13 April 2020
Clean Up Time

Now that the adrenaline rush is past and boat is not hobby-horsing in the wind chop, we are getting to the clean-up needed aboard after five days of life in a wet humid closed up boat. I suppose it is a law of nature that boats leak and take on water in the darnedest places. Seems like we just discover the source of one location only to find another spot. John has spent hours adjusting ports, pulling apart instruments, woodwork and caulking nooks and crannies.

With driving winds sideways in that storm, we noticed the smell of mold begin even after opening the boat to air things out. I am usually the first one to call the mold alert but this time John saw fuzzy on his beloved teak interior and called the alarm. This signals a deep clean with bleach water to every surface starting with the ceilings, walls then into all food and storage lockers (removing cushions and spare lines to sun outside and covers removed to dry) and finally the floors. The very best thing we did was line all the locker bottoms with the rubber ribbed liner that Seifer's let us buy off him . The ones he had were bright blue and visually easy to see any dirt, mold or leak issues against the white hull. The liners all got pulled outside and wiped down and dried in the sun. We looked like the boat was trashed for almost two days. I felt better but embarrassed until I noticed the other boaters still out here are doing the same thing.

Next step is to do sheets and towels to get the salt moisture out of them. No small job and it also takes two of us to give these large items several wash, rinses then John strong-arms them over the rails to wring them out before drying on the life lines and temporarily rigged drying lines. This has to be started early in the day so it has time to dry before afternoon rains. I am sitting on deck babysitting the drying while I write this because the breeze is about 15 which is good for drying but the clothes pins keep popping off and we want to keep the items from falling in the water.

We did make a taxi run into Suva to the supermarket for staples and more dish soap and bleach. Easter is a four day holiday here even though churches were closed but the Prime Minister encouraged all to participate in online services instead of congregating and even posted a video of he and his family with bibles open watching the services. So Tuesday morning we went into the mostly vacant town early when they first opened and had no difficulty finding most things on our list. We need to find a recipe or substitute for mustard. John tipped the taxi driver heavily and thanked him for being out working at this time. The driver's eyes teared up. Hundreds of homes, schools and clinics are still damaged or without roofs or power and many are still in the evacuation shelters.

The main source of protein here after the storm where the chickens just disappear is fishing. Despite the curfew and social distancing we are amazed at the creative ways locals fish. Especially at these minus low tides. As the tide starts to go out we see the beach lined with all age groups playing and digging for snails. The older children and adults work their way out with the tide to the large metal wreck closest to shore and work the sides of the hull and some young teens bolo throw fishing lines. Other groups wade out as far as they can walk and deploy a very fine, huge, net in a large circle then work their way inward to shallower waters shouting and jumping with joy. This whole back bay by Royal Suva Yacht Club is very shallow mud bottom so even at high tides you see shallow bottom boats being poled along. No motors, no oars just a very long semi-flexible pole. There is another barge wreck behind us that has regular visits from a family of three on a piece of foam flotation with wood and woven mats and they appear to do well as they turn homeward each afternoon in 15 knots of headwind.

Sorry this is a pretty mundane blog but I am ever so grateful to be out here to experience and appreciate the people of Fiji. Thank you ALL for the words of support, love and encouragement during this amazing journey.