North to Luganville via Rano,Ratua and Aore Islands then home.

As we made our way north along Malekula Island, we spent a night at Rano Island anchored just a few metres from shore, then on to a private island and resort at Ratua Island.  There we snorkelled and enjoyed a scrumptious restaurant meal.  The next day we anchored off Luganville on Espirito Santo to prepare for the trip home.  This meant a taxi ride to town with borrowed jerry cans which were filled from the service station and then lugged to the beach to be transported by dinghy for unloading - over and over again until the tanks were filled.  Re-provisioning was just as difficult with sparse supermarket items and trips to the market for fresh fruit and vegetables.  Bananas, grapefruit, pawpaw, avocado and cucumber became our staples.

Sally's arrival at Luganville Airport was both joyous and eventful.  The winds had picked up, so we had previously re-located Isis across the Segond Channel to Aore Resort on Aore Island.  This meant a ferry ride in pouring rain (except we missed the ferry and accepted a lift from the crew of a nearby yacht), so a very wet welcome for our new crew.  That night was a Melanesian Feast, so Sally was soon immersed in Vanuatan culture from kava drinking to dancing rituals.  The next day she dived the Coolidge while Nick and I spent the whole morning doing the Customs and Immigration checking out ordeal.

The weather forecast was for blustery conditions for the first day, but we decided to go for it as the winds on our approach to Australia would progressively lighten if we delayed our departure further.  We made the 600 miles to Chesterfield Reef in 3 days.

 Anchored off Rano Island, northern Malekula

watching the locals fishing

 and chatting to these sisters returning from a day's work as tourist guides for a cruise ship.

 During our sail north Stuart landed this wahoo and delicately filletted it while underway.

The chart showing the large island of Espirito Santo with Ratua Island the small dot south of Aore Isalnd. 

 Ratua Resort on Ratua Island.

Stuart and I went snorkelling on the lagoon near Ratua in crystal clear water.

Dinner at Ratua Resort with Isis in the background.

 Sally about to get into the taxi for a tour of the island on her arrival at Luganville Airport.

 Nick trying to be patient as we walked the streets of Luganville to do the paper shuffle for clearing Customs and Immigration.

The people of Luganville were very friendly and anxious to be helpful.  All spoke perfect English.

Paperwork done, Nick waits for the ferry.

Sally and I at the Melanesian Feast having just been "wreathed".

 The dancers from the Banks Islands.

 Unsuspecting women soon became part of the dance ritual.

 As we departed on a rainy morning, we cast our wreaths ceremoniously upon the waters of Segond Channel.

The lush vegetation in the fog and rain soon disappeared as we left land behind us and the wind increased to 25 - 30 knots.  With the 3rd reef in the main and the genoa reduced by more than half, we made good headway with the wind abeam.

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We soon became used to our routine of 3 hours on and 3 hours off, which sometimes became 2 hourly when times were tough.  I was hand steering on this occasion as we shook out the sails at dawn.

Sally particularly enjoyed the dawn watch and as conditions moderated, we only had one on deck.

 Sally on watch doing some intense book work.

The first sighting of Chesterfield Reef was a lone coconut palm on the horizon, then the depth sounder went from infinity to 20 metres in seconds, then these atolls appeared.

Breakfast of banana rum pancakes was a special treat as we crossed the lagoon to Long Island.

 Nearing our anchorage on Long Island with the famous coconut palm - it was the only tree.

 There were millions of nesting birds to greet us, quite unfazed by our presence.

 Sally enjoying a perfect morning before we dived into the water for a snorkel.

This hatchling looked as though it was taking its first steps,

 while this young booby slept.

 At the top of the island examining a plaque alleged to be commemorating the early French explorers.  Chesterfield Reef is still claimed to be French territory.

Booby mating dance

 Snorkelling with the huge, roaring, ocean rollers in the background.

 Stuart and Sally

 Looking the part.

 After Chesterfield Reef we covered the last 470 miles in 3 days in varying conditions from rain squalls to less than 5 knots from every direction, so the dawn as we anchored at the Quarantine Buoy at Bundaberg was particularly enjoyable, with the moon and Venus adding to the scene.

The crew at Bundaberg Port Marina before driving home to Brisbane.  The last part of the journey will be in the next few weeks when we see a good weather window.