[Password] Toucan 123
[Status] Naone, Maewo Island.
Naone is our last stop before heading to the Banks group of islands 60NM to the north. Our plan was to anchor here overnight then leave for Gaua Island at midnight to arrive with the sun overhead at lunch time. We anchored in 10-12m of water clear enough to see the anchor chain trailing along the sandy bottom. At first glance, the land looked uninspiring and we had no information to tell us otherwise, but the first sound as we anchored was the raucous laughter of happy children. Out with the binoculars. There they were! Under the trees we found the small rocky entrance to a creek. The creek was surrounded by cascades. Playing in the cascades and on the rope that spanned it, there seemed to be hundreds of children. Wow!

Of course, the dinghy which wasn't going to be launched was launched and we went in for a visit. By the time we landed, most of the children had gone for dinner. Donya, a lovely young lady with a 5 month old baby told us that all of the village children, together with the students at the local boarding school play in the cascades after school every day. You must go and see the waterfall as well, she told us. Great, a waterfall too!

The walk to the waterfall the next day took us through the village gardens, all terraced and irrigated by a continuous flow of water from the falls. Growing happily were taro and coconut for export to Port Vila, yams, kumera, basil, bananas, papaya, spring onion, island cabbage; more than enough to support a sizeable village. We climbed onwards and upwards along logs over creeks, over rocks and through steps cut into the waterfall; until we stopped at a small crystal clear pool which disappeard into the base of a cave. Our guide and his three young friends told us we could swim in this beautiful oasis as a reward on our way down. A large swimming hole at the bottom of the falls looked inviting too, but we had an appointment with the view at the top. Climbing up the waterfall proper, we didn't stop to look back. The outstanding view at the top however, looked over the waterfall, into the large swimming hole beneath and then further down the mountain and to the sea where
the
mast of our boat was just peeping over the trees. It hit us that if we'd anchored 100m further south-west, the boat would have been framed perfectly in the photo and we'd have had the best photo of our trip. Aaagh! For those anchoring here in the future, here are waypoints that we think would put your boat in the best position. 15 0.720S 168 3.707E. We didn't move the boat and go back and check, although I wanted to...

The afternoon's shenanigans in the pool were enormous fun. An old WW2 American causeway covered by running water and slippery moss runs along the top of the cascades. Into it, the children ran squealing, then tried to slide the full width of the mossy road before falling or diving into the deeper water beyond. The only interruption was when one of the two cars in the village drove cross the causeway delivering passengers to or from the local airstrip. Later, Geoff tried to outpace a large pack of boys jumping from the cascade into the creek below. Who enjoyed it the most? Who came home starving, fell into bed and slept really well that night? Hmmm!!!

position: 15 00.666s 168 03.773e
date: 28/09/2016

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