Vanuatu Has Been Good To Us

I first noticed them in Tanna—two dark-skinned children with blond hair, holding their mother’s hand. I was curious then, but didn’t think to dig deeper. Until we visited not two, but twenty blond, dark-skinned kindergarteners at the Namaru Primary School in the Maskelyne Islands. True, I’m the kind of person who thinks every 4-year-old is adorable, but these children were a step above on the cutie pie scale.

It wasn’t just the little ones that made this school special. We began our morning adventure by wading across a bay at low tide, just as the children from Avock do.

The upper-class boys must’ve spied Michael from a mile away because they rushed the shoreline to welcome him. Putting their paperback Fantastic Mr. Fox books aside, they introduced themselves one by one and led us to their principal, Mr. Allen.

Mr. Allen smelled like frangipani flowers. He showed us the washing well (not for drinking), the teachers’ houses, and the library. He picked a Nitalie nut from a tree and used a machete to cut it open for us. It tasted sweet. Then, he brought us to a classroom to read. “Why not invite all sixty students to listen at once?” he asked. We had no good reason not to. So, we did. We also played a game with them and had a terrific time. 

Vanuatu has been good to us. The people are as friendly as the dugongs are shy. But don’t think we haven’t seen a dugong. Michael spotted the first while wingfoiling at the Vulai Reef anchorage. He was so excited. “Dugong!” he shouted. “Dugong, Dugong, Dugong!” Of course, I rushed on deck to see it. 

Go on. Say it. Dugong. It never gets old, or unfunny, or less fabulous. For two weeks, they were our main topic of conversation. They dictated where we anchored and swam because being with these light gray, docile behemoths made us happy.

Our visit to the Maskelyne Islands wasn’t perfect. The anchor chain was slipping through our brand-new windlass gypsy. Our freezer broke. I couldn’t sleep for worrying about the drought there. Will the cisterns in Maitlyn’s village fill up again soon? Also, we had to say goodbye to our friends on SV Earendil and SV Scout. They went north, and we went south. Then Francesco on SV Lila, Alicia, and Thia had to go. It’s a small world. We’ll see them again. But when?

At least we’ll always have Gaspard Bay. For the landlubbers, imagine a floating place where Italy, China, England, and the USA come together. Oh, how I love sundowners that run straight into dinner because no one wants to leave. Thank you all for that. Sipa hambat, dear friends.

Last Remarks

• Patty and Gary, SV Earendil, there’s just no end to the fun with you two. Jayne and James, SV Scout, so great to see you again. And here’s to new friends: Francesco, Thea, and Alicia, SV Lila. Fair winds to all of you!