After having adorned our ears with an enormous hibiscus, our new friends started to sing the British national anthem. The chief then told us some stories, about his experiences, and tackled subjects as vast as equality, peace and solidarity… A talk which was to last for over an hour!
The inhabitants of Vanuatu are particularly resourceful, but they lack certain things which are essential for their comfort… A few months after our visit, a passing American boat gave them a very good battery. Unfortunately, the village’s only solar panel had given up the ghost a long time previously… Lauretta asked us for one, but unfortunately we didn’t have a spare one to give them.
The next day, we organized a delivery of clothes in exchange for fruit and vegetables. A procession of pirogues passed via the catamaran’s sugar scoops. On the other hand, the school supplies we had brought from New Caledonia, such as pens or notebooks, didn’t have much success. We compensated with clothes, candy and toys.
Despite their kindness, the way the inhabitants of Waterfall Bay hung around the boat, always expecting more, was quite annoying. But from another point of view, their isolation justifies this. We should have brought more of the essential products, such as rice, coffee or sugar, as well as much more clothing, to satisfy their requests.
An old man then arrived at the boat. The gentleman spoke perfect French. He used to be the French teacher at Port-Vila.
He asked us for help to repair his hi-fi system, which it appeared no longer worked at all. We went to fetch it from his hut, a bit outside the village, and carefully locked with a padlock on the bamboo…quite funny to see.
The door opened gently, and there was a revelation!
In the middle, an old television and the hi-fi, on the left, a portrait of Jesus, on the right, a portrait of the Virgin Mary, and between the two, a huge ‘Digicel’ banner – none other than the telephone operator in Vanuatu, which seems to be very precious here…
We left with the hi-fi system, which was in a state…how can we put it…well I think you’ve understood. My father started to open the machine’s cover, and dozens of huge cockroaches flew out into the boat. A viscous, fluorescent substance was dripping out of the machine. Nothing to be done, we couldn’t repair something which was beyond repair! Our ‘repair’ operation had failed! The teacher’s daughter nevertheless gave us some bananas and lemons to thank us.
Two days later, we had to leave – regretfully – this wonderful place. Heading for Ureparapara.
Waterfall Bay was a superb stopover, which we strongly recommend!
Weather check:
During our stay in Waterfall Bay, we were outside the hurricane season, which begins at the end of the year and lasts until April.
Waterfall Bay is a good anchorage if the wind is easterly or southerly. On the contrary, winds from the north and west turn it into an unpleasant anchorage, but this seldom happens.
To see – to do:
The place’s main charm remains the big waterfall and the greenery cliff, which make it a magic place.
You can also see and understand the construction of a canoe: moreover it takes a month to finish it completely.
There are often dolphins in the bay, and they are not timid. We were lucky enough to be in the water with them, and able to observe them furtively.
The underwater life is also very beautiful, but there are not many fish.
Position:
The anchorage coordinates are as follows: 13º 49.573’S / 167º 22.892’E
Access to the anchorage is very easy, there are no dangers apart from the reef which borders the beach. It stretches as far as 50 meters from the beach, so you mustn't get too close.
The seabed is sandy, but there are however a few rocks; be careful not to hit them. There is between 15 and 20 meters of water.
Beware, the Navionics charts on a tablet or a smartphone don’t show an anchorage.
