Tall Ship Soren Larsen Sailing adventure for all ages

Port Vila, Vanuatu, Refit Complete: The weather was not on our side; for six days or more, there were rain showers starting and stopping at random thus decreasing the chances of getting the hull painted! Needless to say, crew enjoyed their time ashore and the rain did not stop dinghy runs from the ship to the shore…there were places to go, people to see and drinks to be had! Despite the weather situation the 10-day turn around gave the bosun and CO. the chance to bring the t’gallant yard down for maintenance and re-oiling. The deckhands, unable to paint the exterior of the ship, took to her insides and both the forward and aft companion ways are looking very smart! Stacey, and I did plenty of cleaning as well as touching up varnish work here and there; we also had the fun job of bartering with the local game fishing boats. Whenever a boat comes in from a fishing trip, it flies various flags representing the type of fish, and how many of each caught. Upon seeing these flags we would rush ashore in the dinghy to be the first on the dock to buy the days catch. With the poor fishing luck we’ve had this year we needed 2 yellow fin tuna and 2 Dorado to put in our freezers for meals for the trip to come!

Vila is a busy town and we had no problem keeping up with the pace, but all refits must come to an end and Monday morning, joining day for VCs, had the crew busy tidying away last minute jobs and preparing for the arrival of our new shipmates.

We were able to okay it with the officials in Vila and clear customs in Tanna; one of the most southerly islands of Vanuatu and home of Yassur, the volcano! Before our final departure out of the island nations capital, we needed to restock the ship with Duty Free, Elaine busied herself with the storing of alcohol while the crew helped the Voyage Crew familiarize themselves with the on goings of the ship. We spent the night at anchor in Vila Harbor and early the following morning Stacey and I paid one last visit to the market to fill our vegetable lockers with fresh produce. Once underway the wind and weather was still not in our favor and many took comfort in their bunks for the journey south, we would make our first stop on the island of Erromango. Upon arriving, just before mid-day, faces started to appear, I realized that many of them were happy to be alive and thankful for the reassuring feeling that the sight of land brought, it had only been 100 mile or so journey but seasickness took its toll on the majority of our newcomers! The chief’s son paid the ship a visit and welcomed us ashore into Dillon’s Bay Village. While some choose to walk along the banks of the fresh water river flowing form the mountains, others loaded up the dinghy for a short trip over to some ancestral caves, where many years ago the locals lay to rest their family and friends, and many of the remainns, remain!

October 21 st, brought the opportunity for a 4 hour jungle walk up into a forested area rich in Sandalwood and Kauri trees, while 6 or so voyage crew, along with their packed lunch, ventured out into the wild, back on board the ship there was another beehive of activity. We had visits from the local school children and their teachers, they would be putting on a feast and arranging for a string band to play later in the evening in the village! I had a visit from two ni-Vanuatu boys in the early afternoon; they were from Tanna but working in Erromango for the past three months. When they heard that we were heading to Tanna next, they inquired about a trip south with us to their island home! Captain Jim was more than happy to help them return to their mother land; I put them straight to work in the galley…they made their first ever chocolate chip cookies as well as teach me to make my favorite local dish, lap lap, (a dish made by finely grating manioc or banana or taro and baking it in banana leaves in an underground oven, before smothering it in coconut cream and adding meat or island cabbage!) I made mine with leeks and coconut cream and I was so excited when it turned out, it was a bit experimental seeing as I only had baking paper, aluminum foil and an oven! The boys would join us after the feast ashore.

At 1800hrs we were paraded down to the village meeting house where we were greeted by a line of women holding fresh flower necklaces, one for each of us! We entered the brick building, consisting only of a roof and windows but the stuffy room was richly decorated with paper chains and flowers, the children, 30 or more, were seated and singing welcoming songs while we found our seats. The parents of our entertainers had prepared masses of food prepared in the underground oven, the money that we would pay for the feast and string band would go directly to the school, a very worthy cause! After various speeches we were invited to “dig in”, there was an arrangement of pumpkin, kumara (sweet potato), manioc (local root vegetable), chicken and my favorite, lap lap covered in fresh coconut cream. We were “fullup” in no time, the starches sat heavy in our guts but without further delay the string band started up and we were up dancing soon afterwards. It took a bit of persuasion but eventually we had the children up dancing too, by the end of the evening I had a group of little followers who held my hand tight and refused to let me dance with anyone but them, the group was made up of about 15! I have to admit that as the last boat call was given and I walked around saying, “tank you tumas”to the children, their teachers and parents and the string band players, I had tears in my eyes. I had such a fantastic day and evening, I was full of emotion and the thought that this would be my last Vanuatu feast and string band experience saddened me, these people hold a very special place in my heart and one day, I will return!

Next stop, Tanna! After checking in with the locals and making clearance for New Caledonia in the island capital of Lenekal (this was our last port of call in Vanuatu), it was time to head to the south side of the island for Port Resolution. A group of 11 VCs decided to venture overland for the trip and piled into the back of a truck for their island adventure while the ship made the journey round. At sundown we arrived in the familiar bay and watched the sky for any signs of Yassur’s activity…tomorrow would be the day to venture up to the active crater! This is my third visit to Port Resolution and I had not yet been to the volcano, so as you can imagine I was thrilled with the opportunity to go this time….

Chief Ronnie and his youngest son, James greeted us on the morning of the 23 rd to make arrangements for the day. It was Saturday, and with the majority of the locals being Seventh Day Adventist, it would be tricky to organize transport up to the volcano, but Stanley, the chief’s eldest son, assured us that something would happen….he wasn’t wrong!

At 1300hrs the ship was filled with locals, for many it was their first time aboard a large boat and they braced themselves as they toured around deck, the rocking motion a bit too much for them! 1530hrs and boats ashore for VCs began, there was a single truck waiting at the yacht club and thirteen people crammed into the back and off they went, Stanely then broke the news that only one truck showed up, instead of the three promised, and the driver would do the one and half hour round trip, three times to ensure everyone was up the volcano. Since I would have some waiting, I walked into the village where I was greeted by many familiar faces, each remembering me and saying, “Oh chief cook, Lorine (they cant pronounce my name for some reason!), you’re back again!” As I said my hellos, I found Stacey sitting patiently with Caroline, the chief’s daughter. She has been collecting woven baskets since we arrived in Vanuatu, and has finely learned to weave herself, she has picked it up very quickly and I am very impressed with her handiwork, I suppose she could start a business when she gets home, haha!

While I sat chatting with my friends from last year, I remembered how skillful the local women were at volleyball, and asked for a game. James and I joined the women and played for over an hour in the dirt court in the middle of the village, waiting for the truck to return to take the next group of 13 up to the top of Yassur, the truck came and went leaving Paul, Elaine, Nick, James and I waiting with the locals. I had a few more games of volleyball and as the sun set and darkness came, so did the hunger, it was almost 1830 and the truck still hadn’t returned and it was getting close to dinner time! James and I decided to teach the women and children sitting around with us a game that we played as kids called, “St. Peter, St. Paul”, it involves sitting in a circle and clapping your hands on your knees then together. Each person is given a number, and two people are St. Peter and St. Paul (James and I), the game begins by, let’s say St. Peter, calls his name and then the number of another player, that player then says their own number, and then that of another player, so on and so forth, all in the beat of the claps. If you miss a beat, or forget someone’s number, you are out, in between bursts of laughter we played for half an hour until a light coming from the bushes distracted us….

Five of our Voyage Crew accompanied by two locals arrived back in the village just after 1900hrs, on foot! We questioned them why they were walking and where were the others, they simply replied, “the truck broke down and we walked 3km, and there are still 24 people up the volcano!” Turns out the driver was in a hurry to get back and bring the last group up to the top, driving down a hill he was unable to stop in time for the cows crossing the road! They were brought to a stop by a cow and after a moment of silence, the cow got up and wandered into the bush, and then the truck continued on, only to stop a few moments later when the radiator was smoking, the vehicle was not going anywhere!

I went off to find Stanley, a few women ran off to the telephone and we radioed the ship to pass on the message and to send for a boat for the five returning. What to do, what to do….the women made repeated phone calls to truck drivers they knew, but many were unable to help, possibly because it was the Sabbath. There were repeated calls to village at the base of the volcano, but there was no answer. After close to an hour of calling around to other tour companies in Lenekal (an hour and a half away) no one was able to help and something had to be done to get these people off the top of the mountain. We radioed for a boat to come pick three of us up, James and Nick requested some food for themselves and muesli bars and water for those stranded, they would make the three hour trek to the volcano. Kenny joined the rescue squad along with a couple of locals from the village, meanwhile back on the ship Stacey and I prepared the leftovers from dinner for those to eat upon their return and then went to bed so that we could cover the watches for those up the mountain. After a long walk back to the village, by 0300hrs all, except four who decided to stay in bungalows at the base of the volcano, had returned to the ship. I was up at 0600hrs and the ship was a quiet place, there was to be a sleep in and late breakfasts after a long previous day! By 0900hrs there were whistles from shore and after sending a boat in we found John, Julie, John and Bob waiting for pick up, they had managed to get a truck back to Port Resolution in the early hours of the morning! So we were all counted for and the volcano adventure is definitely going down in the Soren book of adventure, as for me….I think I was just not meant to see Yassur, three visits and no volcano…another reason to return to Vanuatu!

We had a schedule to stick to and with the sound of the windlass engine that meant it was time to say farewell to Vanuatu and hello to the open ocean. Just after lunch, we were able to set all the sails and turn the engine off, what a comfort to glide through the water and feel the steadiness of the ship with the southeasterly winds! Clear blue sky, bright sunshine and a cool breeze, couldn’t ask for a better day to be at sea! Those who experienced seasickness on the trip south into the wind are no longer feeling the effects, there is very little motion and the ship is much quieter without the rocking and rolling!

Finally-we caught a FISH! James and Nick on the 12-4 pulled in the beautifully colored Dorado ( Mahi-Mahi or Dolphin Fish) as I sharpened my knife. The fish was gutted and filleted into 35 lovely steaks, the perfect number for the nights meal, what a treat, I wish it would happen a little more often!

We arrived into Port Morselle just before sundown on the 26 th of October and awaited the customs officials to clear us into New Caledonia. Much to our dismay the quarantine lady showed up to check all the food stores we had on board, but no customs officials- looks like we are bound to the ship for the night! The following morning Jim cleared us in with immigration and the customs officials sat at the galley table and stamped each of our passports for clearance into New Cal. After a short wander thru town, the heaving lines were cast off and we were underway to the reef for some snorkeling after lunch! By 1700hrs we were anchored of a small island, it was the final night of this voyage and for the first time this year there was not a fancy dress party planned…instead we had a BBQ ashore on the beach under the moon light, very nice indeed. The sounds of the birds cooing, the breaking of waves on the beach, the crackling of wood on the fire and of course the smells….well nothing beats a Barbeque, does it?

The year is quickly coming to a close and with one more turn around approaching, the crew are beginning to think about the return to “civilization” and what the following year has in store. Kenny and Andy know where they are…continuing on Soren of course, but as for the rest of us….only time will tell. The next four days will be spent preparing the ship for her trip back to Auckland and also give the crew a chance to have some time off and at the same time reflect back on the year, what an “experience!”

Cheers, Noreen (Daisy!)