Dillons Bay, Erromango - Day 1

Well this place, Dillons Bay, is famous for the fact that in the early 1800's one guy named Williams was killed, his outline etched on a rock, and then cannibalised. Nice work. The missionaries after the 1830's persuaded the locals that this was not so good. Phew -Just in time!




The most southerly Island in the Vanuatu chain is Anatom and it, and the adjacent 'Fantasy Island' , are frequently visited by cruise ships. The next in line is Tanna, famous for it's volcano and coffee. After that is Erromango. It's infamy is cannabalism. Perhaps it's why it is less visited, even today.

We have had another massively overwhelming experience. On arrival, David from the 'Dillons Bay Yacht Club' paddled out in his dugout canoe to welcome us and inform us of our 'visitors program' for the next day! We were more that a little surprised but most pleased in the same breath.


David explained that they had expected the NZ based Island Cruising Association Rally to visit after going to the volcano at Tanna. Instead 15-20 vessels sailed right on past. They were crushed! No matter, we are here now, our party of 3 boats from our Rally later followed by some Aussie/Kiwis on Navigator. After our outing today our number swelled to 5 boats with the arrival of yet another vessel from Port Resolution. The locals are feeling loved again.


We've had a conducted tour of the 'Yacht Club', an introduction to the main Chief (Jason) a visit to the fresh water rock pool, school etc. After lunch we were taken to some caves where ancestors bones are kept. The Bloke was uncharacteristically brave going into one of them. The other involved climbing with the assistance of banyan tree roots, so that was declared a 'pass'. Some of the overhead rocks are held together by the roots of banyan trees. Forget your Occupational Health and Safety rules here!

Paddling over the reef

David standing next tp some banyan tree roots below one of the caves

The Bloke adjusting his head torch preparing to go down among the dead men!

Overall I can't believe what we've got up to on this trip:- trekking, snorkeling, caving, climbing, swimming in rock pools, climbing volcanoes, riding in the back of utes up winding and steep dust tracks. Feeling a bit like Bear Grylls!

Tomorrow, the girls are going to do washing. Very droll except we will do it in their Williams River (yup, casually recalling the guy who got eaten) and we'll smash our laundry against the rocks native style!

67 year old David is the visionary behind the 'Yacht Club'. He understands that they can't attract cruise boats here (lack of infrastructure like a wharf and roads) but yachties like us, will and can come. We are self contained and can bring with us some cash for traded items like fresh produce, meals, visits to caves etc... plus we bring know-how and some practical donations. He has built a little 'club house' using river pebbles and other materials and has been at it since 2007. 10 years. That's persistence for you!


Tomorrow we will use the club house to repair the UV strip on 2 yachts using my sewing machine. In the evening we have arranged for David's wife to prepare a meal for us all for 500Vt each. We'll BYO sundowner drinks. This is a perfect example of the benefit of David's vision. We discovered that he could order us some baked bread too for 150Vt a loaf. We arranged 4 loaves and David delivered it the same evening aboard his dugout! It's hilarious and fabulous in equal measure.

David has asked us for a pair of shorts. Considering that the Bloke is way bigger than David we are unsure what we can come up with. We have a couple of balls for him too since yachties ahead of us, emailed a request. Coincidentally there was a 'special' at the supermarket in Noumea so we were able to buy 2 soccer balls, a rugby and a basket ball to give away during our travels north.

Just before we went ashore yesterday a fisherman in a tinnie called us to the back of the boat. Did we have any 2stroke oil? He was looking at our outboard motor and guessing there was a 50/50 chance it was a 2 stroke motor. He was offering pawpaws or other stuff. We realised later that the pawpaws are highly prized after the last cyclone; need to be tended and watered and might take 2 years before they will fruit. The Bloke asked for some crayfish in return instead. The look on the guys face as Brian handed him 1/2 a container (2L) of oil was priceless. He assured us he would return with crayfish and he wouldn't forget. True to his word, he returned at 8:30pm with a boatcfull of fellow villagers to hand us 2 crayfish, plus a bug (1 cray was a 'Dongara Cray' or what we'd call under-size). The following day, the same fellow, now understanding that crays were a 'currency', made a tour of the other anchored boats wanting to trade crayfish for 5L of petrol. On the ball that one!

Meal in a bucket?

We are having an experience money can't buy!

Cyclone Pam smashed this community of 800 a couple of years ago. It destroyed all their crops. They are subsistence farmers and were completely cut off, even from the community on the other side of the island. They lived off coconuts and vine roots until assistance reached them. A few died of starvation. We are withering at the thought of these hard working people in such hardship. Our near neighbours!



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