We were the last of 4 boats to arrive in Port Vila as we are quite happy to sail under 'genoa only' at night at 5knots following the 'Captain Paul' rule of easy albeit slower night passaging. The others arrived before daybreak having raced one another and for no benefit. Yachting World - the local marina wouldn't be manned before 08:00 and we couldn't get to visit Customs for our Inter Island Cruising Pass until office hours. We had chosen the 16:00 start time and Squander (5 foot longer) chose follow suit. If timing your departure is to time your arrival, they could have left at 18:00!
Having obtained our clearance via email to enter Vanuatu via an undeclared port - in our case Port Resolution so we could visit the volcano, we were a little confused about our 'clearing in' responsibilities at Port Vila. Our document asked us to merely call into the Customs Office to obtain our Cruising Permit & provide more identification of our vessel and all fees would be payable on departure when 'clearing out' of the country. Immigration? Biosecurity? Nothing mentioned. We weren't the only ones confused. Squander and Frozzie had the same issue. We'd already been in the country a week and a half on the strength of an email reply to our emailed forms but logic does say, that at the very least, our passports needed stamping and someone in authority needed to know that we had actually arrived. We decided to ignore our 'permissions' and go through the 'clearing in' process anyway, only stopping short of flying our Pratique/ Q flag.
To our joy, Richard on Tauranga radio'd on the VHF to welcome us in. We were delighted to know our Queensland playfriends were here waiting for us although sad to learn that it was largely because their fridge was still being repaired. An ongoing issue since Noumea. Richard was able to update us on where Customs had moved to - a new building at the shipping harbour near where the cruise ships come in. Immigration was now in the former French Embassy and the building was being renovated and looked more like a bomb site than a government office. The newly formed Biosecurity Department was housed in a cupboard at the back of the Customs building Richard informed us. Directions to one of many ANZ ATM's were also given which is as well as the Erromangans had ensured that we departed only once every opportunity to use up our last VT on THEIR island had been exhausted.
None of the cruising literature is up-to-date or accurate. There wasn't even any information on the charts to show that the Chinese had, in the process of doing the Port upgrade, recently blasted a channel through a reef enabling tall masted vessels (over 23m) to enter the mooring field at the back of Irikiri Island without passing under the power lines! We need a 19.5m clearance height and The Bloke was hesitant about taking a mooring buoy as it would require us to pass under the lines which the charts had noted as having only 20m clearance. As it was, The Bloke was so busy waiving and talking to Richard as we passed their boat that he didn't even realise we'd just passed under the lines! I on the other hand, was paying attention and knowing we'd be fine, declined to tell him.
For a modest 1,600Vt (roughly 20AUD)per night we are on a mooring buoy in preference to anchoring in uncertain coral rubble. The cruising guide reassuring says you are lucky if you can snag a coral head to secure your anchor. Mmmmm? The option of a Mediterranean style berthing against a sea wall at Yachting World was passed up. Noise, privacy, security and 'nervy parking' issues.
The shore of Irikiri Island, just behind our mooring does not really give us a greater sense of certainty. Smashed up vessels of various descriptions litter the shore like scattered bath toys. There are showers and toilets ashore but we'll be using our own facilities - thanks all the same! (I'm recalling the toilets at KL airport 40+ years ago that were too disgusting to even vomit in. These ones on a parallel scale). Our laundry will be taken care of and line dried and folded for 1,000Vt per load. I think we'll be OK in that department.
The marina Bar and Grill seems OK and Happy Hour is going down a treat as Marianne is demonstrating for your benefit!
Armed with the 'up-to-date' information we set off by dinghy to Customs. We tied up alongside the customs vessel. The Biosecurity vessel was absent as they don't have one yet. The contrast between the vast, modern and air conditioned Customs office and the Biosecurity office can't be understated. It's clearly under resourced and it will take a lot of cruiser's 5,000Vt payments before things change. In addition to lacking a vessel with which to board a vessel (and interdepartmental jealousy would suggest they don't often get a ride on the Customs boat), they also lack presence. Their office is basically a windowless storeroom afterthought at the rear of Customs and barely larger than a walk-in robe in which are located 3 staff, 2 desks, 4 chairs, 1 filing cabinet and a couple of cartons supporting their coffee mugs and lunch plates. If your shoe size were greater than 8.5 you'd probably have to stand on one leg or sit on someone's lap! We left the premises 5,000Vt lighter in the wallet.
We left Immigration for day 2. It was as Richard described, a bomb site. Filing cabinets were jammed along the balconies, workmen were haphazardly going about their thing and directed us up muddy stairs and passageways to the sound of jackhammers to Lyn's office. We knew her name was Lyne because every item surrounding her was labelled thus. Behind her was a server hub with wires spewing everywhere. We were invited to fill in Passenger Arrival forms and handed a biro that she kept in her fuzzy hair for ready access. It was pointless mentioning that we'd already submitted these forms on-line. They'd never have been passed on. If they had, she'd never find them in all this chaos. We were invited to sit at a little desk and free up the counter. At least the office was air conditioned amid the the dust, noise and humidity and was probably the reason 'Mummy' was seated in an armchair below the window and occasionally nodding off while reading her large-print library book. Lyne was multitasking.
Our passports were duly stamped and for the pleasure we were invited to contribute a further 4,800Vt to the Vanuatu economy. This created a slight 'situation' as our money was either too much or not enough. Payment must be in cash and the cashier was absent just now. Our smaller denominations left us 50Vt short. Lyne was searching her own purse to ensure she could tick us off in her KPI's for the day when a Kiwi Islander arrived and gifted a 50Vt coin with a huge grin!
Anyway, we are all 'legal' now and able to guiltlessly roam Port Vila which despite only being 80nm away from Erromango, might just as well be another planet!
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