Thursday 24 August 2017
Melsisi, Pentecost
After a long night dealing with unexpected boat traffic, the morning started bright and early with a crew breakfast and a morning boat run to drop Deb, Annette and our designated dental recorder Mark ashore for a busy day of clinics. With the rest of the boat crews primary job for the day done Ray, John and Grant (now feeling much better) had a relaxed morning on board cleaning and organising the boat after the previous day’s activities. With the boat clean and organised Ray and Grant headed ashore in search of adventure, aiming to find the “Gorge” mentioned in one of the many Vanuatu guide books in the boats library.
After a few hours of walking around in the hills and valley’s around town and swimming in some beautiful crystal-clear rapids and plunge pools they returned to town. Not entirely convinced they had found the “gorge but happy with their adventure none the less they headed into town to find the medical teams and hopefully some fresh bread. After finding the medical team and being invited to join them for a local lunch of rice, beef and Lap Lap they were pleased to hear of the team’s great progress. Mark had a busy morning with the primary school kids, checking the local 4-5year old’s teeth busily recording the Dentists observations, both impressed by the overall oral hygiene of the young children. Meanwhile Annette and the medical team had spent the morning handing out soap, deworming tablets and treating various medical cases as they presented.
After touching base with Deb and finding out about the clinics busy afternoon plans (20 15-year-old school kids due for their check-ups!) Ray and Grant set out in search of bread before eventually giving up, defeated by the local shops running to “island time” and heading back to Chimere to break the bad news to the skipper John. John took the lack of fresh bread in his stride and headed back ashore for his own land adventure, eager to get out after a morning of route planning for the upcoming voyage. After a few hours John, Mark, Deb and Annette returned to the boat in time for pre-dinner drinks and snacks while the sun set, discussing the day’s work/adventures till the light was gone and all that was left to do was eat dinner and get a good night’s sleep ready to get up tomorrow and do it all again.
Fair winds and smooth seas
Grant