It's like deja vu all over again. Cyclone warning flags over Port Denarau are once again flying in strong winds signaling a Category 1 cyclone. It has developed just north of us and could be headed our way. Nobody around here is in any mood to take an "El Nino" year lightly. There are more boats in the harbor now then there were for the last cyclone event two months ago. It's probably because of the remarkable success we all experienced tied up in the mangroves. Well, if we have to go through another cyclone, then Dan and I are very glad we are here rather than in let's say, Savusavu.
After our services in Makogai, we sailed to Savusavu and spent two weeks there. Savusavu was the reported cyclone refuge of Fiji, where we had planned to spend the rest of the cyclone season before TC Winston. Remarkably, the quaint little town of Savusavu and the surrounding areas came through the cyclone with little or no visible damage. On the other hand, it was the boats in the mooring field that were hit the hardest. During Winston, boats on cyclone moorings were bombarded by runaway boats that broke free from their mooring balls and traveled uncontrollably thru the mooring area taking other boats with them before either sinking or washed ashore on surrounding reefs. All but two of the 56 boats in the mooring area were damaged in some way. A cruising friend of ours who was on a cyclone mooring ball, spent three long and grueling hours with his engine running at full RPM dodging other boats (most of which were unattended) that were dragging through the mooring field and/or broke away altogether. He said it was horrifying trying to defend their floating home from oncoming boats in cyclone conditions. The rain and wind was so strong he and his wife had to wear swim masks in order to see. Finally, when it was all over the damage to their beautiful boat was sickening. Fortunately for them, there was no real major structural damage. Most of the damage was numerous punctured holes in the hull above the water line caused by colliding boats and a large 12-inch-long irregular shaped hole through their cabin truck from another boat's bow sprit. Their stainless steel bow roller is twisted and unrecognizable. Starboard toe rail was completely ripped off. Their customized dinghy davits are mangled. The list goes on and on. Other boats were not as lucky. Lesson learned, even if you are on a cyclone mooring and others aren't, leave for a safer harbor. Also, if the mooring area does not require someone to be responsible for unattended boats, then leave as well for a safer harbor. Savusavu is a little too lax and random for our liking. Others however, might disagree, but I bet not many.