Vanuatu 1.0

Four Days of Rocking and Rolling

After arriving on Tanna Island, we dropped anchor in the Bay of Lenakel, ready to explore our next country: Vanuatu! Well, almost. Before any exploring could begin, we first had to officially check into the country. And as it turned out, that was easier said than done. For four long days, we waited for the opportunity to complete our clearance procedures. Four days of sitting at anchor, watching the shore, and being tossed around by the never-ending swell rolling into the bay. Tauha rocked from side to side, day and night, without giving us even a moment of peace. By the fourth day, we were exhausted, slightly frustrated, and more than ready to set foot on solid ground. Finally, on Tuesday, the long-awaited moment arrived! We headed ashore, where the official immigration and customs office turned out to be a car. We climbed in, signed the necessary paperwork, handed over the money, and just like that, we were officially checked into Vanuatu! After four days of waiting, it felt like a small victory. But we weren't about to waste any more time. We made a quick stop at the local market to get some food before meeting up with the man who had arranged to drive us to what would become an unforgettable experience. We were going to visit an active volcano!

Mount Yasur – The Volcano Man

Tanna Island is home to Mount Yasur, one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes. It has been erupting almost continuously for at least 800 years, regularly sending ash, smoke, and glowing lava into the sky. And we were about to stand right on its edge! Needless to say, we were more than a little excited. But Mount Yasur isn't just an impressive geological feature. For the people of Tanna, the volcano also holds deep cultural and spiritual significance. The name Yasur is sometimes said to mean "Old Man" in a local language, although interpretations vary. And, as we would later learn from the locals, there are some fascinating legends surrounding the volcano. One of these stories is known as "Yasur, the Volcano Man." According to the legend, Yasur was once a man wandering across Tanna in search of a place to call home. One evening, he came across two elderly women preparing laplap, a traditional dish made from grated root vegetables and cooked in an earth oven. Yasur asked the women for some fire to light his pipe, and they kindly invited him into their hut. Enjoying the warmth and hospitality, he decided that this was where he wanted to stay. But then something extraordinary happened. The earth began to shake, Yasur disappeared beneath the ground, and suddenly flames and molten lava burst from the earth, burying the two women and their ovens. And so, according to the legend, Mount Yasur was born. There are several versions of the story, as is often the case with oral traditions passed down through generations. But I rather like the idea of a wandering old man who found a cozy place to stay and accidentally turned himself into a volcano.

A Journey Through the Green Hills of Tanna

The drive from Lenakel to Mount Yasur took about two hours, and the journey itself was already an adventure. We climbed into the truck and made our way through the lush green hills, passing one little village after another. And what immediately struck us was just how much life there was everywhere! People were walking along the roads, working outside their houses, chatting with neighbors, and going about their daily routines. Children waved enthusiastically as we passed, and almost everyone greeted us with a big smile. It was wonderful! After visiting so many quiet and remote islands over the past months, we hadn't seen this much activity in a long time. The villages felt incredibly lively, and the people were exceptionally friendly. We were also beginning to discover the unique cultural character of Vanuatu. While Tonga, Niue, and the Cook Islands are part of Polynesia, Vanuatu belongs to Melanesia, a region with its own rich history, diverse languages, and cultural traditions. It was fascinating to experience another side of the South Pacific and learn a little more about the people who call these islands home. And then there was the landscape. Tanna was unbelievably green! Trees, bushes, and tropical vegetation covered the hills in every direction. Small houses were scattered alongside the road, and every now and then we spotted little treehouses tucked between the branches. It was exactly the kind of tropical island scenery you imagine when thinking about the South Pacific.

As we continued our journey, we began noticing something rather unusual about the roads. In some places, they seemed to have been dug down into the ground rather than built on top of it. The reason? Volcanic ash. Mount Yasur produces so much ash that it constantly changes the surrounding landscape. Over time, enormous amounts accumulate, covering roads, fields, and vegetation. And surprisingly, people live remarkably close to the volcano! We passed several villages located in areas where ashfall is simply part of everyday life. Our driver told us how past eruptions, including a significant episode in 2005, had covered plants and gardens beneath thick layers of ash. In some cases, people even had to dig through the ash to recover their fruits and vegetables. Yet the people here have adapted to living alongside this restless giant.

Welcome to the Moon!

The closer we got to Mount Yasur, the more dramatically the landscape changed. The lush tropical vegetation gradually disappeared, replaced by gray sand, ash, and bare volcanic rock. And then there was the smell. Ah yes, that wonderful smell of sulfur! Nothing quite says welcome to an active volcano like the unmistakable scent of rotten eggs.

Before long, we found ourselves standing in the middle of an enormous ash plain. With the strong wind blowing across the open landscape, fine volcanic sand was flying everywhere. It looked less like a tropical island and more like the surface of the Moon. The ground was gray and barren, with deep channels carved into the ash where water had flowed during heavy rainfall. It was fascinating to see how completely the volcano had transformed its surroundings. And despite the rather hostile appearance, the area also had its own natural treasures. There were hot springs nearby, which the locals believed possessed healing properties. It was another reminder of how closely the people of Tanna live with the volcano, appreciating both its power and what it provides.

After exploring the ash plain, it was time for the final ascent. And because apparently we hadn't been shaken around enough during our four days at anchor, we decided to ride the last stretch in the back of the truck. Excellent decision. The road was steep, rough, and incredibly bumpy. We bounced around as the truck climbed higher and higher toward the crater. But eventually, we made it to the top. We climbed out, walked up the final few steps, and suddenly... There it was.

Standing on the Edge of an Active Volcano

Right in front of us, the enormous crater of Mount Yasur opened its mouth. And we were standing directly on its edge. No glass barriers. No distant viewing platform. Just us, the crater, and the incredible forces of nature working beneath our feet. It was almost impossible to comprehend. The locals told us that, traditionally, access to the volcano had been restricted to chiefs, who would come here to perform ceremonies, pray to their gods, and present offerings. According to the stories we heard, some would even descend into the crater as part of these rituals before climbing back out. Well, after witnessing what happened inside that crater, I can confidently say that climbing down there would not be on my list of recommended activities! Because Mount Yasur was anything but quiet.

Every couple of minutes, a deep, thunderous growl rose from somewhere beneath us. And when I say deep, I mean the kind of sound that goes straight through your bones. It wasn't just something you could hear. You could feel it. The ground seemed to vibrate beneath our feet, and every eruption was accompanied by a tremendous rumbling that made you realize just how much energy was being released below. It was absolutely incredible. There was just one small problem. We couldn't actually see the lava.

Earlier that day, it had rained, and the water coming into contact with the hot volcanic rock created enormous clouds of steam. These clouds filled much of the crater, hiding whatever was happening below. So there we stood, listening to explosions, feeling the earth tremble, and staring into a giant cloud. Not exactly the spectacular lava show we had imagined. But luckily, Mother Nature decided to cooperate. The wind, which had already been blowing strongly across the mountain, picked up even more. Slowly but surely, it began pushing the steam away from the crater.

And then, finally, we got our first glimpse inside. Wow. Just wow.

A Front-Row Seat to Nature's Fireworks

One thing I hadn't realized before visiting Mount Yasur was just how complicated the inside of an active volcano could be. For some reason, I had always imagined a volcano as a perfectly shaped mountain with one big round hole at the top, filled with bubbling lava. Simple, right? Well, Mount Yasur looked different. Instead of one enormous lava lake, we could see four distinct vent areas, each behaving completely differently. One was mainly producing steam, sending thick white clouds rising into the air. Another was relatively large and calm, with glowing molten lava visible deep inside. And the other two? Those were putting on quite the show! Every few minutes, one of the active vents would erupt, sending fountains of glowing lava and hot volcanic material shooting into the air. And the explosions were enormous! Sometimes we could hear the rumbling building up beforehand, giving us a little warning that something was about to happen. But other times, the eruptions came completely out of nowhere. BOOM! Suddenly, glowing rocks were flying through the air, accompanied by a thunderous explosion that made both of us jump. And then, just as quickly, everything would settle down again. Until the next one.

We stood there completely mesmerized, watching the volcano do its thing. According to the locals, Mount Yasur was having a relatively calm day! A calm day?! If this was calm, I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to experience an exciting one. But what made the experience even more spectacular was the changing light. As the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon, the surrounding landscape grew darker, and the glowing lava became brighter and brighter. During daylight, we had been able to see the explosions and occasional flashes of orange deep inside the crater. But now, against the darkening sky, every eruption became an incredible display of red and orange. The lava fountains lit up the crater walls, glowing rocks flew through the air, and the deep rumbling continued beneath our feet. It was like watching the most spectacular fireworks display imaginable. Except these fireworks were coming straight from the center of the Earth. And nobody had to light the fuse. We could have stayed there for hours. It was one of those rare moments when you find yourself completely speechless, simply watching something so powerful and beautiful that it almost doesn't seem real.

Standing on the edge of an erupting volcano, feeling the explosions in our entire bodies, and watching molten lava shoot into the night sky was an unforgettable experience.

Back to Our Floating Rocking Chair

Unfortunately, even the most spectacular experiences eventually have to come to an end. As much as we would have loved to stay and watch the volcano all night, it was time to head back. We climbed into the truck once more and began the long drive down the mountain. By now, darkness had completely settled over Tanna. But surprisingly, the island was still full of life. Even in the dark, we passed people walking along the roads, gathering outside their houses, and going about their evening activities. The villages were still bustling, and we once again found ourselves amazed by how lively this island was compared with many of our previous stops.

At around 8 p.m., we finally made it back to Lenakel, climbed into our dinghy, and headed out toward Tauha. And there she was. Waiting patiently at anchor. Still rolling. Still rocking. Still being tossed from side to side by the relentless swell. Ah, home sweet home. After an entire day of bouncing around in a truck, standing on the edge of an erupting volcano, and driving through the mountains, all we really wanted was a peaceful night's sleep. But apparently, Tauha had other ideas. Still, as we climbed aboard, tired, dusty, and probably smelling slightly of sulfur, we couldn't stop smiling. Vanuatu had certainly made quite the first impression. And if this was only our first adventure in the country, we couldn't wait to see what else these islands had in store for us!

On to Epi – A Little Piece of Paradise

After our unforgettable adventure on Tanna, it was time to continue north toward our next destination: Epi Island! Luckily, the crossing turned out to be a rather pleasant one. We started sailing in a gentle 8-knot breeze, with small waves rolling in from behind and pushing us along. The entire crossing took about 40 hours, which meant two nights at sea. And even though the weather was cooperating, overnight passages are always a little exhausting. Sleeping in short shifts never quite replaces a proper night's rest. But this time, we had a little helper. Our autopilot was finally working almost perfectly! Yes, you read that right. After all the repairs, troubleshooting, and occasional moments of wanting to throw the entire thing overboard, our autopilot was actually doing its job with just very little leakage. What a luxury! Even though we only turned it on for a couple of hours at a time, it made the crossing considerably more relaxing.

Another thing we really enjoy about sailing through island chains is that we can often keep Starlink running, provided we have enough power.

And that means we can use some of those quiet hours on watch to call home and catch up with family. There is something rather surreal about sitting in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by darkness and stars, while casually chatting with someone thousands of miles away about their day. Modern technology really is incredible sometimes.

Welcome to Paradise!

Early in the morning, after roughly 40 hours at sea and considerably less sleep than we would have liked, we finally arrived at Epi. And what an arrival it was! We sailed into a beautiful, sheltered bay surrounded by lush green hills. Not another boat in sight. Just us, the island, and wonderfully calm water. No rolling. No bouncing. No endless swell. After our rather uncomfortable anchorage in Lenakel and basically having waves for about 10 days, this felt like heaven! We dropped anchor, made sure Tauha was safely settled, and finally allowed ourselves to relax.

The weather was beautiful, the water was calm, and the scenery looked like something straight out of a postcard. Naturally, we had a very ambitious plan for the morning. Take a nap.

After catching up on some much-needed sleep and filling our stomachs, however, we were ready to explore. And where better to start than underwater? We grabbed our snorkeling gear, jumped into the water, and almost immediately realized that we had stumbled upon something special. The coral was absolutely incredible! In fact, it was some of the healthiest coral we had seen on our entire journey so far. There were colors everywhere! Beautiful coral formations stretched across the seabed, surrounded by more fish than we could possibly count. Tiny colorful reef fish darted between the corals, larger fish cruised past, and everywhere we looked, there was something new to discover. And the clownfish! So. Many. Clownfish! It seemed like every other anemone had its own little family of Nemo lookalikes peeking out at us. We could have spent hours just watching them. Well at least me.

But there was even more to explore. Because Epi is volcanic, parts of the underwater landscape were completely different from the reefs we had visited before. Channels and rocky formations extended away from the island, creating little underwater passages, overhangs, and caves. We explored the channels, peeked into the little caves, and admired the incredible marine life around us. By the time we climbed back aboard Tauha, we were both grinning from ear to ear. Epi was off to an excellent start!

A Little Bit of the Shire

The following day, we decided it was time to see what the island had to offer above the water. We took our dinghy ashore and had barely stepped onto the beach when we were greeted by a boy of about 12 years old, with the name Cran. He was curious, friendly, and immediately interested in showing us around. Now, we had been told that bringing soccer balls for the children in Vanuatu was always a good idea. Unfortunately, we hadn't managed to get one before arriving. But even without a soccer ball to offer, Cran was more than happy to take us on a tour of his home. And what a lovely place it was!

Epi has a population of roughly 6,000 people, spread across numerous small villages, with children making up a large part of the community. And honestly? Walking through the village reminded us a little of a Pacific version of the Shire from The Lord of the Rings. Imagine lush, rolling green hills, almost impossibly picturesque, covered in tropical trees and vegetation. Small, self-built houses nestled between the greenery. Hand-carved wooden canoes resting along the shore. Children laughing and playing. Cows grazing peacefully, while pigs and chickens wandered around as though they owned the place. And everywhere we looked, everything seemed so wonderfully peaceful. There was hardly any trash lying around, and the entire village felt clean, cared for, and welcoming. It was one of those places where life seemed to move at a completely different pace. No traffic. No crowds. No rushing from one appointment to another. Just people going about their daily lives, surrounded by nature. Of course, we were only visitors getting a little glimpse into their world, but it was a beautiful glimpse indeed.

A Village Tour with Our Young Guide

Our first stop was to meet the village chief. We found him without much trouble, introduced ourselves, and spent a little time saying hello to him and his children. Afterward, Cran proudly took us to meet his own family. His father welcomed us warmly and invited us to see their kitchen house, a separate little building where the family prepared their meals. He showed us around, explained how they cooked, and even offered us some bread and bananas. The hospitality was incredible!

He also showed us the house he had built himself. And we were genuinely impressed. There is something special about seeing how people create their homes with the materials and resources available to them. The craftsmanship and ingenuity were fascinating. As if that wasn't enough, he also kindly allowed us to use his water pump to collect some fresh water. Now, you might wonder why we were so excited about a water pump when we have a perfectly functional watermaker aboard Tauha. Well, first of all, after all the trouble our watermaker has caused us over the past months, we have learned not to take it for granted! And secondly, we really like having a separate reserve of drinking water whenever possible.

So being able to fill up with fresh water from the island was a wonderful bonus. With our water supply replenished, we continued wandering through the village.

Cran showed us the local church, led us along little paths between the houses, and even took us to a neighboring village. We weren't in any particular hurry. We simply enjoyed walking around, meeting people, and soaking up the peaceful atmosphere. Eventually, we made our way back toward the beach. And that's when Alex and our young guide discovered a shared passion. Skipping stones! Soon the two of them were standing by the water, competing to see who could make their stones bounce the most times across the surface. Apparently, some things are universal, no matter where in the world you are.

Two Very Special Visitors Aboard Tauha

As we were getting ready to head back to the boat, Cran asked us a question. Would it be possible for him and his brother to come aboard and have a look at Tauha? Of course! After he had spent so much time showing us around his home, it seemed only fair that we should show him ours.

So the two boys climbed into the dinghy, and we headed out toward Tauha. Once aboard, they were incredibly polite and curious about everything. It was lovely to watch them explore. Things that we barely notice anymore, simply because we use them every day, seemed fascinating to them. We showed them around, answered their questions, and brought out some mango juice. But then something else caught their attention. Our photographs. We have several pictures hanging around the boat, little memories of our families, friends, and adventures.

The boys were fascinated by them. I asked whether they had photographs hanging in their rooms at home. They shook their heads. So I had an idea. "Would you like us to take a Polaroid picture of you?" Their faces lit up immediately! We got out our camera, took their pictures, and watched as the little photographs slowly developed. They were absolutely thrilled. And honestly, seeing how excited they were made us just as happy. When we eventually took them back ashore, they proudly showed their new pictures to practically everyone in the village. It was adorable!

We might not have brought the soccer ball we had originally hoped to give the children, but at least we had managed to leave them with a little memory of their visit to Tauha. And for us, it was another reminder that sometimes the simplest things can bring the biggest smiles.

Lamen Bay – In Search of Sea Cows

The next morning, we decided to take things slowly. After all, one of the wonderful things about cruising is that, occasionally, you can simply decide not to do very much. We enjoyed a relaxed morning aboard Tauha before pulling up the anchor and heading toward our next destination on Epi: Lamen Bay.

The wind had picked up considerably, making for a quick sail along the coast. And before long, we were dropping anchor in yet another beautiful bay. Apparently, Epi was determined to spoil us! The scenery was just as gorgeous as at our previous anchorage, although this time a little more wind was finding its way into the bay. But we certainly weren't going to let that stop us from exploring. Because Lamen Bay is famous for something rather special. Sea cows! Yes, actual sea cows. Or, to use their proper name, dugongs.

Now, you might wonder why these rather unusual marine mammals would choose to hang out in this particular bay. The answer is surprisingly simple. Seagrass. I know. Seagrass doesn't exactly sound like the most exciting attraction in the South Pacific. Especially after all those spectacular coral reefs we had just visited. But for dugongs, seagrass is essentially an all-you-can-eat buffet. These gentle marine mammals spend much of their time grazing on underwater seagrass meadows, which is why Lamen Bay is one of the places in Vanuatu where you have a chance of spotting them.

And they aren't the only ones who enjoy the buffet. Sea turtles also frequent the bay, feeding in the seagrass beds and resting around the nearby reefs. So naturally, we wasted absolutely no time getting into the water. Our first snorkeling trip in Lamen Bay was already wonderful. There were plenty of colorful reef fish, beautiful coral formations, and all sorts of little creatures hiding among the rocks. But what really made this place special became apparent the following day. Sea turtles. Everywhere! Okay, perhaps not literally everywhere, but we saw so many that we eventually stopped counting. Some were swimming gracefully through the water, while others were peacefully feeding along the seabed. A few came surprisingly close, allowing us to admire them without disturbing their activities. There is something incredibly calming about watching a sea turtle swim. They move so effortlessly, gliding through the water with slow, graceful strokes of their flippers. We spent ages swimming around, watching them go about their day. And luckily, we even managed to capture a few of them on camera!

But what about the dugongs? Well... We did see one! Unfortunately, it was quite far away, and before we could get close enough to take a decent picture, it had disappeared again. But we're not giving up just yet. We still plan to spend another two days here in Lamen Bay, which means two more days of searching for our elusive sea cow. And with a little luck, perhaps we'll finally manage to get a proper photograph. Fingers crossed!

Will we finally manage to get our sea cow on camera? Well, you'll just have to wait until our next blog post to find out!

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