ANEITYUM TO TANNA, VANUATU

September 17, 2013 Tuesday

We weighed anchor at 0530 hrs in the morning to sail to Port Resolution (19-31.5' S; 169-29.8' E) on the island of Tanna.  Port Resolution was named by Captain Cook on his voyage around the world in 1774.  It is a "rolly" anchorage when the SE Trades are blowing but the holding is good.  The main attraction of Tanna is the volcano on Mt Yasur and a strange cult in a few villages called the "John Frum Cargo Cult".  The volcano is the most spectacular and exciting thing we have seen in the South Pacific.  It is accessed by truck on some of the most horrendous roads we have experienced.  Interestingly enough, the truck takes you almost to the top of the volcano.  It is a 600 ft walk to the rim of the crater.  There is no volcano crater in the world that is this accessible.  Upon approaching the rim there are violent explosions throwing up unbelievable amounts of magma several hundred feet into the air.  In no other country would they permit people to approach this close to an active volcano.  Several people have been killed in the past from molten lava being thrown up.  As evening approaches on the rim of the volcano, the boiling bubbling core of the volcano becomes even more impressive:  the explosions are incredible and the sound deafening.  One is thrown aback by it and feels the heat as the magma is thrown into the air and lands as red hot stones on the crater wall.  All this is happening within 200 ft of the people standing on the rim.  We have never experienced such a scary exciting display of Nature's Power.  We stayed on the rim for a few hours as darkness displayed the molten core.  The explosions came in about three minute intervals.

The "John Frum Cargo Cult " village is essentially a love affair with America.  It started during WW II when the natives witnessed the Americans building air force bases for retaking the Soloman Islands from the Japanese.  For the first time in their lives, they saw Black and White people working together on equal status - at least that is the way they perceived it.  The locals were treated with respect and paid for their labor.  When the Americans leave the island, a strange figure emerges named John Frum.  He tells the people that one day the Americans will return and bring them untold riches.  The John Frum believers continue on what they saw the Americans doing at their base:  marching to the Marine Core music and carrying American flags, etc.  Google this and have fun reading about the villages that continue with this cult worship.  "John Frum" really means "John From America"!

Port Resolution was too rolly so we departed for Port Vila on September 19th at 0730 hrs.