men and children were a stunning sight.  While we waited, Chris again entertained some children with his juggling, and we got them playing a rock game we had learned in Fiji.  The kids laughed and elbowed each other as Chris clumsily juggled three rocks.  Chris would hold out the rocks and say "now you" as the kids stepped back and giggled.  A few did make an attempt, but after bursting into laughter at their failure, would quickly thrust the rocks back at Chris.  We never would've guessed that the simple act of juggling would turn out to be a great ice-breaker and provide such fun interaction!

 Finally the dancing began, with more foot pounding and singing.  In the Toka the men & boys carry hook-like sticks, with white painted tips meant to represent the pigs tusks (which is a sign of chiefdom and wealth).  In this dance, as with the Nao, different trials and tributes are acted/danced out by individuals, while the group continues to pound, hop and sing.  We couldn't following the meaning of most of them, until the second Toka dance, when Marian (from Evergreen) explained their meanings; they included everything from war and gardening, to breast feeding and kava drinking.  Many of the individual dances drew huge cries of laughter and shouting from the crowd.  The dance was powerful and again filled with an abundance of energy.  The men were foot-stomping so hard that small divots quickly turned to holes!  It was easy to imagine how scary it must've been during times of war ... 50 chanting, face painted, foot stomping men easily sounded like thousands.  Again women jumped about on the sidelines, completing the picture.  There was so much in these dances to not understand, but still they were brilliant to watch.  After each 'enactment' some type of gift of treat would be thrown out and some of the crowd, especially the children, would quickly scramble after the candy or other treat.  By shear luck a piece of cloth was thrown nearby, and we managed to snag it; a great souvenir of the Nekowiar.

We walked back to camp in the waning light of sunset, excited for what would come.  This was the big night, when the crowd and dancers would supposedly get 'crazy' and when sins would begin.  More than once we had heard that during the Napen-Napen the men would try to circle and separate a woman and then begin throwing her in the air, during which time she would be groped and fondled.  We had even heard that tourist women should be careful as they were fair game as well!  We had been warned to stay well back and it was suggested watching from the platforms would be best ... safer than trying to walk about within the crowds.  After dinner we staked out a good viewing spot on one of the platforms and waited for the action, as with the rest of the Nekowiar, the starting time was a bit vague.

Around 6:30pm a group of men came up the road into the dancing field.  They were carrying sticks with pieces of fruit and leaves tied at the tops.  Most of the men were dressed in 'western' clothing; t-shirts  and shorts, but other men and women still wore their traditional clothing, giving a weird sense of past and present colliding.  The men walked around the field in a large group, singing and then bursting into a skip-like run as the chanting increased into fevered yelling.  When they would pass just under our platform we could feel the structure shake and the temperature easily increased fifteen degrees from the group's body heat.  They would look up and thrust their sticks upwards as they chant-sang something that sounded a bit like "Reese's Pieces" to us.  They were 'paving the way' for the women to dance.  This went on for two hours, and in truth got a little tiring.  Additional groups of men continued to join the first group, until the field was so full that we wondered how the women would fit.  We joked that for men waiting to 'get it on' with the women they were sure taking their sweet time; after all the sooner the Napen-Napen began, the sooner the sinning could get started!

Just after 8pm one of the women's groups came out and began their dance.  Within the hour the remaining groups also came out, and now the field was jammed full, filled with electric energy and life.  Between the men & women dancing and those watching, well over 3,000 people now participated in the festival!  While the dances were the same as we'd seen on Monday, the increased crowd of men that surrounded the women, and the nighttime atmosphere gave an entirely different ambience then the previous day.  The men continued to also chant and run around in what appeared as a mad frenzy, weaving through the dancing groups.  What was amazing was that as chaotic as it seemed there was an unspoken order.  The men never trampled into the women, nor did anyone getting bumped or pushed along ever get angry, they just went happily along with the flow.  While we hadn't yet seen any women circled or thrown up, we did notice that when a women of a certain age entered or left the field one of the 'guards' escorted her across.  Again, it was a weird sensation to look into the crowd, some wearing westernized clothing, while others completely in traditional gear.  I think the funniest sight was of a man walking past wearing a fleece sweatshirt and a penis sheath! And to think that many of those in the traditional garb weren't just 'dressing up' for the festival, as nambas and bare breasts are still quite common in  Kastom (custom) villages.

We stayed until about 11:30pm, at which time the brisk night began to wear on us, and the warmth of our sleeping bags was desired. We carefully made our way back to the tent, which just happened to be positioned shortly down the road, right in line with where many of the men and women ran down in their manic dancing ... periodically a group would come hurtling down the path, right past our tent. The ground would shake and the noise level would increase ten-fold!  The tent was a tight squeeze and beyond loud, so sleeping wasn't expected, but the warmth was appreciated.  It felt good to be laying in such a remote village with the intense pounding and singing, realizing I was experiencing a quite real part of Vanuatu!

Around 2am, John, a bit too tall to be stuffed into the tent with three others, got up for a walk around. When he returned he reported that it was still going full force (which we could tell purely by the noise level) and that he hadn't seen any women totally circled or thrown into the air (I was still hoping to catch sight of that one).  We did manage to snooze a little, with chanting flowing through our dreams.    Many carried a torch, and the images silhouetted across the tent were eerie.  At one point I saw a man, with a low hanging grass penis covering carrying a hook-shaped Toka stick projected on the tent ... it was an image, that had I been in a different time, would have been quite frightening!

Just before 4am I began to hear a distant blow of a conch shell.  We had been told that the conch shell horn would mark the beginning of the Toka.  It seemed too early and the sound was still quite a ways down the road, so I didn't yet wake anyone.  Right around 4:20 I was getting anxious, the conch shell blow seemed to be getting louder.  Afraid of missing something, I woke Chris and asked him if he'd get up with me (I didn't want to risk venturing out alone).  Just as we were getting ready, the conch shell blew again ... right outside our tent, waking John & MJ as well.  Oh no, the Toka is going to start!  We all quickly donned our jackets and shoes and rushed out of the tent.


It was amazing to see that the dancing and crowds had not waned a bit.  Now however the women's groups were not as separated, and women and men ran back and forth together, skipping, pounding and chant-singing.  I never truly believed they would dance with such force trough the ENTIRE night, but sure enough they had!  As for the 'sinning', we never did see a women trapped or thrown!

 The Toka men were gathered just outside the arena, awaiting their entrance.  With so many watching and participating, finding a good viewing spot was nearly impossible; I ended up balancing part way up a tree (anything for a good photo, right?).  The conch blew again and the dancing men and women moved to the sidelines as the first Toka group entered, carrying the "kerriya" pole; a sacred pole covered in various colored hawk and chicken feathers.  The Toka dance was once again outstanding, and more moving as the light of dawn approached.

The first Toka was followed by the second Toka group, which was then followed by the Nasal dance.  A men's dance, using sticks which they tap together creating a fantastic beat, especially when accompanied by the never ending foot stomping.

The next men's dance was the Kososiwa, where men carried sword shaped pieces of wood.  The fourth men's dance was the Nao, performed by the hosting village (a repeat of what we had seen on Tuesday).  Each dance included enactments of the ni-Van's life, and the throwing of treats and gifts into the crowd.  At the beginning of each dance the men emerged carrying one or more Nalo poles (the sacred pole covered in feathers).  The pole would be dug into the ground and later carried out at the end of the dance.  As with the previous days, the women stood in groups on the side lines, dancing and jumping in the men's rhythm.  We were especially entertained by the children.  Impressed that the traditional dances were being passed along, and at such a young age.  These little boys were beyond cute in their nambas, jumping around and staring into our cameras.  We also couldn't help but notice just how fit the men were ... after all they were practically naked!  With these earth-shaking dances any ounce of fat would've easily jiggled, but there was none.  It really emphasized the physical nature of village life.  Unfortunately being fit wasn't enough to prevent a few stomping injuries; we saw more than one man wobble to the back of the field, having pounded so hard he'd hurt himself!

Every time a particular group completed their set of dances, the majority of the entire audience, which included the men and women from the previous night, and with each progressing group the members of the previous performance, would "go crazy" (as one native put it to me).  They would skip-run back and forth across the field, clapping and thrusting their sticks, props, or instruments into the air, chant-singing at the top of their lungs.  Lizzie, from Evergreen, got both MJ and I to "go crazy" with the crowd.  As I skipped back in forth with the massive group of people, it was impossible to not smile and laugh; the energy was intoxicating.  The dust stirred up both in the dancing and these 'crazy' times was suffocating, and the men (and women) were covered with a deep layer of dirt.  Many times we saw men (and the women earlier) gagging and spitting as they inhaled massive amounts of dust ... but it didn't seem to slow them down much!  At this point we were quite sure that our own lungs were coated with a thick layer of brown!

Around noon, the main dancing ended and people retreated to their camps to eat and prepare their gifts.  We too found an out of way place (with no dust) to relax and eat.  A little after one we returned to sit along the field and watch in mystery as piles of lap-lap were produced.  One pile ended up just in front of where we sat and a nearby man said to me, "Please, you can now remove your lap-lap".   My lap-lap??? I thought he was joking.  After much talking, and translating with the help of a women sitting next me we learned that this lap-lap was indeed being given to us, as they were feeding all who attended the festival.  I tried to explain it was way more than we could ever eat (especially since I wasn't that fond of it), but he said it didn't matter, we must take it anyway.  We ate a few bites and managed to find others to give the remaining huge mound to (such as the National Geographic and Discovery Channel camera crews that were there filming).  We just hoped this didn't mean they'd be giving us a pig too!!!

Now that the dancing was over, it was nice to sit back and relax ... watching the locals as they too relaxed, and the children as they took up their native games.  Chris happened upon one group of kids who were capturing moths, attaching bits of string or pandanus leaves to them and then walking ('er flying) them around like pets!  Chris even joined in on the fun, helping the kids tie moth-holding knots!!

As we waited for the gift giving ceremony to begin, it dawned on me that I was surrounded by nearly naked people, and no longer thought it odd!  We had seen more than one women carrying a child, who happily suckled away at its mother's bare breast, while she idly went about her business.  I imagined what the first "civilized" people who arrived to Vanuatu must have thought (assuming they weren't killed and eaten before forming that thought).  I think of myself as pretty liberal person, and still I couldn't help but stare when we had first arrived.  Imagine the shock of a person from a supremely religious background used to ultra-conservative dress!!!

 At two, the gift offerings began.  Each village entered, singing and dancing and carrying huge mounds of green kava and gigantic pigs upon their shoulders.  These gifts were off-loaded to the ground, where the merciless clubbing of the pigs took place.  It only took a few to know I didn't need to see another pig-killing for quite some time!  After about ten pigs (each village continued to emerge with more and more kava and pigs), our ride back had arrived -- and we figured we'd seen enough.  In total we had been told they would kill 100 pigs this festival!  Women continued to dance, skip and sing about the field, often times skipping right over a pool of blood without a second glance.  It was just another reminder of how different my background was from the ni-Van culture (I could barely look at the poor dead pig, let alone dance near it!).

We returned to pack up our tent, again watched closely by smiling children.  We said our goodbyes and crammed into the truck that would return us to Evergreen.  I'm not sure I have ever been that dirty in my life!  I couldn't believe what we had just witnessed and was ecstatic that we had lucked out being in Vanuatu during the right year!  Chris had done a great job of 'collecting' festival souvenirs; coming away with a variety of props and dancing gear used during the various performances (including Nao and Toka sticks)!  I am so very glad that we didn't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!
Continue reading "Evergreen, Middle Bush & The Nekowiar Festival"...