Port Vila wrecks

This week, our travel-pic theme is X for Xerox – black-and-white reproductions of some pics we’ve taken around the world.

For Tuesday, it’s sunken ships in the harbour of Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Now, this is one of a number of wrecks that dot Iririki Island, the resort island in the middle of Port Vila – some of them tossed aside by Cyclone Pam, others with a more mundane history.

When Tropical Cyclone Pam lashed Vanuatu in March 2015, it devastated the island nation with winds of more than 250km/hr – and the capital Port Vila, didn’t escape.

Many vessels were simply tossed ashore in the harbour .. you spot them as you take a water-taxi from the cruise ship wharf into town.

There used to be even more, along the waterfront in front of the Nambawan Cafe – home of an excellent fresh grapefruit-and-orange drink, and of even more excellent excellent free wifi 🙂

But last time we were there (February 2016) many of the hulks had been removed, although some still remain – like the catamaran to the right of our picture.

The ferry wreck in the foreground, however, actually predates Cyclone Pam .

It was abandoned by an overseas investor who went bankrupt.

And like the dreams of the operator, this picture’s fading to grey.