Vanuatu to New Caledonia aboard Vela

Crewing on Vela, a 1993 Fountaine Pajot Venezia, from Mele and Port Vila across to Prony Bay and Nouméa. Kava, fire breathing, a rough crossing and a customs standoff.

Getting there

Colorado to LAX, LAX to Fiji, then Nadi to Port Vila, Vanuatu. I'd hailed for crew on Hannes and Elisa's catamaran, Vela, a 1993 Fountaine Pajot Venezia, and that was where the trip really started.

Mele

We spent a few days exploring Mele, drinking kava, snorkeling, wakeboarding and making nice meals. One night we went to a fire show, and I learned to breathe fire.

Port Vila prep

Then we prepared for our four-day sail. We crossed the harbors from Mele to Port Vila to check out and get ready for the passage: shopping, fueling, the last jobs before leaving.

The crossing

We sailed out into rough water and a few of us got a bit sick. Then the water calmed and we did some boat dragging.

Then things got rough again, and we ran into some issues. Hannes quickly diagnosed and fixed every one of them:

a chafing reef sheet
a shredded V-belt on the Yanmar port motor
the bow spring breaking off
a rough wave crashing through the front portal windows and soaking the salon

Approximate routes, not GPS tracks · flights shown as arcsChart · tap to explore

Night passage to Prony Bay

We made a night passage into Prony Bay and anchored off Casy Island. After a bit of boat cleaning and maintenance we made a great meal and got ready for the lagoon passage up to Nouméa.

Nouméa and the customs standoff

In Nouméa we checked into customs and did a bit of shopping. Then there was an issue with Vela. The authorities thought she was an outside vessel from another country. But Hannes and Elisa bought her in New Caledonia and paid the import taxes, so she should be allowed to stay longer than the temporary import given to travelers and foreigners.

It became a real point of contention with customs. So we planned a meeting on Monday with customs and the maritime authorities, who hold the vessel's records.

To be continued.

Ilot Maitre to Amédée Lighthouse, with Companion

In the meantime we met up with Companion, a sailing family from Austria, and sailed to Amédée Lighthouse by way of Ilot Maitre Resort near Nouméa. Spectacular snorkeling and spearfishing, and meals shared with Companion.