(Sailing Days 8 & 9) We’ve safely arrived in Port Vila, but the last two days at sea were challenging. Constant changes in wind speed and direction made for an uncomfortable beat, and sleep was scarce.
Our autopilot, original to the 33-year-old boat, failed again, and again, and again. Despite replacing various parts, we couldn’t fix it. Hand-steering for two days seemed inevitable until we found a workaround: the autopilot would steer, but in the opposite direction. We adapted by steering the opposite way. This trip solidified John’s decision to buy a new autopilot.
Our Saturday arrival, previously communicated to Vanuatu Customs, Immigration, and Biosecurity, was delayed a day by the autopilot issue. Officials rescheduled our clearance for Monday, instructing us to anchor in the Quarantine Anchorage upon arrival.
On Sunday, about 10 miles from Port Vila, we motored in as the sun rose. A burning smell, possibly wood or garbage, drifted from the island. At the quarantine anchorage, the water was beautiful, filled with colorful fish. After anchoring, we gave Bunny a freshwater shower and finally caught up on sleep.
