After visiting Port Resolution on Tanna Island, Vanuatu in August 2023 and witnessing the damage caused by the two cyclones that impacted the island in February 2023, Down Under Rally organiser John Hembrow has launched a fundraising campaign to help rebuild the iconic Port Resolution Yacht Club.

Published 1 year ago, updated 7 months ago

After seeing the damage caused by Cyclones Judy and Kevin, including the total destruction of the Port Resolution Yacht Club and learning the long-term impacts that these losses will have on the community, Down Under Rally organiser John Henbrow and rally participants wanted to contribute in a meaningful way that would benefit the community for many years to come.

Two Cyclones in One Week

On February 28, 2023 Tropical Cyclone Judy approached the northern parts of Vanuatu as a Category 2 Cyclone before intensifying into a Category 4 storm as it passed over Shefa Province, where Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, is located.

TC Judy maintained a category 4 strength as it made landfall on Tanna Island at midnight on 1 March 2023. While TC Judy was moving in a south-southeast direction away from the Vanuatu group, another tropical low formed in the Coral Sea and entered Vanuatu as a TC Category 1 system named Kevin.

TC Kevin strengthened to a Category 4 system as it moved across central and southern provinces and made landfall on Tanna Island on 4 March 2023.

“Port Resolution resident Werry Narua explained, when he shared the History of the Port Resolution Yacht Club, how this very humble yacht club plays an important role in the community,” said John Hembrow.

“As such, they are eager to rebuild the clubhouse, so we decided to support them by raising funds for the materials needed for the rebuild.  I have created a website that shares the history of the club, what we are doing to ensure it has a future and how people can contribute to the rebuild.”

Visiting Sailor Plants a Seed

On the website, Werry Narua relates the story of how his father and his friend Stanley’s father, came up with the idea of a yacht club after talking with a sailor from the UK who arrived in Port Resolution in the early 1990s.

“Stanley’s father was well educated and the frontline person to connect with the boats, when we first opened the simple yacht club in 1990,” said Weery.  “It was just one round hut with nothing inside but a sleeping hammock /bag to allow visitors if they wanted to stay in and we started selling the beer.

“In 1993 they had the official opening of the yacht club. We invited the government people, and the president came here to our village. He opened the yacht club and planted a tree, and that tree is still there today.

“In 1999, Stanley, the Port Resolution community and I commenced building the new clubhouse. It took us many years as we did not have much money to buy the materials. It was a great yacht club and loved by all the yachts.”

Weery said that 10 years later, in 2019, after investing all their spare money and donations from the yachties and visitors, the villagers had almost finished the new clubhouse and were looking forward to being able to host visiting yachts for many years to come.

Covid Closure

“Then Covid happened and our borders were closed for almost three years and because we didn’t have visitors we couldn’t earn the money or receive donations needed to finish the clubhouse.

“On July 1st, 2022, the government reopened our border, and a few yachts started to visit us again that session, but not very many. Then in February 2023, just before the yachting season was to begin, two cyclones come one after the other and destroyed many of our homes and the yacht clubhouse.

“The whole village benefits from the yacht club, as it is a community project but because the cyclones destroyed our villages, we had to rebuild our homes first, so the yacht club was left until the village was rebuilt and everyone got back to their normal lives.”

Website for information and donations

On behalf of the Port Resolution community, The Down Under Rally registered the domain name portresolutionyachtclub.com and created the website to facilitate a fundraising initiative for the club.

“As the funds raised are distributed and put to use, we will post updates on the website from Werry, Stanley and the Down Under Rally Team, along with any other relevant news,” said John Hembrow.

Contacts:

Werry Narua
Port Resolution Yacht Club, Tanna Island, Vanuatu
Email: wnarua@gmail.com
Phone +678 778 7259

John Hembrow
Down Under Rally Pty Ltd
Email: admin@downunderrally.com

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Related News:

• Cruisers Deliver Aid to Communities
• Cruisers Unite to help Cyclone Ravaged Islands
• Cyclone Kevin follows hot on the heels of Cyclone Judy

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Related Links:

• Port Resolution Yacht Club
• Down Under Rally

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