Last night we caught up with fellow yachties, one couple each from from ALBA, Cadeceus and Chez Nous. Over a few drinks and plates of fall-off-the-bone-tangy beef ribs, we swapped our boating stories, with focus on the places we had visited in Vanuatu and which villages were in need of what. Between us, a plan was hatched. Much needed large tarpaulins for the school roof in Futuna island are now being organised. Chez Nous is going to make contact with people who have access to helicopters to see if aid can be delivered to Green Point in Tanna island, they ares till cut off by road and impossible to reach by sea. The Sea Mercy boats, stationed in Emae are making deliveries of goods to the Shepherd Islands and they need seeds. We will seek them out tomorrow in Emae and distribute seeds to these vessels for transport to the tiny isolated communities of Buninga Island and others in the Shepherd group - they were thumped by the cyclone.
There is a container load of tools, such as crow bars, bush knives etc, about 30 tonne of it, arriving into Efate at the beginning of June. The only way to get these supplies to other islands is to divide up the 30 tonnes amongst as many yachts as possible for transport. We will come back to Efate in a couple of weeks and collect as many tools as we can carry, departing Efate again on the 11th June for islands in the north who are waiting for these items.
Please spread the word to all other boaties that if they have room, they are needed to take tools to the northern islands. If they contact us on Aradonna we will be able to give more details.
We are constantly amazed by all the yachties we meet. Every one of them has been doing as much as they can to help. Clothing, bedding, tools, food, medical supplies - many cruisers have packed their spare cabin space up to the ceiling with supplies to donate to villages here. ALBA delivered a nebuliser to a health clinic in Aneityum after hearing about one of the villagers that died of an asthma attack in the clinic because they did not have one. We understadn that other medical clinics are in need of nebulisers if anyone is able to bring some from NZ. It is wonderful to be part of this amazing community. We are kindred spirits in our love of the sea and our love of sailing, but more importantly we share the same values. We all know that we are very very fortunate to be in a position to enjoy the cruising life and we all love to help. We have special friends in this community! We had another treat today. Our friends from ALBA arrived into the same bay as us later in the day today. They did some fishing on the way to Havannah Harbour and dropped off a large fresh fillet of Tuna for our dinner. It was superb!