And so we have had a really exciting and different week! It started on Monday when we took the ferry to the town of Lautoka on the other big island of Fiji, Viti Levu where we were going to visit friends in Nadi and afterwards going to Suva, the capital of Fiji.

The ferry ride took nearly 12 hours but it was a smooth trip on a big ship, we had tables, chairs , tv, restaurant on board and we spent the time reading, eating and watching TV. We were met in Lautoka by our friends and spent the next 2 days there, having a wonderful time: Brian is an ex-Natal boy and Michelle a Fijian. She drove us around all day, seeing things....loving it all!

On Wednesday, just as we were all relaxing and cooling down in the pool, Brian arrived with the news that the low pressure system that has been above Fiji for a few days had now turned into a cyclone! Damon was on its way to Fiji!

The bags were packed, again, and the next morning we were on the ferry heading back to Savusavu.... just 3 days later! The sea was calm but the skies were ominous and dark with lots of rain.

On friday morning we started to prepare the boat for the cyclone, continuously getting updates on the track and progress of cyclone Daman; the shops closed early and we kept ourselves very busy - all the shade cloths were removed, the engines of the dinghies were removed and the dinghies flipped over in the water, ductape over everything that could leak or allow water in, sails taken down and what could not be removed had to be securely lashed down; it meant moving the kayaks; the jerry cans - shit, tons of shit on this boat! and in the meantime Daman turned from a cat 2 into a mean cat 4; ag man, we were actually shitting ourselves, but not daring to show it to others: the girls were great; quiet and just did what was asked of them.

Claude went to the spook ship in front of us, the owners are dead or gone or wherever and the boat looks a bit tired, he tied down things on the boat and secured the boat with an extra line to the mooring buoy.... we are right behind this boat and do not want it bumping into us! We took extra water on board, charged the batteries; I cooked an extra special spaghetti bolognaisse and then from 6 pm we sat and waited..... and waited; bearing in mind that although it has been raining non stop, we have had none of the 240Km winds associated with this cyclone, although it looked as if there could have been some wind high above us over the mountains. Actually it was dead calm down here in the creek where we were tied to the hurricane mooring: we have disconnected the computer, no more internet - it drove us crazy hearing about it coming closer and closer and stronger and stronger!

Eventually, at 8pm I send the girls off to bed. Claude and i went to our cabin to read and wait for the winds to come..... only to wake up at 5 this morning. I jumped out of bed, horrified that I slept right through a cyclone - with an open hatch right above my bed! Outside all was calm, clouds yes, but with bright sunlight trying to shine through. I switched on the radio, connected to the internet and realised that nature was very very good to us - the cyclone did not follow the predicted track, heading down over our islands, but instead traveled on a course parallel with us! So, by the time we woke up, Daman was gone and all was over; So happy and so relieved!

Just heard some loud singing and wishes of happy birthday and all that and when we eventually stepped out of the boat to see who is so persistent and loud. We saw our neighbours from the back, returning to their boat, she rowing (always the one who drank the least should drive!) the dinghy, sloshed out of their minds! So happy that cyclone Damon is gone and happy for me on my birthday! And all these excuses to celebrate with a few (quite a few) Fiji Bitters in the yacht club!

You can actually smell the relief in the air, and not just us yachties, the landlubbers are dead afraid of flying missiles on land during a cyclone - there is corrugated roof iron, steel pipes and the worst of all, coconuts! Their houses and roads are flooded and water supplies are dirty, but their houses are standing, roofs are intact and life goes on..... until the next cyclone comes. That is life in Fiji.

So, now today we are just really relaxing: Shelley came down with a terrible toothache, Claude has a sore throat and flu symptoms and I am writing to all of you! Oh yes, Mariska is battling to ice the cake that she baked yesterday amidst all the preparations and stress!

So, this was our exciting week. All's well on board!

Ronel and Claude, Mariska and Rochelle