Austrian Voyage Crew Emil Gruber flew out to New Zealand to join Soren Larsen for the entire 5 month 2003 Pacific season.

This is his fourth article - telling of the voyage from Fiji to Vanuatu, V185, by way of the western Fijian Yassawas and the southern islands of Vanuatu, south east of Port Vila.

A hot old guy.
There is a famous book called "Children in the sun" with pictures of the people of Waya and Wayasewa in the Yassawa island group. Our next trip was in a kind of sequel to this.
Down in the village, up in the mountains we got another convincing proof of Fijian hospitality. We had a soccer game on the school yard of Waya, two mixed up teams of the village and Soren Larsen against another and someone won the game with 1:), but this was not really important, it was the fun that succeeded.
We had a perfect climb up to an old volcanic hill and saw all the islands around in a deep red of the sunset. And we had so much joy with all the children on both islands, a real adventure for the heart.

A day was dedicated in the search of Tom Hanks. We found Castaway Island, the cave, the beach, the rock, the reef. It was not easy to get there, because big coral stocks released only a small curvy passage .But once on the shore, our rescue team explored the island, but instead of Mr. Hollywood we found a better Mister Robinson Crusoe 2003, Jim, our Master and the female crew members, as emotional support for the lonesome mariner.

Back on the main island Viti Levu, some of us spent the last day on the sugar road. We drove along the big fields of sugar canes, talked to the workers there, chewed the cains and tasted the original sweet juice, we had a last lunch in the friendly Lautoka Hotel and then we were ready for our next passage to Vanuatu.

Again a quick ride westwards, after four days with bright sun and a lot of falling stars at night we entered Port Vila.
What a surprise, suddenly we regained a touch of Europe, fine shops, exquisite restaurants and supermarkets with all kind of delicacies, you can imagine. A different experience compared with the last two months. We enjoyed this kind of comfort for two days, then we headed southbound.

A night turn to Tanna was quick done, four of us left the ship at Port Lenakel and we took a taxi to Port Resolution on the other side of the island, where we would met the ship again. The trip was nice, we crossed different villages with friendly waving locals, mighty Banyan trees lined the road, until we got the first view of Yasur, the volcano, surrounded by a big ash plane. I was excited! Quick we drove to the food of the fire mountain and took a walk around this moonlike landscape. Red rocks glanced out of the sand, lonesome bushes stood isolated as defiant resistant fighters and dark rocks in different sizes from a palm of hand to a small car were spread out as a sign, how strong and far this old man can spit. Tiny sandstorms swirled in the distance like Yasur's personal prima ballerinas and you could hear the satisfying roaring high above constantly.

We arrived at Port Resolution soon and had a perfect look at the arriving Soren Larsen from a top of the hills. The next days were full of hiking around the bay, visits in the village, a customs dancing with men in their traditional nambas, the special southseas trousers..The highlight was the sunset on Yasur's rim however. Deep below three vents with steam and hissing music, explosions in short intervals and after dusk, the glowing started. Big pieces of lavarocks were shot in the air, like bullets of a gigantic sling, a firedance in a very special way. We left Tanna very reluctantly the next day, but this feeling lasted only until our next stop Erromango.

At Dillons Bay, the son of the chief lead us to the burial caves of his ancients. We climbed down a dark entrance and inside we got a look on skulls and bones, pieces of necklaces, hidden in the mud and bates whizzed in the shimmer of our torches. A second cave held the remains of several chiefs, a impressive place, indeed. We were invited by Joe to his village afterwards and had a nice talk to the villagers, we were lead in the forest and got a look on sandalwood and kauri trees. In the afternoon we heaved the anchor and sailed north. Cooks Reef near Efate granted us a first class snorkeling experience.

My first shark jumped almost into my camera, awesome! And now in Port Vila again, there is a restaurant called Rossi, the best in town for fresh coconut crabs. I think we are ready for another sensation of our senses.
Best wishes
Emil

Read Noreen's account of this trip here

Read more of Emil's account's of a Voyage Crew's tall ship adventure.
Auckland Kermadecs Tonga voyage	here
Kingdom of Tonga	here
Tonga to Fiji	here
Fiji to Vanuatu	here
Vanuatu Northbound	here
Vanuatu Banks	here
Vanuatu South- New Caledonia	here