Out on the weekend tide

Today we leave the friendly, but rotten smelling marina at Port Moselle, and head south to pass first through the Canal Woodin and then through the Havannah Passage to reach the open waters on New Caledonia's eastern coast. We're bound for Vanuatu. It seems at this stage as though we'll be bypassing the intriguing, volcanic island of Tanna, the southernmost entry point for Vanuatu, for two reasons. First, the swell in Port Resolution looks as though it will be too big for comfort and second, by unhappy coincidence, a large number of round-the-world rally yachts arrive just as we were planning to drop anchor. They will be busily engaged in taking all available anchoring spots, depleting the stores of all their goods and generally raising the prices of what is left in this tiny settlement. Rally participants are notorious for their anti-social attitude towards other cruisers, so Port Vila it is - as far as we know.

The weather promises a smooth ride (though you didn't hear it from us).