Tanna, Vanuatu NW Coast

[jim_thomsen]

Hello,

We have spent quite a bit of time on Tanna and have been helping local people promote their "bungalows and home stays".

A new place, Blue Ocean as just opened and the owner says that the anchorage is good. We do not know anyone who has anchored on the NW coast of Tanna. Have you? His bungalows are near the White Grass airport: 19°27′18″S 169°13′26″E

If this is a good anchorage it would be a great place to spend time.

Here is some info on their new place: Blue Ocean

Thank you for your help!

[Cruisin Cat]

Originally Posted by jim_thomsen

Hello,

We have spent quite a bit of time on Tanna and have been helping local people promote their "bungalows and home stays".

A new place, Blue Ocean as just opened and the owner says that the anchorage is good. We do not know anyone who has anchored on the NW coast of Tanna. Have you? His bungalows are near the White Grass airport: 19°27′18″S 169°13′26″E

If this is a good anchorage it would be a great place to spend time.

Here is some info on their new place: Blue Ocean

Thank you for your help!

The NW coast of Tanna will be pretty much down wind (with prevailing SE wind) from the Mt Yassur volcano. Most likely have a fair bit of ash falling. I anchor at Port Resolution east of the volcano...it's good except when the occasional westerly blows then the boat is full of ash, inside and out. Last year I sailed north from Tanna in a southerly, ash fell on my boat for 50 nm.

[Jim Cate]

I concur with the ash fallout issue, plus corrosive gasses at times. We've had our s/s rigging turn brown in a very short time downwind from Ambryn.

And I have to ask: is the owner, who claims the anchorage to be good, a sailor? We've had the most astonishing advice from non-sailor islanders re anchorages, passes, and depths. When your experience in the water is garnered in dugouts drawing a few inches at full load your perspective is distorted!

It would be great to find that it is true, so keep asking... someone must have been there!

Cheers,

Jim

[JPA Cate]

I went and looked on Open cpn, and the area is called Waisisi Bay, says it has a sand and stone bottome, and there is a little anchor symbol on the chart.

Have NOT been there, cannot say anything about holding. but from the electronic chart it looks open to the sea. But what I was looking at is on the NE coast, not the NW. Perhaps there is some confusion here?????

Ann

[jim_thomsen]

Thanks Ann,

The owner is not a sailor so, like you, I don't trust that information. I will check my original information about the location, maybe I got it wrong.

Maybe someone will stop there someday and let me know. We created a website to help a few communities in Vanuatu publish their information, so I would love to include any new sailing information. The website is vanuatutravels.com

[Jimmyhenry]

Been to tanna several times, the west coast is best avoided unless you really have to. Customs clearance is better at Resolution and it is a good anchorage except in a NE. Watch the southern reef on entry. Also the GPS is well out. Check on your radar if you intend entering in the dark. Holding is pretty good, but it can be rolly, some boats use a stern anchor the reduce the rolling. Werry is the club manager, nice chap. Accommodation is pretty basic on shore.


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[NoTies]

DO NOT clear into Port Resolution. It is not and never has been a gazetted port of entry although some rallies have made special arrangements to clear into there. Lenekal customs officers have started fining people who anchor there and catch a transport over the island to clear in. BTW, it's not the GPS that is out, it's your chart datum offset that is.

[Jimmyhenry]

Thank you for the update on Tanna Customs clearance. We have cleared in here three times, last was in 2011, a previous one was on a rally. Shame they have stopped this. It was always a hairy ride across the island to Lenekal, but the anchorage on the west is tricky.
We cleared out of Anytium (Anatom ?) in 2012. The was convenient and a very decent customs guy. It is a brilliant anchorage, and is nicely on the way to Noumea.

[NoTies]

Hi, Aneityum is not a gazetted port either so no clearing in there but Customs have recently interpreted their regulations to allow a yacht to visit another port after final clearance provided they have written approval of the director of customs. We are actively lobbying to have Aneityum added as a gazetted port as there is also a lot of cruise ship activity there.

[sapient sue]

Off the thread a little as I have not anchored on the NW coast of Tanna, but was interested in the post re not clearing in at Port Resolution by driving over to Lenakel. This is a step in the wrong direction and cruisers need to take up the cause. By anchoring safely in Port Resolution Yachties spend more money and keep locals in jobs as they pay for the transport to Lenakel. I know lots of cruisers who stop at Tanna but not many have actually stayed in Lenakel because the anchorage is so dangerous. This new rule may deter cruisers from stopping at Tanna all together and simply going on to Vila and flying back to see the volcano. This will reduce the amount of money staying with the islanders on Tanna and it would be a shame after all their efforts to improve the lot for cruisers and visitors in general.

Sapient Sue

[NoTies]

This is NOT a new rule, they are simply enforcing the current rules more diligently because of a few miscreants. The community is lucky enough to have a clearance port on Tanna at all. Remember, in conjunction with enforcing this rule they have made it easier for yachts to visit the Volcano,Aneithyum, Torres etc. after clearing out.

[Jimmyhenry]

Anyone know if you can still clear out of Aneityum? We were one of about 6 boat who cleared out from here in 2012 to head for Noumea.

[NoTies]

The short answer is no but as per my above post you may, with the director of customs approval, clear out of a gazetted port such as Lenakel or Port Vila and subsequently visit another port such as Aneityum. BTW, don't you love that 60 metre floating dock on Mystery? I had the wonderful job of installing that in 2011. Talk about getting paid to have fun.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by NoTies

The short answer is no but as per my above post you may, with the director of customs approval, clear out of a gazetted port such as Lenakel or Port Vila and subsequently visit another port such as Aneityum. BTW, don't you love that 60 metre floating dock on Mystery? I had the wonderful job of installing that in 2011. Talk about getting paid to have fun.

Photo?

[NoTies]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Photo?

5 1/2 days to install including 14 screw anchors through coral rock, all thanks to a great team of imports and locals. The next dock we did in 4 1/2 days at Wala Island. Chartered an oldish superyacht as it was cheaper than a landing craft, stuck the entire contents of 2 40' containers on board and sailed 180 miles to a VERY remote site for construction. Swimming in tropical waters whilst playing with a giant Lego set, eating superyacht standard food, living in the owner's cabin with the wife and getting a generous daily rate. Doesn't get much better than that.