Vanuatu - Tanna Revisited.
Brian Bowell's thoughts on Soren Larsen's recent visit during V241 - Port Vila to Auckland.

I was looking forward to landing on Tanna because I visited with the S.L. in 2004 and I was interested to see how the communities had fared in the last years. I'm always moved when we sail into Port Resolution because Cook's description of his landing there in August 1774 tallies very much with the landscape as it is today.

The ship anchored there in the early morning of November 8th after a smooth(ish) passage from Vila. In a few moments the population began to arrive in their outrigger canoes, and welcome us. Sally, the captain, went ashore to meet the chief Ronnie and get his permission to swim in the bay and also to set up the trip to Mount Yasur. Mount Yasur is an active volcano and a big draw for the travellers and yachties. The community has a pretty good system of transport and guides to assist visitors in their 'volcano experience'. Sally returned fairly quickly with good news on both fronts, so we were soon frolicking in the water thanks to a rope hung from the course yard. The volcano trip was also set up for later in the day.

Fairly soon we were being ferried ashore to explore the village and the local area. I was keen to see how things had developed. In 2004 a Peace Corps volunteer was helping the women set up a market for their woven mats, hats and bags, was that in operation yet? Well, yes it was. On the way through the village to one of the beaches was a hut marked 'Our Market Place'. Inside was a stock of woven goods, carvings and pig's teeth (minus the pigs). Each item was marked with the price and a number representing the maker. In this way money for sales made its way back to the maker. Several of us made a bee line for the hut, anxious to spend our Vatu on souvenirs

Meanwhile I wandered through the village watching one group of locals playing cards and others doing various domestic chores. Ending up at one of the nearby beaches I met Nelson, who showed me the restaurant he was building. Pausing only to grab me a couple of coconuts, beheading them and offering me their cooling milk, he took me round the development. I was pleased to hear that he was getting support from a former voyage crew member David Sharland, who has a home stay business in the Waikato.

We all met up at the Yacht Club and went back on board for lunch. Also on board were the students from the infant department of the school, enjoying the tour and cold drinks. The rest of the school were to visit during the next day. By mid afternoon it was time to leave for the trip up Mount Yasur.

This time round things were more organised. There was a fleet of four trucks to ferry us up and the assurance that they would also bring us back down. In 2004 our one truck collided with a cow on the way up to get us, and several of us enjoyed a long walk down and back to Port Resolution. The drive up was as spine jarringly uncomfortable as I remembered, but James the 1st Mate entertained us by getting clouted by low branches as we drove along the track. As we got nearer to the volcano, we began to get showered with ash which was laying on the leaves as the trucks passed by. By the time we arrived on the ash plain we were all covered.

It's a short walk up to one of the crater rims and a first view of the volcano, which was belching a thick column of grey smoke and ash. The guides suggested an alternative viewing place, since the smoke was drifting our way. We moved along and up to a better viewpoint. Over the next hour or two we watched as the sun went down and set. The molten lava thrown up by each eruption became more visible as twilight then dark descended. Watching a volcano from this close is a humbling and slightly scary experience.

Our return to Port Resolution was smooth and then those in the know grabbed the first boats home in order to shower off the ash that had secreted itself in every orifice. Then to drinks and dinner. Voyage crew Claire's comment was very apt ' It must be wine o'clock'.

Thursday was a please yourself day with lunch at the Yacht Club. Sean and I had arranged a morning fishing from an outrigger with the son of the chief. Under his watchful eye we failed to catch a thing, but we did stay afloat! After, we met up with some of the rest of the crew for another shopping expedition before lunch. Cara and Deidre found some very pretty hats, while Cara tried on several grass skirts. Lunch was a fine selection of roasted vegetables, pork and fruit, together with fresh juice. Women from most of the families prepare the food and it's interesting watching them eyeing us up, to see whose food is favoured. One of the good things about these sorts of affairs is that any money left from the cost goes to help the community, in particular the school.

We spent an hour or two digesting lunch and strolling around the village. I walked along to the school and was pleased to see a couple of new classrooms had been built. Sean meanwhile had gone off to visit a development at nearby Shark Bay. Where some huts and a tree house were available for visitors to stay in. The Tannese seem to have got a number of projects under way to build up a little more of a tourist 'industry'. It's also on the cruise ship map. We watched one harbour outside the bay and ferry a few passengers ashore. Meanwhile the rest of the school's students were ferried to and from the ship for a guided tour.

Later that evening the we weighed anchor and set sail for Norfolk Island, and that's a whole other story. I was very happy to revisit Tanna and find the population healthy, happy and as welcoming as ever.

Brian B.

Soren Larsen will be visiting these destinations again in 2007 -