South Pacific Cruises - Coongoola Day Cruise
Enjoy a full day trip on the Auxiliary Ketch "Coongoola" a 74 foot timber Ketch which is a former world cruiser and mother ship in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Your day starts with a pick-up by mini bus in the morning between 8.00 am and 8.30 am, then over the jungle clad hills to beautiful Havana Harbour with a commentary by the driver or tour guide along the way. At 9.00 to 9.15 am arrive at our mooring base where you board the ship. The area we cruise is in the rain shadow side of the island so we have more fine days than most other areas. We board the ship by way of a small tender boat then once on-board the tour guide presents a short safety talk before leaving the mooring. On the way morning tea and coffee is served with some tasty sweet buns, the coffee is organic and sourced locally from Tanna Island Vanuatu. After a short time we go ashore at Tranquillity Island resort which is a sister company to the cruise where a 30 minute stop-over takes place to visit a turtle conservation project aimed at increasing the number of Hawksbill turtles which are on the United nations endangered species list. We board the ship again and proceed to a beautiful sheltered beach we go ashore once again in a small tender to arrive at a white sandy beach with its crystal clear water, guests can find Aa shady spot for the day before going out to the reef for a snorkel. If you not up for a snorkel, lazing on the beach and swimming in the beautiful clear warm water is an option its entirely up to you. Lunch is served and guests are served tasty local steak or sausages with lots of organic vegetables and french bread, Icy cold drinks are available from the bar at reasonable prices. After lunch and a bit of a siesta, a second snorkeling trip is organized this time to a different location. Free snorkeling gear is provided for guest use, for those just interested in relaxing it is a perfect location to just do that. Around 3.00.pm guests are taken back to the ship where we feed the local tropical fish with leftovers from lunch, then the mooring line is cast off and we set sail back to the mainland. Weather and winds permitting the sails go up and we sail to the passage back into the harbour. Most days we have our dolphin friends come and play with the bow waves of the ship, they are spinner dolphins and love to jump and spin out of the water. We often do a circuit to keep them happily before they peel off and go on their way. With the sun getting lower in the west the water shimmers in the light and after afternoon tea and a fruit platter we are back to the mainland and the other world once again this happens at about 4.30 pm where guests join the mini bus to return to Port Vila by 5.00.pm.
Admission Included