Big Water Waterfall

 [A belated post! I put this together while we were still in Vanuatu...but then we lost service before I could share.]

Our last stop on Maewo was Big Water, a waterfall on northwestern edge of the island. We didn't get to stay as long as we'd like as the anchorage is untenable, but just getting to hike through this natural water park was a treat. 

The largest cascade was a 15 minute walk from where we docked the dinghy at the mouth of the river. It was incredible to see how the locals were making use of the water. They had just finished building a shrimp farm, large pools irrigated with hollowed bamboo, and were expecting their first shipment the day after we were there.  

A shrimp pool on the making:

Above the shrimp pools was a seemingly infinite sequence of terraced gardens. Papaya was abundant, but the most successful crop seemed to be water taro, thriving in the partially flooded platforms. 

Our favorite swimming hole near the falls:

The main cascade: 

One of our young guides led the way over the top of the falls:

Maewo was going through a dry spell while we were there (we had five perfectly sunny days while staying on the Island of Water) so the flow in falls was low, but the way the water tumbled white over the boulders and fell into the pool below was still magnificent.