What's funny about the Shepherds...

The Shepherds are kind of different from other places I've been in Vanuatu. What's different about them is that they're just a bunch of small, small islands dotted throughout the ocean. I stand on top in one village or at my school, and I can just see out to the other islands--Tongoa, Buninga, Emae, Makira, Mataso. I can see Epi and Efate even, a little more in the distance -- same with the islands around North Efate. 

Back before (before being a concept here that means a longish time ago but not so long that people would forget -- think 150 years ago) I've heard that young men used to routinely canoe (and occasionally swim) between the islands. That island that you see in the picture is Buninga, and it's about an hour canoe trip, so I could imagine swimming. I've even heard of the boys from Buninga canoeing to Tongoa to buy cigarettes, so I guess it's just a question of your commitment level.