can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Firefly - Overcast and fast to Tanna



Firefly is en route to Port Resolution, Tanna, Vanuatu having left Fiji on Saturday. Sailing as part of the 17 strong World ARC 2015 fleet we started at 1100 just outside Musket Cove and after a gentle first afternoon with 2 fairly brief spells of motoring we have had 20 knots plus from the south east. The sea state is moderate to rough and we are bumping along with grey overcast skies and at present it does not feel much like the South Pacific - more English Channel.

Today is Monday 6th July, its coming up to 1000 and with 125 miles (of the 460) to go we are thinking about our arrival time. The wind is currently 22 knots and we are averaging about 8 knots so if this continues it will be dark when we arrive. We have been to Port Resolution before and with good moonlight (which we will have) a night time arrival would be possible as there are no significant hazards despite the Navionics charting being somewhat limited. 

The first yacht of the fleet, a Lagoon 62 catamaran is going to arrive late this afternoon and with about 5 bigger yachts between us and them there is going to be a procession going in as no one seems to be slowing down to wait for daylight. The forecast is in fact for the wind to drop and also to back - this will slow us down considerably and if it happens and the night time entry will no longer be an issue.

The forecast for the next few days is that it will remain cloudy - so it will be similar to last time we visited Tanna in September 2014. Our programme includes a late afternoon trip to see a tribal 'Kastom Dance' and for us to re visit Mount Yasur, often referred to as the world's 'most accessible' active volcano - the trip is timed so that it gets dark while on the visit as the boiling lava in caldera and spouting magma look fantastic in lower light. We have a gift exchange ceremony planned with the villagers followed by a feast at the 'Port Resolution Yacht Club' which is actually very basic despite its grand title. At the gift exchange all of the WARC yachts will be presenting their various gifts in order to help the villagers post the devastation caused by 'Cyclone Pam'. Having visited less than a year ago we are unsure what to expect - before the cyclone it was such lush area with so much vegetation - we are really not sure what will be left.

The WARC stop in Vanuatu is relatively short so we will be on Tanna for 3 nights, then possible stop for a night to re visit Erramango before arriving at the capital, Port Vila on Efate Island. We then leave Port Vila on Thursday 16th July for the 1100 nautical mile passage to Mackay in Australia.

For the passage we have Mike and Lynley joining us for their introduction to ocean sailing. They own and run Hopewell Lodge on Kenepuru Sound, near Picton in the South Island of New Zealand. We met when we spent 3 really enjoyable days at Hopewell in February. Back then it seemed like a great idea, and for Mike and Lynley's sake we are hoping that things might be a little more gentle than it is on this trip!

Paul and Susie

Previous | Next