S 15° 31.382
E 167° 09.957

Yesterday, around 1700, we dropped the hook in Luganvile, Espritus Santos Island. It’s about 80 NM NNE of Epi Island and our last stop in Vanuatu.

We left in the afternoon of the day before yesterday in nice breeze and sail with a wind from 120 – 150 deg PRT comfortably en route to Luganville.

However, during the night the wind died and we had to start the engines just at the exit of the passage between Malekula Island in the west and Ambrym Island in the east.

I stayed a bit below normal cruising speed. At daylight we set the gennaker, which pulled us nicely towards Luganville. But, as it is with all good things, they are never enough. Thus, we needed to use the engines again. Unfortunately until Luganville.

The anchorage appeared a bit crowded. A tug boat, a bigger commercial fishing boat and 6 sailing yachts were at anchor. However, we found easily a good spot, almost the one I, I hoped to get when I planned the route. The anchor is down at 13 m. The ground seems to be sand or heavy mud. Prefect holding.

Here we will do the final preparations for taking off to our next sail of 1200 NM to Tarawa, Kiribati Islands.

I still have to write about our last day at Epi Island, which will be a catching up narration.

I also intent to sketch the route until Japan once in advance in one of my next narrations.