Tuvalu to Vanuatu

Tuvulu to Vanuatu
(Funafuti Atoll to Port Vila) 
It's hard to get your hands on fresh fruit and vegetables in Funafuti so the canned tradition continued as we loaded up on tinned pears and baked beans.
The refuelling was both amusing and painstaking as we waited 6 hours for such a task to be accomplished.
We mused at the concept of "Island time" and then what became apparent as "no concept of linear time".
It gave us time to contemplate life by the wayside and make friends with the fuel guy (who's truck had mysteriously disappeared to some unknown location on the island, along with our diesel!) and after we'd both suffered food poisoning and had no fresh fruit or veg for almost another month (apart from coconuts), we were aching to leave for Vanuatu.
We waved goodbye to the incredible Funafuti, with an exchange of rice for coconuts and navigated out of the south entrance of the Atoll.
We were hoping for a nice quick crossing, after all it's only 800 miles!
Pulling up our newly repaired, big head sail (the prisoners did a superb job stitching her up), we were off again! 🙂
In light winds the headsail works perfectly; we manage 6 knots in less than 10 knots of breeze!
The first few days were perfect, seas to 1m and winds not above 15 knots.
Ideal blue skies and perfect sailing conditions!!
We tried to head south more as we had some strong winds and bigger seas coming later in the week.
We ended up sailing a further 100 miles south. That should give us a better angle for Vanuatu.
4 days into our passage....
We put a double reef in the main sail, pull down our No.1 and put up a small jib and storm sail on the cutter.
We are flying along.. 6..7....8 knots !!
The swell is really starting to pick up, 3 meters and an occasional breaking wave over our decks!!
Thursday morning,6 days into our passage...GPS is saying only 24 hours to Vanuatu!!
Seas are over 3 meters and breaking, wind is still 25knots and showing no signs of easing...
We are still making over 7 knots. Narhval is loving this, the decks are a constant wash, we both hide below as it's not very safe outside.
In fact we've been down below now for 3 days, we just keep reminding ourselves that it's only a 7 day passage not 31!!
That reassures us and we relax back in to it.
Narhval is jumping all around, but her movements are so predictable and in slow motion. Waves crashing all over her, over the bow, both middle and aft cabin.
We realised this morning that neither of us has had a hot shower since Garden Bay Marina, British Columbia (back in June!!!)
The revelation that in less than 24 hours we will be having hot showers is absolutely overwhelming!!!
Fresh fruit and vegetables AND a hot shower?
Now that's just luxurious!!!!

Видео Tuvalu to Vanuatu канала The Geordie, the Witch and the Wench