Category: adventure

Here are some fun and fascinating facts about the ancient land diving event: This ritual is believed to be the precursor to modern bungee jumping. The wooden tower can reach up to 98 feet high. Specific vines are used instead of ropes, carefully selected for strength and flexibility. Only the young men participate in the jumps, which are considered a rite of passage in some communities. We learned that the purpose of the dive is to ensure a good yam harvest and honor ancestral traditions. The event draws visitors from around the world, eager to witness this daring cultural spectacle.
• Safety and timing are critical—jumpers calculate vine length to land safely on the ground.

More info from nfl cruising guide: The population of around 330,000 speaks more than 100 distinct languages, making Vanuatu one of the most linguistically diverse nations on earth. Bislama, English, and French are the official languages, a legacy of the joint British and French administration that governed the islands until independence in 1980. Kastom, the system of traditional law and cultural practice, remains central to daily life across much of the chain.

Maritime history

The first settlers reached Vanuatu around 3,500 years ago, the descendants of the Lapita people who spread across the western Pacific in longboats carrying pigs, chickens, yams, and taro. They established small autonomous clans across the islands, developing over millennia into the extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity that survives today. Ancestral spirits, magic, and the grade-taking ceremonies through which men accumulated social rank remained central to life across the chain, and kastom practice continues to shape daily existence on many islands.

European contact began with the Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, who landed at Espiritu Santo in 1606 and named it Austrialia del Espíritu Santo. Louis-Antoine de Bougainville followed in 1768 and James Cook charted the archipelago in 1774, giving it the name New Hebrides. The nineteenth century brought missionaries, traders, and labour recruiters, and the practice of blackbirding, the coercive recruitment of island men for Queensland sugar plantations and Fijian estates, affected the southern and central islands severely from the 1860s through the 1900s.

From 1906 the islands were governed jointly by Britain and France under an arrangement that ran two entirely separate administrations, courts, and police forces side by side over the same territory. Residents could choose which country’s laws applied to them. During the Second World War the islands became a major Allied base, and Luganville on Santo developed into one of the largest US military installations in the Pacific. When American forces departed, they dumped vast quantities of surplus equipment into the sea at what became known as Million Dollar Point rather than accept the nominal prices offered by the colonial administration. We did take one organized dive to explore the vast USS Calvin Coolidge which sank after hitting a mine placed to protect the base. (Nobody updated the captain where the mines were). It was a 5000 man troop ship. HUGE!!

Interesting fact, we also snorkeled Million Dollar Point. This was a place the Americans pushed thousands of vehicles, bulldozers, combat weapons (and everything else under the sun) into the ocean……taking 7 days…..
They first tried to sell it all to the French for pennies on the dollar but the French (owners of the island) refused, as they were thinking they were gunna get it for free anyways. Instead of leaving it for free, the Americans pushed it into the ocean just to spite the French. Walking the beach we found all kinds of artifacts including old bottles, plates, airplane engines and who knows what else. 🤷

A relaxing week down at the very south remote islands in New Caledonia. The sand is so white here, but not a seashell to be found. The rain evidently followed us up here from New Zealand, but we won’t complain. Saying goodbye to New Caledonia, and our new French friends that we made here. We enjoy learning about the country from the locals. Barbara and Kim treated us at their delicious restaurant “Hanahana” and later we took them out for a spectacular sunset sail. Much discussion on local Politics, culture and family similarities.

The capital city here is Noumea, and is bustling, a bit dirty and very French. We found some fun spots, the Catholic Church, some ruins from 1881 and even bought a new dingy for a friend in need. (Not saying any names here, btw) 🤣
My favorite aspect of Noumea is the fact that it’s free for both check in/out and the 3 month visa. The wines, cheeses and diesel was not cheap, however. But feeling very grateful! 🥰 We are off to Vanuatu tomorrow first light, aiming for Port Vila where 4-5 boat friends are waiting for us. Moving right along! We are here for another week, then will head north to country #2 of 5 this season; Vanuatu.

The rains and winds have totally died, and we are all settled in a calm and favorite tiny anchorage to enjoy the Bay of Islands and our last 2 weeks here in New Zealand. Hiking about on Moturua Island was good for a few of our last favorite spots. Luckily Kalea is comfy and spacious with all the necessities, and she doesn’t leak, it is Autumn here, by the way. ☔️

Whats next? We begin our prep for our clearing out of the country, and we will take the first weather window after May 1 (funny because that is when our marine insurance agent says it’s “Cyclone safe” 🤣🤣 Again, due to this typically rough passage north, we have 2 crew join us. A great highschool buddy of Scott’s; Tom Dwyer, will fly in. Also crewing is Mark Clough, excellent Kiwi sailor who joined our last trip north.

Our sail plans are fully packed for the season, including 5 maybe 6 Oceania countries. We will be returning to New Caledonia, as those were some of the clearest waters we have seen and has friendly turtles! 😁 Then we head to the marvelous Islands of Vanuatu. Our aim is to visit 5-6 new islands, each having a unique cultural Kastom (Ni-Vanuatu, a Bislama word for custom), dress, dance, and stunning blue holes. One tradition you may have heard of is the land diving of Pentecost, it’s called Naghol. (Research that one for a shocker) We then will clear out and check into the remote Island country of Solomons, a lot of rich WW2 history there. Moving north, we sail up and around Papa New Guinea, staying at the outer islands along the way. A slight possibility is to head to a tiny, but stunning US Territory named Palau. Heading East to our final destination of 2026, Indonesia! Our cruiser friends out there have reported amazing things like such friendly people, yummy foods, and cheap prices. Raja Ampat will be our highlight destination, so we will stay there for as long as possible. A much needed flight to the states will also happen in there somewhere.

Thanks for staying connected and joining us online for this sailing travel adventure! If you want to see some of our past experiences, our YouTube channel has 60 sailing videos and 27 yoga videos for anyone interested.

@Kaleasailingadventure

🦅 As a bird lover, I was enthralled by the Birdsong of Eastern Australia. If you are like me, you may know the app Merlin Bird ID, which has helped me identify birds by song or photo. I have used this app all over Mexico, Pacific Islands, New Zealand and now Australia! Such fun! Listen to the below videos, you can hear my favorite; the Australian Magpie. We saw a lot of them, usually in pairs, and typically very friendly, even eating a peanut out of Scott’s hand, while we camped out in rural areas. Their inquisitive eyes and slight turn of the head makes you think how smart they are. The other favorite of ours of course, is the laughing Kookaburra. Not only do they laugh loudly like monkeys, they are friendly, silly and so curious! Remember the old camp song “laugh kookaburra, laugh kookaburra…”

Now, the most colorful, by far is the crimson Rosella Parrot, brilliant crimson red head and breast. We were very lucky to see two pair swoop down for a drink in the river. Such colors! The funniest looking was definitely the nocturnal Tawny Frogmouth. While visiting the tiny town of Tyalgum for a day, a local elderly man pointed out a sleeping pair in a roadside tree. Shaggy camouflaged faces blended right in with the tree bark. 🤣 And, of course there are the small, sweet, crested pigeons, with rainbow wing feathers, but they sound like a small owl.

We had the chance to explore some Australian National Rainforests. Yes!!! Australian rainforests.
We too never imagined Australia having a rainforest. All we knew were the Crocodile Dundee movies (we all grew up with) and something about a dingo getting the baby. Lol

Anyway, the Springbrook National Forest is about 3300 feet and at 28 degree latitude south. Weird really as it looks to be a mountainous forest like California but the underbrush is filled with palms and ferns. Very lush and typical of a forest at 28 degrees south I guess. 🤷
We were hiking after a huge rain so the waterfalls were running strong and we found time to take our showers. 🙂 Although it was rainy, the water and outside temperatures were about 80 degrees.

We then explored a bit west of the green lush coast, as we wanted to find some desert and Kangaroo’s. We didnt go north far enough to see Crocodile’s though, no need to camp near those rivers! Can you imagine the fear about going pee in the night?

Warning! Some material in the rest of this post may make you squirm. Dont watch the below video if you don’t like creepy crawling things. 🙂Kathy found a little friend at the end of the hike. Beware, it’s gross!

Australia has been nothing like we expected. Green and lush countryside welcomed us as we drove up the coast from Sydney to Brisbane.
We’ve seen, Koalas, Wallaby’s, Water dragons, Kookaburras, Huge Cockatoo’s, Green Parrots, Bush Turkeys, Lamington Spiny Crayfish and a whole host of wild Mushrooms. Hiked the spectacular Granite dome called the Pyramid.

After the final 3 weeks in a van, some great days and some hard days in the rain, we are flew back to New Zealand to finish up the cyclone season. Kalea has new bottom paint so we will splash her later this week.