Pridal-aventure: Pridal - Aventure dag 69

Champagne Bay, Island of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Islands dag 69.

During WW2 the Allied build a big Air base on Espiritu S anto the largest island in the Vanuatu group. It was used as a supply base for all the Allied Forces. The American GI’s probably recreated at the Islands sandy Bayes, and found out that, at this particular bay the water made some fizzling sounds like when you uncork a bottle of Champagne. This could have given the bay its name. The sound arises when the water is being pressed through the volcanic rocks, especially during low tide. You got to go to the inlet of the bay, to hear this sound. We missed that experience, so it is still a hear say thing to us. Many stories are better, if not exploited too much.

If you are a romantic, I am sure you would tell this story in quite another way. Lieutenant-Commander Michener was inspired of a GI stationed on Espiritu Santo Island. He didn’t want to go home after the war. This story evolved into Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book South Pacific. Then Rogers and Hammerstein got a Pulitzer Prize for their Broadway musical South Pacific, based on Michener’s Book.

“Bloody Mary is the girl I love”, was one of the songs, from the musical South Pacific, and she says to have been a real Lady from this Espiritu Santo Island. Remember on Bora Bora did they claim Bloody Mary, as their mother figure for the young GI’s there during WW2. It is hard to limit Bloody Mary to just one place. Even in the cocktail bar you find Bloody Mary.

This Champagne Bay appeared to be an illusion, IF you take the brochure and hold them accountable for every word in it.

I should say as Roger Whittaker sings, Oh, I don’t believe in if anymore, if’s an illusion!