Heading back to Port Vila

Tuesday 28th July 2009

 

Uri, Port Stanley

 

Jayatma's last day today.  She loves markets so she, Richard, Lu and Gav take off in the tender after breakfast for provisions.

 

Cath and I hang out on the boat.  We should be reading the Moksha Manual and learning stuff, but we put on music and lie on deck in our bikinis, shooting the shit in the sun.  Slovenly slappers!

 

But we make a good lunch when the others get back.

 

Richard makes Cath and I prepare the trysail for flying tomorrow.  So we're stuffing around with jackstays, halyards, shackles, giggling and cackling.  Cath wasn't very focussed coz she didn't have knickers on and was sure the others were looking up her dress through the saloon ceiling hatches.  Richard occasionally roaring 'No!!!!" from his bed as he hears our painfully slow thought processes trying to work out how the trysail goes on.  A helicopter flies past, close.  And of course Cath pulls her dress up, baring absolutely all...then moons them.

 

There's something big in the water making large ripples and bubbles - we reckon its a dugong.  Richard and Jayatma get brave and snorkle around trying to find it.  No luck.  Just as well as it was probably a shark.  Gav goes canoeing in the setting sun.

 

Moonlight dinner on deck.  Lu makes chocolate cake and we stuff ourselves in honour of this being Jayatma's last night and my birthday tomorrow.  Such a beautiful night...water gently rocking the boat...balmy breeze...the stars so bright...moon shining on the water...groovy chill-out music...wine.  So cool.

 

Everyone goes to bed, but as usual Cath and I don't know when to stop, get drunk and get yelled at.

 

 

 

Wednesday 29th July 2009

 

My birthday.  Chocolate cake for breakfast.  Mmmmmmm.  :))

 

We drop Jayatma off at the wharf and she heads to the little airport. 

 

This is the first time we've sailed since the boom broke.  Bit trepidatious.  We raise the trysail and pull out the headsail.  But the breeze is very light and our boat speed very slow.

 

Richard sets up a series of sheets attached to the clew of the main sail, running them back to the winches adjacent to the helm.  And we raise the main.  The extra padeyes put on Moksha for use with a drogue or towing another boat and on the aft rails come in very handy.  The main sail is flying like a huge trysail, with no connection to the broken boom.  Boat speed increases and we have good control of the main sail shape. 

 

We eat lunch on deck.  Richard splits us into watch teams as it is possible that we sail during the night.  Richard, Lu and me from 4pm to 8pm, then Gav and Cath 8pm to 12 midnight, then us, etc.  Gav and Cath go below to rest.  Lu takes the helm for a while, then me.  The wind is still light, the swell still small.  Richard dozes.  All good.

 

Richard takes the helm and gives me and Luciana a lesson on the effect of time in relation to sailing at different angles to windward - which is significant.

 

The wind starts to pick up and hangs around 15 - 20 knots.  We barrel along at 8.5 knots.  The full main sail holds nicely and we arrive at Port Sandwich just after sunset.  Who needs a boom.

 

Cath makes pasta for dinner.  We really notice Jayatma not being here.  We miss her.  It's funny how close we all get, living in each other's pockets.

 

I write up the procedure for raising the trysail.  Early night.

 

 

Thursday 30th July 2009

 

Catherine writes up the safety procedure and proudly hands it to Richard, forgetting she's left in a some gritty comment about him, written in rage ...."Cockpit Risks - The Skipper: anyone who boards this boat and is a little sensitive should try to grow a thick skin before coming into contact with the skipper as this may cause some detrimental effects to your spirit".  He reads it out and we all have a laugh.  Lu whips up a banana cake.  Gav gives me a lesson on getting him up the mast to fix the mast light.

 

Depart Port Sandwich for Lamen Bay, Epi Island.  Put trysail up and headsail out.  Great day sailing...over-cast but good wind (up to 32 knots) and big swell...and dolphins!  Boat speed 4-7.5 knots.  Lots of deep and meaningful group discussions - mostly about sex and relationships, hilarious moments, chocolate and drenchings when our lads lost focus on the helm.

 

Arrive into Lamen Bay in the dark with 20 knots and driving rain, both on the nose.  We anchor with 12 other yachts - its the Lamen Bay festival or something like that.  We snuggle up in the saloon and hear a Kath & Kim-style of discussion on the VHF radio between two NZ women on the other boats.  Then Cath gets on the radio announcing that Moksha has a wench looking for a husband...very funny.

 

The engine's been running so we all get hot showers tonight :))  Gav makes laksa for dinner.

 

Something went wrong with the water maker so it was still going when we went to bed.  It's behind Cath's and my cabin and makes a bit of noise so we put our ear plugs in...but kept talking.  Didn't realise we were yelling at each other and waking up the boat once again.  Wooopsies!!

 

 

Friday 31st July 2009

 

Leave Lamen Bay early, destination Emae Island.  It's 16 knots in the bay alone, so we braced ourselves for an exciting ride.

 

Richard ups the ante on me and I spend the next 3.5 hours putting up trisails, pulling out headsails, putting away headsails, pulling out storm jibs, cranking on the checkstays, backstays, babystays, halyards, getting drenched on the foredeck, connecting sheets, removing sheets, getting drenched on the foredeck, setting up furling lines ALL BY MYSELF!  The others were not allowed to help.  Richard grills me relentlessly.  The gang sit there laughing when I get it wrong and cheering when I get it right.  I  suprised myself, but still had a good few moments gazing blankly at the rig, trying to see what I'd forgotton...Cath and Gav helping me out when Richard wasn't looking...thanks guys :))

 

Gav puts a line out the back with Disco Jill - the slapper of all lures, always up for it no matter the conditions and will not come home alone.  She did good, getting us a skipjack tuna, but something bigger got to it before we did so we only pulled up 1/2 a fish.  Bit gross.  Gav carved it up and we had sashimi with risotto and miso soup for late lunch / early dinner the moment we anchored in Sulua Bay, Emae Island.

 

We really stuff ourselves.  Catherine feels like an oompa loompa and wows to swim tomorrow til her legs drop off.  Richard gets sick of us and goes off in the tender to one of the other two boats anchored here looking for some fibre glass to go with the epoxy needed to fix the water filter housing of the watermaker.  The previous epoxy temporary fix put on previous cracks as we had no fibreglass to reinforce it.  Richards and Cath epoxy up the water filter housing, hopefully ready for use in the morning.  Our water-maker is broken and we are on water rations...no showers, sea water for toilets and washing up. 

 

Lu and Catherine make popcorn and we all watch a movie on the sexy plasma screen that comes up from the back of the purple leather lounge.