Tuesday 6th September

Yesterday we…didn’t go diving on the USS Coolidge. It was too murky and overcast. We spent the day pootling about in a faintly purposeful manner, in accordance with Island Time rules. We had to go to Customs, to get clearance from Vanuatu, and to the harbor master, to get a fuel docket. The people in the Customs office, where Pete seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time leaning against a small barred window spelling out “2-X-S” very patiently, told him that we would have to go and see the Harbour Master about the fuel docket (for duty free fuel, available when one is leaving a country). It wasn’t a long walk, but it was very hot, dry, dusty, trudging past big containers, Quonsett huts and tin sheds full of copra, with large sacks to be unloaded by poor benighted workers. We entered Harbour Master’s office where Pete once again spent a lot of time patiently spelling “2-X-S” and asking about the fuel docket. Many minutes later, he was told that he was in the wrong place; we should be back at Customs. Trudge trudge…back past the sheds, the copra, the containers, mad dogs and Englishmen out in the midday sun. Back to Customs, where Pete once again spelled “2-X-S’ and said that the Harbour Master had told us Customs could give us the form. “Oh,” said Pete’s friend behind the grille. “No worries,” and handed him the form…

So far so good…now off to SSP, the fuel suppliers, to make a time to fill up “2-X-S.” They were just slithering the gate closed…COMPUTER SAYS NO, it was snoozy lunch time. Pete said, “But I just want to ask what time we can fill up!” Too bad… No answer, came the stern reply. Only: “Come back at 1.30.” Pete was unusually, for him, cross about this. “I just want to ask a question! That’s all!” A small blue taxi pulled up, and we climbed in. The driver asked if we minded if he just popped into the office to pay some money. “They won’t let you in, mate!” said Pete. “They are a pack of bastards in there!” Our driver didn’t believe this, and went to open the door. He came back, looking just as cross as Pete, and said, “Fuckin’ man told me to come back at 1.00!” I, in the back seat, was highly amused, and quite startled – we have never heard a ni-Van swearing – the people in the SSP office must give extreme provocation with their manner – maybe they are all sitting with their feet up on their desks, eating, carousing, and sneering joyfully at the desperate men on the other side of the locked door… I will have to get further particulars from Pete, and from our frustrated taxi driver.

Last night Alex (UK, Cambridge,) and Nick, (USA, Orange County,) came over from Infinity to help hoist Pete up the mast so he could fix something up at the very top. Yes I can do this but it is my very least favourite task on the boat… I hate seeing Pete up there in his little sling, knowing that his life depends on my ability NOT to let the rope slip through my nerveless grasp… Nick had to go back to do dingy duty to and from the Beachfront with various Infinity-ites, but Alex stayed for beer, then G & T, then...dinner! We very much enjoyed his company. He and his school friend George graduated from uni together, worked hard to save some cash, and have been travelling for nearly two years. Neither is sure of where they will end up – very possibly Australia. They see this very much as the land of opportunity…

This morning we had to be up and ready earlier than has become our wont, because we were being picked up from the Beachfront at 8.00 for our dive. I was, as usual, in two minds about this. I was really hoping it would be pouring with rain and stormy out at sea so that I could say, “Oh well, never mind,” in a bright and brave voice. But I was also looking forward to diving on a famous wreck with great joy. I suppose the issue is…I am just a teensy bit frightened and not all that confident. (This was only my second dive since completing my Open Water Diving course last year…)

As it turned out, all was well. No rain, a calm sea, and we had our very own lovely ni-Van guide, David, who was patient and gentle in the extreme. Allan Power, the guru of wreck-diving in Vanuatu, and his partner Tony had already described the dive site to us – there is a series of ropes leading down from the beach to the USS Coolidge, and it is possible only to dive to 16 metres but still be on the wreck. At the far end of the boat you can dive down to 60 metres and swim through the cavernous depths of the warship, which was sunk, alas, by friendly fire. Or rather, friendly land mine. I really like being able to go gently down a rope into the sea; much easier than leaping off a boat and trying to get down down down – I tend to bob around like a cork, emitting startled gasps. As it was, both Pete and I glided down the ropes with dignity intact. Visibility wasn’t perfect, but we were able to see and touch the boat, and to examine various artefacts – an encrusted rifle, a bit containing shoes, gumboots, gas masks, a tray with a jug, cups and saucers.

On the way back up, we stopped to decompress halfway, on a beautiful little coral reef about 6 metres down, absolutely swarming with fabulous fish. I enjoyed this very much; possibly more than being on the wreck… On the wreckdeck, I forgot to say, we saw a gorgeous little lion fish, with long feathery spines, looking very appealing and soft. I knew from my reading that lion fish are extremely poisonous, and Allan confirmed this when we went back to his place for coffee and buns – “If you get stung by a lionfish, you want to die for the first five minutes, and after than you wish you were already dead.” (He was a barrel of laughs…)

Our half hour passed very swiftly, and we emerged from the water feeling very pleased with ourselves. A party of Cinq Français came with us on the bus, but they were still in the depths of the USS Coolidge when we left, so we couldn’t compare notes. When we were swimming along the deck, we could see bubbles coming out of various portholes – I swam over and looked down and there, they were, in the cavernous depths – braver than Pete and me! Never mind; we are very pleased with ourselves and think we acquitted ourselves well.

Tomorrow, I think, we are leaving for northern islands. We will meet up with our lovely friends Kerry and Rina in Ndende in the Santa Cruz islands and they will come to Honiara with us. I hope our trip is less crisis-ridden than our time on a junk named Junk in Ha-Long Bay two years ago…

Not sure how long it will be before we come across a friendly internet-connecting tower… Please think of us and maybe send an email or two… We will be so happy to have news from home when next we come into cyberspace territory.