Well, we're back at sea. We decided to pop into Port Vila since it was so close and the forecast showed a few days of light winds ahead. Figured we might as well top off the fuel while we had the chance.
Things have certainly changed here over the past few months! The Australian Border Force has been through and provided a bunch of new equipment and some basic training to the local authorities. However, let's just say there are still a few gaps to fill. Apparently, having a visible track history on the chart plotter is now a big deal, and no one seemed to grasp the concept that after a certain point, the oldest data gets deleted to make room for new data. Trying to explain it was like trying to teach Mr. Bean about quantum physics! We also had a whole saga with the AIS system and our lack of visibility. So, not exactly the warmest of welcomes.
After being biometrically checked, we were finally free to grab some fuel and then head back to the office later for another round of biometric checks before leaving at first light. We also managed to squeeze in some food shopping, so hopefully, we can bypass Port Moresby altogether unless we really need fuel.
It absolutely poured with rain almost the entire time we were in Port Vila, and we left into a gloomy, overcast day. But hey, there's a silver lining! We've got around 17 knots of breeze at the moment, which is a pleasant surprise and a bit more than was forecast. Fingers crossed it holds up because the forecast for the next week isn't exactly promising any speed records and we still have a long way to go.