SAILING back to paradise - Ep 65

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Sailing back to paradise
In last weeks episode we sail back to paradise as we return to Vanuatu waters and we make the tough decision to keep sailing, past Tanna Island, Vanuatu. It was a difficult decision to make, especially considering the first time we visited, in 2015, we vowed to return. So we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane, five years ago when the children were smaller and father was much hairier.
Our host Willie took us to the most terrifying volcanic eruption, a John Fromm village, a waterfall and a traditional Kastom village where there was less clothing worn then a Lady Gaga music video.

Music
Luna Keller – I don’t know where I’m going
Future Canyons – Waiting and waiting instrumental – Musicbed
Traditional Vanuatu song
The light the heat – Falling stars – Musicbed
Layup – Real real good – Musicbed
David Mumford – Ball and chain – Creative commons

Who are we?
In 1997, after a disastrous Olympic rowing campaign, Rob decided to row a seven-metre plywood boat, 2500 miles from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Barbados in the Caribbean. It took 6 weeks and he and his rowing partner, Phil Stubbs, won the inaugural Atlantic Rowing Race.

Skip forward to 2014, we invested in Javelot a 43 ft Fountaine Pajot catamaran. Armed only with Robert’s 3 years of racing P class yachts from the age of 11 to 13, and Rachel’s non existent sailing knowledge, we set off to learn the ropes of ocean sailing. We broke stuff, replaced stuff and got to know our boat before heading offshore with our three children, Finn 17, Declan 15 and Ivan 12, in tow.
Through trial and error, we have become confident wayfarers, kind of.
Our plan? To sail around the world, meet the locals and record our adventures. Part of the journey will be retracing Rob’s eldest brother Kerry’s travels at sea. Using Kerry’s original letters from the 1970’s we will re trace his movements from Australia through Indonesia and South East Asia to Cambodia where Kerry’s life was cut short after straying into Cambodian waters in 1978. Kerry and two friends were attacked by a Khmer Rouge gun boat, captured, tortured and executed.

*****
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Never stop wandering, never stop wondering.

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