Talulah Ruby II - Update

After a very lumpy crossing to Vanuatu( typical now we are only 2 crew )arrived at the Island of Tanner. Everyone fell in love with this primative friendly blissfully quiet place. We were rewarded with a full on welcome party of dancing, singing, Kava drinking, with hundreds of locals, a great feast, and exchange of presents.The W.A.R.C. fleet gave tinned food, clothing, fishing gear, and lots of books pens etc.for the school, all wrapped in plastic bags dinghied ashore. We received much needed fresh fruit, papayas and grapefruits the size of footballs, and vegetables we have never even seen before, all in handmade leaf baskets tied up with bright flowers. Also (to the horrer of some ) a very cute little piggy! with his legs tied up. The music went on into the night, as did the Kava, Paul had a lot of problems with getting his legs to work. The pig was duly B.B.Q.ed the next day, so as not to offend, and we were taken up at night to climb and stand on the rim of their very active Volcano, belching out red hot lava and hugh rocks into the sky. The power and thundering noise was overwhelming, the experience was like living inside a National Geograghic Magazine, and will remain in our minds forever. Moving on we gave a lift to Sam, a local who needed to get to the next Island, and had never been on a boat before, a bit of a shock for him.We also had to say goodbye to our great pals Jus Drunk It, as they are off to Sydney, we are really missing them, as we had such great times. Now we find ourselves sailing 1250 miles to Cairnes, the start was tough but the wind has calmed down, we got the sad news that Wizzard has lost her mast. Everyone on board is well and they have to motor the rest of the way. So in pitching waves on a very dark night we managed to
transfer some of our fuel across to them, plus beer to keep up their spirits! Today we have come across Straga, who are having trouble with their engine, so needed petrol to use their generator for charging the batteries. They will have to sail the rest of the way, and as I write the wind is on our nose, so it could take some time. We have just over 300 miles to go, and are motoring into wind as we want to go through a long reef early tomorrow in the daylight. It is going to be somewhat of a
shock joining the busy world again as we have been in some very wild places for ths last 7 months, will keep you posted. We send our love, 
Paul and Andy.