Tall Ship Soren Larsen adventure sailing for all ages

The 2003 Tall Ship Soren Larsen Pacific Voyage Log

10th Sept ust 2003 - Vanuatu Discovery Banks Islands -
From Lunganville, Santo north to the outer islands of the Banks Group, V187.

Noreen lets us look at the latests pages of her journal as the sail to the most remote places of this year's Pacific programme - the Banks Islands of Vanautu

1st to 11th Sept 2003.
From Aore We have been anchored off Aore Resort just across from Luganville on the island of Santo for our four-day layover in between voyages. A great little resort where we were given permission to swim in the pool at any time, wander the beaches and use their ferry service across to town.

For our day off, Marita, Mikkel and Fraser went scuba diving on the wreck of the President Coolidge, which sank during WW II. Joel (who was celebrating his 24th birthday on the 30th of August) and I snorkeled off Million Dollar Point, which is another dive site from WW II where thousands of tones of US military equipment were dumped just off the beach. The visibility was not the greatest, but it did not stop us from looming around the wreckage, admiring the coral and fish swimming through the warped metal!

Later in the evening the two guys who took us diving were kind enough to bring us to the number one kava bar around Luganville, it stood up to its name! We stayed ashore at the Unity Park Motel, which not only had the best prices in town, but also hot showers!
September 1st at 0615 hrs, Thea and I were ferried across to Luganville markets to find the best possible produce before all the Chinese shop owners did! We were back on board by 0830 and ready to welcome our new voyage crew. After lunch there was a boat ashore for all those needing to exchange money and buy last minute stores before we headed off to Palikulo Bay for our evening anchorage. After voyage crew took a climb aloft and had a briefing from Mikkel on ship's safety we began our overnight passage to Vanua Lava Island of the Banks group. It was nice to be sailing again, especially due to the fact that we caught a yellow fin tuna, right in time for lunch!

By 1500 hrs we were anchored off Sola village, the swim ladder was put over and those not interested in swimming headed ashore for a walk. Later in the evening a party of us headed ashore to the local kava bar. It was around 1900 hrs and we were informed that all of the kava had been finished, but we were in luck, Clifton was the owner of the kava bar and would make some more for the eight of us. A friend escorted us to Kool Breeze and we sat waiting for our host to return. I helped a young guy go collect water, we trudged through the dark jungle to find a tap in the ground at someone's house, all the other water supplies had been shut off for the evening! We filled 20 liters and by the time we returned Clifton was chopping the root into small bits. He then rinsed the kava three times before putting it through a 'meat grinder' to break it down even smaller. After another rinse he ground it once more and then preceded to strain it through a very thin cloth three more times. I held the torch while all of this was going on and was amazed at how much work went in to prepare the dark and murky grog! We were then given the option to buy 100 Vatu or 50 Vatu bowls, for our first we each had a 100 size. Followed by two more, the effects slowly began taking place as my heart rate slowed, by muscles relaxed and I became untalkative, and for anyone who knows me, knows that this is not often! Haha We caught the 2300 hrs boat back and sat midships talking about the evening.

In the morning, there was a generally slow pace throughout the ship, ok only the eight of us who went ashore were slow, but the kava 'hangover' took hold of us! We motored around to Pakea Island where the water was so crystal clear and the beach so white that everyone was anxious to get ashore to walk in the sand and snorkel in the water. Along side the ship the boys decided to take turns diving towards the bottom to see who could touch first, they did well with the 15-meter free dive! After lunch we headed to Ra Island where both VCs and Crew enjoyed 'snake dancing' performed by the locals.

The following day (September 5th) we motor sailed and anchored off Rowa Island Reef, the first group to go came back ranting and raving about the turtles, sting rays and magnificent fish that they say swimming on the reef. I was taking an afternoon nap and after hearing this was in my bathers and on deck with my snorkel gear just in time to catch the last snorkel boat. The wind made for large waves on the reef and so swimming was a bit tough but this did not stop me…I was determined! I saw the biggest parrotfish that I have ever seen and came across a sleeping stingray camouflaged in the sand. I was really anxious to see turtles, but better luck next time; the snorkel was one of the best yet!

We motor sailed to Ureparapara Island, an absolutely amazing anchorage! The harbor is the crater of an old volcano, so there are steep lush hills almost 360° around the ship, a spectacular view when the sun is shining!

The locals were very eager to see the ship and we were surrounded by outrigger canoes, full of children singing. The following morning, September 6th, a group set off to hike up the ridge while another ventured into the bat caves, both groups returning in time for lunch back on board the ship.
By 1400 hrs we loaded into the dinghy and ferried everyone ashore to see custom dancing.

We had a tour through the village and then walked among the coconut palms and sat in the grass awaiting the performance. The men danced for a few minutes and then the chief explained that they had been awaiting Soren Larsen for a few months and it was a very special day. He said that a cyclone had damaged much of the islands crops in June, and that seeing the ship was a sign of better things to come, and that we should sit and wait and 'see what happens'.

One of the men started beating on a drum as a procession followed, each with what looked like paper mache hats with various designs, ranging from colorful fish to stingrays, to half sections of a tuna and the most amazing of all….the Soren Larsen itself set in the bay of Ureparapara. It was one of the most creative and special things I have ever seen. The chief explained that this was the first time this dance had been done; the locals in the village had not even seen it yet! In the afternoon we were challenged to a game of soccer, unfortunately losing by one point! Alison, who was celebrating her birthday made balloon pom poms to cheer with and the local children absolutely loved them. They ran along the field at half time flying their new toys, it was very cute! I played volleyball with the women and watched the soccer match in between serves, what a great day!

I have persuaded Alison, one of our British Voyage Crew from this trip to do some journal writing from a VCs point of view…

"I particularly remember watching the Captain paddle back to the ship in his new outrigger canoe silhouetted against the setting sun, Thea and Noreen's delicious chocolate brownies with caramel sauce for my birthday dinner … lots of candles - but not too many - some dancing on deck, and a glass of champagne - or two - and all under a full moon, inside the crater of a volcano. A wonderful birthday shared with fun people, that I shall never forget.

The following morning, bright and early, we set sail for Vanua Lava, about 4 hours away. It got a little rough for me, and I felt seasick for the first time. Happily, as my watch was on duty, I had plenty to do, hauling ropes and generally pretending to be a competent sailor, which I am assuredly not. The 2nd mate, Frank, helped distract me from the nausea by telling me shark stories from his native Australia … not sure it helped, but sweet of him to try!! I'm certainly unlikely to ever go swimming in the sea again!

We reached the lee of the island, and all became calm. The locals, curious as ever, paid us a visit, and brought a whole load of freshly caught crayfish … another great lunch coming up! We could just see the twin waterfalls from deck, and once ashore, we were met by the chief, and shown his village, right on the beachfront. The houses, although similar on all the islands, are amazing, and different to anything I have seen on any of my other travels. The walls are made of tightly woven matting, the roofs of palm, and the windows have lattice shutters. I love the fact that the islanders are so welcoming, and we say hello and shake hands with everyone. A short walk and some scrambling over rocks brings us to the freshwater pool at the base of a very pretty waterfall. The water is cool and refreshing, and we swim with an audience of local children. Some of the VC went ashore for dinner in the village - a tricky maneuver in the inflatable because of the reef, but the crew are more than capable!

Monday morning, and my watch was enlivened by Dan's cry of, "Dolphins to port!" The pod gave us a great show - the sea was an amazing vivid navy and clear enough to see the dolphins racing the ship just under the surface of the water. Anchored mid-morning off Gaua Island - another very pretty, but dramatic spot - the palm trees and thick foliage comes right to the water's edge, with just a small black sand crescent of beach, and a glimpse of village huts through the trees. We walked around the village - with their volleyball court and wooden makeshift benches for spectators!! We met the villager who, with his father, makes the huge wooden carved tree ferns used in decorating the chief's house, and traded t-shirts and coloring books, for the privilege of taking photographs. The highlight for me was the Water Dance. None of us knew what to expect, when 8 of the village women, wearing garlands of hibiscus or foliage around their heads, waded waist deep into the sea. We all sat expectantly on the beach, and they proceeded to amaze us by producing the most incredible sounds by clapping under the water. Back on the ship, the crew did a little more trading for fresh produce, and Noreen tended to a few of the locals' minor ailments.

We did an overnight sail, which I found pretty tough because the ship is rolling quite a bit and I still have a little seasickness. I did manage to complete my watch, though, just about. On a beautiful night with the stars filling the sky, there is nothing more magical then a night sail, but when the going gets a little rough; it makes it a very long night. We eventually anchored off the west coast of Espiritu Santo. The coastline is dramatic, very mountainous, and there are so many different shades of blue that it looks like a watercolor canvas. The sea was pretty choppy, even at anchor, so there was major preparation for going ashore - wet weather gear, plastic bags for cameras, money, life jackets - of course - before we eventually, rather tentatively, launched ourselves into the inflatable. The landing was very funny, and Fraser and Jacob did a great job at holding onto the boat as the waves almost tipped us onto the beach. Jacob, in his luminous orange wet weather trousers, diving head first into the boat from the beach was a particularly photogenic moment! Wet weather gear or not, we still got wet - one tip for future VC, don't wear colored deck shoes when you're going to be knee deep in sea water - I now have blue feet.

The walk to the Wusi Village was long, hot, and hard going. The chief's first words of greeting included, "Why didn't you anchor closer?" Hmm. The village was a little rougher than others we have seen, but no less welcoming. They even had pigs, whereas to date the only animals I have seen have been dogs. The women of the village brought out their pottery, small, rather primitive orange clay pots, all with subtly different designs, and in Deb, my fellow VC's words, "We came, we shopped, we left." There were many dripping-wet crew and VC back on the boat later. But no matter, a cup of tea and some of Thea's delicious apricot pie, and everyone was happy.
As the sea was still very choppy, we motored through the night. I'm afraid I spent the evening lying on my bunk, but on waking this morning, Wednesday, the sea is calm, the sun is shining, there is a gentle breeze and we have a beautiful backdrop of dramatic hills, and palm trees hugging the shore. And there is freshly baked bread for breakfast. What an amazing experience this has been."

Ok, I am back… Thanks Ali for that new perspective, I am sure the readers will appreciate a change in the journal! Tonight's fancy dress theme is The Muppets, so we'll see what creative creatures appear!

On Thursday, Tod Thompson will be joining the ship from New Zealand as Captain to replace Jim Cottier. We will be very sad to see Jim go home, he has been our mentor, our teacher, our friend and we really appreciate the time that he takes for us crew and especially the voyage crew, you are a great man Jim and we will miss you!
All the best for now

Noreen.

Pictures will follow!