Tag: Vanuatu

Land diving on Pentecost

Written by gunilla on July 2, 2025. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized. 2 Comments on Land diving on Pentecost

Pentecost Island

The following morning, we set sail 13 nautical miles from Ranon Bay on Ambrym to Homo Bay on Pentecost, navigating through a rough and confused sea with winds gusting at 20 knots. The Pacific Ocean funnels between the two islands, creating waves that reach 2.5 meters. We made good time, averaging 8 knots, and soon found ourselves anchored in the serene waters of Homo Bay.

Beach in front of Bema Village on Pentecost

Nangol – Land Diving

Pentecost is renowned for its land diving, known as Nangol, which is considered the original form of bungee jumping. During our time in Efate, we learned that this spectacular event only occurs in April, May, and June, as the vines used as ankle ropes are most elastic during these months. Historically, there was one notable exception: when Queen Elizabeth visited in September, the Ni-Vanuatu set up a special performance, which tragically resulted in a fatal jump due to a broken tie line.

We found conflicting information on Vanuatu’s official websites regarding the schedule for the diving events. Fortunately, we had the “Rocket Guide to Vanuatu,” which included updated contact details for Bartholomew on Pentecost Island. After reaching out via email and WhatsApp, we received confirmation that the land diving took place on Wednesdays and Sundays. We carefully planned our sailing route and scheduled our visit for Wednesday, May 14th. In the weeks that followed, Bartholomew frequently checked in to ensure we were coming and asked us to spread the word to other sailors, although we found few boats in the area at that time of the year.

Bema Village

Upon our arrival in Homo Bay, we were warmly greeted by a wooden canoe paddled by two men, Lala and Wotah. They lived in the mountains of Pentecost, adhering to traditional customs and clothing, and had traveled to the Bema village in Homo Bay with the sole purpose of showing us the land diving the next day. We invited them aboard our boat, and through a mix of Bislama and English, we arranged to meet on the beach at 6:30 the following morning.

Nilla togerther with the children of Bema Village

Lala tour guide and a traditional long house in the background.

That afternoon, we explored the village with Lala and the chief of Bama, walking through the tranquil hamlet accompanied by local children. One boy proudly showcased a toy made from a plastic bottle filled with sand, which emitted a delightful crackling sound when rolled across the ground. Most of the village men were busy constructing a new house with earth floors, bamboo-pole walls, and a thatched sago-palm roof supported by a rectangular frame. We witnessed one man climbing a tree to harvest Baby berry fruit, which we sampled; its pit tasted pleasantly reminiscent of almonds.

Baby Berry Tree -do you see the man climbing up the tree?

Grateful for the tour, we asked the chief if we could gift some colored pencils, and he kindly agreed, bringing joy to the children. While the Bama village had a school, the children from the mountain villages, who lived according to traditional customs, did not have the opportunity to learn to read or write. As we prepared to return to our boat, the chief, friendly but firm, requested to join us, so he, his brother, and Lala accompanied us for a beer.

Chief of Bema Village and this brother and Lala visiting Yaghan

Kastom village in the mountains

The next morning, we eagerly made our way to the beach, where Lala escorted us to the home of the chief’s brother. The air was thick with smoke inside the house as the family enjoyed breakfast—cookies and tea—around the fireplace. The dwelling comprised a single room, with a log dividing the women’s cooking area and children in the front from the men in the back. We waited in silence, uncertain of the proper etiquette until our transport arrived.

We took our seats inside a vehicle while the chief and several villagers hopped onto the truck bed for an hour-long drive, crossing rivers and following roads constructed by the French to reach the inner village of Pentecost. Finally, we arrived at the Nangol site, where the famed diving tower stood. The core of the tower was build from a lopped tree, with scaffolding poles tied together with vines for stability. Several platforms extended about two meters from the front of the tower, supported by sturdy struts. These impressive structures can reach heights of up to 30 meters, and the community dedicates several weeks each year to construct a new tower.

Lala was precise when he said that the Nangol would start promptly at nine, leaving us with an hour to immerse ourselves in the tranquil village life. Guided through the lush green landscape of the mountain village, we made our way to the chief’s hut, where we could sit and be a part of the quiet morning routines. The chief tended to a fire, boiling water in a big pan while the dogs basked in the warmth of the coals.

Introduction to kastom clothing – the Namba

A man entered the hut, wearing only a t-shirt. Initially, we thought he was bare underneath, but we soon realized he donned a namba, a traditional penis sheath made from the leaves or bark of the pandanus plant. This resilient material is also commonly used for weaving baskets and other items.

As we walked to the Nangol site, we encountered women and girls adorned in traditional kastom skirts called rasket, crafted from dried grass, while the boys and men wore only their nambas. Pentecost, a relatively small island with a population of under 20,000, attracts visitors from across the region to support friends and family during this momentous event. The ritual is intricately linked to the yam harvest, as a successful dive is believed to ensure a bountiful yield and serves as a fertility rite for young men. Women are prohibited from touching the vines or any part of the Nangol structure; Nilla was mindful of this, keeping her distance to avoid any misfortune.

Proud wearing a Namba made of pandanus leaves

Namba made of banana leafes with matchning sunglasses

Lala’s wife adorned Lala, Nilla, and Anders with flower garlands before we entered the site as the only two spectators. The men had meticulously prepared the area for the tower, clearing away rocks and tilling the soil to create a soft landing for the divers. Various stages at different heights marked the tower, with older men typically leaping from the higher platforms. During our visit, three boys would dive: the first was just ten years old, the second was fifteen, and Lala’s twenty-year-old son would dive from an impressive height of 30 meters!

Women are not allowed to touch liens or and part of the Nangol

The Nangol experience

The courageous divers got encouraged by a large group of dancers They chanted, sang, and whistled, moving rhythmically from side to side while waving leaves and sticks. The ground trembled beneath us with the force of their stomping and the enthusiastic chants of the community, creating an electrifying atmosphere filled with support for the land divers.

Female dancers are whistling and waving their leaves

The ends of the vines were meticulously shredded, allowing the fibers to be wrapped securely around the ankles of the first jumper. The ten-year-old boy was about to make his debut dive, and he seemed to enjoying the moment. It felt profoundly special to witness this initiation. The short fall was a success.

The dancers continued to shout like cheerleaders, and soon the next boy was ready, receiving his strings attached before swinging down from the middle station to land softly on the brown, fluffy ground.

Land diver jumping from the middle station of the Nangol tower

Perhaps it was the continuous chanting that heightened the anticipation. Lala’s eldest son prepared to ascend the tower, a daunting task in itself, as he climbed to the highest platform. The shredded vines were carefully looped around both of his ankles. The wind was particularly strong that Wednesday, raising our concerns for the diver, but he appeared to thrive on the excitement.

The energy in the air was palpable, and we collectively held our breath as he leaped headfirst from the platform. A moment of silence occured before the snap of the vines echoed, followed by the thud of his body hitting the earth. He smiled upon landing, and we breathed a sigh of relief as help arrived to release the vines from his feet.

Jumping from 30 meters with only two vines attached to the feet

Surviving the jump, the yam harvest is saved

Lala’s 20 year old son diving from 30 meters!

After the dives, the atmosphere was filled with happiness and pride, and the divers eagerly posed for photos. Every diver got a pamplemousse as price. We were once again invited to the chief’s hut, where we were treated to steamed manioc and cassava. Nilla shared a traditional Swedish song, and soon the women began conversing animatedly in their Saa language, a testament to the connections forged through music.

The women stay in the front part of the house

Back to Bema village

As our taxi arrived, the chief of the mountain village joined us for the journey to the shore. We felt immense gratitude towards Lala Worasul tour guide and all those involved in providing us with such an unforgettable cultural experience. Upon arriving at the beach, we discovered that the Bema villagers had gathered their harvest, preparing it for transport on the next boat bound for the island. With heartfelt thanks—“Anto,” meaning thank you in the Saa language—we bid farewell to the community.

The villagers are selling their harvest to the incoming freighter.

The two Chiefs of the villages inspecting our dinghy

Port Vila after an earthquake in December 2024

Written by gunilla on June 18, 2025. Posted in Blog. No Comments on Port Vila after an earthquake in December 2024

Marina Port Vila on Efate island

After covering 80 nautical miles, we arrived in the morning and contacted Port Vila marina via VHF. It took some time before we received a response. The marina has a depth threshold of 2.5 meters at low tide, and Yaghan’s draft is exactly 2.5 meters, so we had to wait for high tide to enter. Since the dock was still under construction, we had to use a mooring while waiting. On December 17th, 2024, Port Vila, the Capital Town of Vanuatu, situated on Efate Island was struck by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, causing buildings to collapse and roads to be destroyed. At least 14 people lost their lives, and over 250 were injured. Rocelyn, the marina manager overseeing the yacht club, recounted how she fell and injured herself on the dock during the 9-second earthquake that shook the town.

Rocelyn in her office showing us Port Vila

Port Vila Marina helping us to catch the mooring ropes

Not far from the marina is the café called Coco-Co. Several women were bustling around in the cool air-conditioned room, which was so beautifully decorated it could have been a posh café on the Australian Gold Coast. The delicious breakfast featured fresh avocado, freshly pressed juice, and tasty omelets. The café had only opened a month ago but was already a busy place. Many of the buildings in central Port Vila had collapsed during the earthquake, so we were glad to see some new beginnings. Port Vila is famous for its “Mamas Market” where Women from the different island sells their delicat handicraft. That market was closed after the earthquake and only a few have come back, now sewing and selling their amazingly colorful dresses in small shops along the street. Judged by how the people dress in Vanuatu, they could win the title “happiest people”.

We moved from the buoy to the marina, proceeding slowly over the shallow water. Near the marina, there is a 19-meter-high electricity cable, while our mast is 26 meters high, so there was no chance of passing under it. Yaghan was able to dock at a four-meter-wide section of the dock, as the rest had sloped into the sea during the earthquake last December. The marina staff were busy rebuilding the concrete dock.

A Sea of colors on the Market

Saturday is market day, so we walked to the large market buildings near the shore. However, there were no sellers, only a giant roof and an empty space. Later, we learned that the roof had become unstable after the earthquake. We asked a man where to find the market, and he kindly led us to the other side of the main street. He stopped a local taxi, told the driver our destination, and soon we were heading up the hills, enjoying a beautiful view along the way. The streets were busy, crowded with traffic and full of potholes. Bislama, one of the official languagues is sometimes easy to understand when you read it out laud.

The other passengers were curious about where we came from and asked how we liked Vanuatu so far. Once again, we felt very welcomed. After about fifteen minutes, we arrived at the market, where most products were beautifully arranged on handwoven mats on the ground. We saw fresh peanuts, papaya, cocoa beans, several varieties of clementines and oranges, and many fruits we had never seen before. A sparkling sea of colors with various tropical flowers was the highlight of the market.

Different banans and papaya (or baba in Vanuatu)

South of Port Vila lies the world’s only underwater post office, nestled near the reef of Hideaway Island. Upon arriving, we purchased waterproof postcards and then dove two meters beneath the surface to drop them into the submerged mailbox. Now, we wait to see if they will ever reach their destination! The water was slightly murky, and the corals partly damaged in storms and earthquakes, but we could find some cute nemo fish swirling around the swaying anemones.

The only underwater post office in the world.

RIP Juliette Pita

Before we sailed to Vanuatu, we got our hands on the german book “Vanuatu – Kleines Land im Großen Meer” by Katja Dorothe Buck. She tells the stories of the Ni-Vanuatu (the people of Vanuatu) she meets on the Island of Efate 2019 shortly before Covid closes the boarders all over the world. Weread about a local painter and artist in Port Vila who had become recognized internationally. Her name is or was Juliette Pita. We found out that she had most sadly died only a month earlier. However, we heard that some of her paintings could still be seen at a gallery half an hour away from the center of Port Vila.

At the Fondation Bastien gallery we met Juliette’s lovely daughter Amalia Pita, also a painter. We spent a couple of hours and learned much more of the family story, the painting techniques and the symbolism of the motives. The family come from Erromango, the island we visited before and where we met David who was running the “Yacht Club”. Amalia told us that David is her uncle.

Nilla and Amalia connected big ways and got a picture of a boat symbolizing our lifes journey. Since ancient times, the turtle has represented the feminine, while the fish symbolizes the masculine. Though parting is part of a sailors life, its sometimes more difficult, but the connection luckily remains in the heart.

Havanna Bay

Loaded with Tanna coffee and chocolate from Efate Island, we left the marina and sailed to the north side of the island to Havannah Bay. Shortly after we dropped anchor at Moso Landing beside the only other boat in the bay, we received a visitor. Lawrence docked his long wooden boat alongside Yaghan and offered us some fruit as a gift. When we asked what he wanted in return, he just smiled and said, “nothing.” As dark clouds and rain slowly rolled in, we stayed inside and spent a few days doing boat maintenance.

When the sunshine returned, we snorkeled in the shallow coral garden on the east side of the Bay.

Havannah Bay served as a US Navy base from where the Battle of the Coral Sea was fought during WWII. As Europeans, we learned a lot about the Second World War in school, but it truly broadens the perspective to see the impact the war had on small islands on the other side of the world. The presence of Australian and American soldiers in Vanuatu marked the beginning of a new era of meat production on the various islands. We had read about the small WWII Museum in Havannah Bay and took our dinghy ashore to see if it still existed. It was a Saturday, and as we approached the small museum, with the message “Rust in peace” on the walls, a young man eagerly came forward. He welcomed us proudly and showed us all the items his grandfather had collected from both land and sea.

Island ladies at the bar close to WWII museum. They are preparering for the one week long presbytarian meeting.

We had hoped to see Dugongs in the Bay, but they hadn’t hope to see us, so the next day we sailed 66 nm north to Epi Island.

Sailing from Aotearoa to the vulcano Yasur on Tanna, Vanuatu

Written by gunilla on June 12, 2025. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized. 4 Comments on Sailing from Aotearoa to the vulcano Yasur on Tanna, Vanuatu

Leaving Bay of Islands

After six months in beautiful New Zealand, it´s time for Yaghan to sail to new horizons again. Together with our family crew, Linda and Birk, we went to the customs office in Bay of Islands Marina in Opua early morning on the 22^nd of April. Only half an hour before we had been debating whether we should go or not. The weather forecast showed little wind in the beginning followed by a through. Together we decided that we should give it a try even though we had to go a slightly longer route. The friendly customs officer asked how we liked New Zealand, stamped our passports, checked that the time was 8:40 and gave us 30 minutes to leave the dock and country.

We had already said goodbye to the nice staff in the marina and now we let the lines loose and waved to fellow sailors on Seamer when we passed on the way out, leaving Opua and Russels, the oldest town of New Zealand, behind. We motored out saying farewell to Waitangi, the place where the treaty (Te Tiriti) between the British crown and Mauri chiefs was signed in 1840. The lush green coastline of Aotearoa (Maori name for New Zealand meaning long white cloud) and the islands around Kerikeri got smaller and two small penguins were cheerfully swimming around Yaghan and we hoisted the sails and looked forward to our journey to Tanna in Vanuatu.

The sea around the north tip of New Zealand was quite choppy after some days of strong winds, but the further we came, the calmer the sea got. We could sail on reach for 23 hours and then some hours downwind, until we had to start the engine. Some squalls made us change the course and strong winds ahead let us go west. On the third day we sailed wing on wing with winds of 17 knots on our stern. We had come halfway and were surrounded by clouds, sailing on the edge of a depression. The next night we got 35 knots of wind for some hours and all four of us was awake in the rolling sea, sails reefed so we felt safe but alerted.

We still had around 400 NM miles to go and the sunrise with calmer sea and swell was very welcoming. The weather forecast promised lighter winds and we started the engine and had to continue motoring for some days.

Approaching Tanna, Vanuatu

On the Morning of the 28^th of April we finally saw land, the cone formed island of Tanna with smoke rising from the active volcano, Mount Yasur. After just little less than 6 days, and 1100 NM, we arrived at Port Resolution on the Tanna island in the magic island nation Vanuatu.

The bay of Port Resolution, named after captain Cooks ship Resolution, gave us a good anchor ground and we were amazed to see smoke arise from hot pools on the northeast side of the bay. The tiny Tanna island hosts 29’000 of Vanuatus ca 300’000 inhabitants. There was only one other sailing boat in the bay and the French solo sailor, Eric, came to greet us. We were told that we are the third international visiting yacht in 2025.

Clearing in to Vanuatu in Port Resolution

Anders had been contacting the customs in Port Vila and also in Lenaka on Tanna several days in advance and now also emailing and calling them again. We got promised to check in at 1:30pm, so we slept a little and cleaned the boat after the six days sail. Half past one, there were no sign of action in the bay and nobody answered the radio. Anders called the customs again and we heard that they were on their way from Lenakel to the bay. At three o’clock we finally got a message on VHF that we could take the dinghy ashore, which we quickly did and on the beach, we had to ask bathing children for the way to the Yacht Club.

We climbed the rainforest hill and saw a shack with flags and a patrol car. Customs, Immigration and Biosecurity had to drive on almost non existing roads from the other side of the island to clear us in. They were truly friendly and welcoming. The customs officer greeted us, and we sat down under the roof in the provisory yacht club. The paperwork was complete in the shade of a roof which was what remained of what was the Port Resolution Yacht Club until destroyed by a cyclone a few years ago. The officer excused for the delay and said the conditions of the road made it very complicated to travel. We were happy that he came all the long way to clear us in.

Tanna village Irepuow

We met our new friend Stanley who brought us to his village, helped us to book lunch in the little ocean front “restaurant” – to celebrate Nilla’s 50 year birthday tomorrow. The village was very close, and we walked the path through the vibrant green rainforest, with goats and chicken grassing around banana trees and Stanley showed us the village of beautiful huts with walls made of bambu and roofs out of coconut tree leaves. The children `pikininis` were curious and glad to meet and play with us. We were looking for a restaurant to have lunch the following day and heard that one was closed, because of a funeral in the neighbor village, but the Seabreeze restaurant on the beach would be open. On the way through the village, we also passed the Kava place , or Anders and Birk could pass and meet the men, women were not allowed to be present while the men were drinking their kava.

Stanley

Birthday on the Vulcano Mount Yasur

The next morning, Nilla woke up to song and cake on her fiftieth Birthday! After some celebrating and snorkeling among beautiful corals, we had a delicious lunch on the beach with manioc, christophin, pumpkin and a beef stew, made by the chef Kalo and his daughter. It was a beautiful day with sunshine and men were fishing close to the shore, looking for octopus around the corals. After lunch we went with a pickup on the bumpy almost nonexciting road to the Vulcano, Mount Yasur. We passed large banyan trees, so large you can build a house inside them. Now and then the driver stopped and got messages from the villagers.

After an hour, we arrived at the foot of the mountain of Yasur, Tanna’s main attraction. A 300 meter high active volcano, with a round crater with three “hot spots” erupting with few minutes intervalls and have done so since it was first described by James Cook and most likely several hundred years before. Repeatedly we could hear the active volcano roar. We waited in the small museum which exposed different kind of volcanic rocks, some large but still extremely lightweighted, other dense and heavy. Together with five other cars, we drove on another bumpy road and were happy we had scaffoldings to hold on to.

Mount Yasur

The amazing view rewarded all the efforts. We walked on the black volcanic rocks to the ridge of the crater, where we could look down in the sulfur cloud without any fence protecting us from falling. A quite terrifying feeling. With local guides walking bare foot around us, we felt quite safe and could enjoy the breathtaking views while the sun set over the ocean. When it got darker, we lightened our lights and walked to the other side of the ridge were we could look down and see bright orange lava, 2.6 km downwards. Every now and then the volcano was roaring and puffing a cloud of sparkles. We had never been so close to feel the earth breath with the sounds of waves inside a drum.