October 8

Ahhhh – still here in Luganville. Massive front slid north and very strong Southeast winds have set in. I have no idea how long it will last. It keeps being extended… This was a charming place for a couple of weeks but I am so done with it. Lots of people are stuck here to waiting to go to New Caledonia which is basically south and we can’t go! Not to mention of all the damm boats here there is no good friends among the bunch with whom we could pass the time AND no kids which is really hard on me and Jonah. Not to mention the inevitable bonding of moms. There are a couple of boats that are fairly friendly. The truth is that we are all a bit depressed.  Every now and then kids appear at the resort but they are never as friendly as boat kids. We did meet a lovely family of Israelis with two kids called Leri and Roni. Jonah had lots of fun playing with them.  

WHY you ask do we stay here so long? If you have never bashed into the wind (blowing 25 knots I might add) – I can not answer you. It is the harshest and most uncomfortable motion that a boat can endure. The boat literally pounds into each and every wave. The most breakages tend to occur in this type of conditions. Indeed we could take 50 knots from behind us in greater comfort. The mental stress of  those conditions are severe. Water is continuously pouring over the decks and it is dangerous and difficult to accomplish anything on deck.  

A boat left the protected anchorage to poke their nose out and hurried back in misery. So we wait.  

We are having a fairly stinky cruising season. I really can’t wait to get back to New Zealand and simply relax into marina life. There are lots of things I want to do in New Zealand this year.  

My sinus/ear infection seems to be almost over and I will finish my course of antibiotics tomorrow. Something is going right! I am drawing more – boredom will drive even the laziest of folks to creativity! I never pulled out the oils because the smell so strong in the heat. The other day I was rumbling thru my art draw and accidentally tipped a jar of turpentine over and the smell was horrible in the heat. I hope to be able to paint in NZ. It one of the things I am really looking forward to.