Cyclone Yasa Log:

10 December, Thursday
While I was hiking John was watching boats come into the marina and watching weather apps and re-filled our propane tanks for cooking. At this point it looks like any storm will stay way West of Fiji and impact Vanuatu. Poor Vanuatu is still getting basic services and water supply back after last year's Cyclone Harold.

11 December, Friday
Tropical Depression seems to be brewing but is very slow to solidify.

12 December, Saturday
The European model now shows the storm as tropical depression and potential to head slowly toward Fiji. Winds and rain as soon as Sunday. We fill our three water tanks as once a storm hits the water may become contaminated. And usually power is off for several days so we need to be self contained.

13 December, Sunday
Tropical Depression 001 and 002 have joined forces and headed somewhere north of Fiji. We began by pulling jib and staysail off Tabu Soro in morning while wind is down and packing it up cleanly in a bag up on the lawn for interior storage and clearing the deck of forward shade cloth in order to be ready for the Vuda staff to begin turning boats stern in so our anchor chains all go out to the steel center mooring base. Did I say it is hot, humid and sunny still...

14 December, Monday
Weather files have now re-named the depression as Cyclone Yasa showing it still a bit West of our location near Nadi and a potential Cat 3. Full staff show up early Monday morning and one at a time efficiently untie each boat that is ready from two internal small balls so that we back out to the center and come back stern in missing all the balls in process-- about 30 boats. John did an amazing job as one of the boats without bow thrusters and spun Tabu Soro on a dime maximizing our prop walk. LOL. We are one of the few boats without bow thrusters to assist the re-positioning but John did us proud. I was on foredeck and had two long lines to re-position before and after the turn. Did I tell you how hot and sunny it is?? I did notice fewer raucous bird calls. Half the weather models show it to be nothing for Fiji to worry about and other half say it will be a monster. John decided to remove the main mid afternoon and fold it on the lawn just in case winds start tomorrow before we get done with the anchor chains for 60 boats.

15 December, Tuesday
Cyclone Yasa is still circling in place building steam and until it comes out of this loop its target track cannot be determined, should know more late Wednesday at a Cat 4. Mean while at least a dozen sail and small power boats are arriving in the marina and either being pulled on the lift onto dry storage with strap wrapping them down or backed into the shallow spots around the circle. Vuda Marina put out an email and Facebook notice that all boats must in by noon Wednesday and the storm boom will block the entry at low tide on Wednesday or about 2 pm. Once the boom is in place there are no arrival or departures until a couple days after the storm recedes. Vuda divers and staff manage to pull out ALL anchor chains to the center and come back to check that all boats are happy with the positions of their criss-crossed lines. The humidity is rising and still sunny and in high 80's; but we were one of the first boats to have our anchor chain released and drug out to the diver for connection to the steel in the center. We get into Lautoka by taxi and get fresh fruit and vegetables before there is a mass rush. We waited until afternoon cloud coverage hoping it would be cooler but the humidity is at 80% and we kept it to minimal farmers market buying and will rely on our existing staples. Vuda Marina had a cyclone meeting at 4 pm but still Yasa is spinning in circles so unsure of track; plan for the worst - a direct hit or at best East to West through the Bligh straight

16 December, Wednesday
Cyclone Yasa has still not tired of its loop-t -loo and officially building strength to a Category 5 and now classified as a Severe TC Yasa out there between Fiji and Vanuatu with winds predicted to 130 knots. We did yoga/tai chi at 7 am but with 95% humidity it was a struggle Strangely grey skies and waters very flat and still; wish my SUP was still inflated and hard to believe this is real. Theoretically this could be worse than Winston initially but unfortunately Winston came around and hit twice. Tabu Soro is naked of all sails and canvas with dingy strapped on foredeck to cover our forward hatch, bimini, dodger solar all removed and not a bit of canvas remains. We have re-filled fuel and water tanks. Fatigue and anxiety are overruled by adrenalin at this point. Sheryl our yoga lead agreed to be hourly communications during the cyclone and has gone round the basin getting phone numbers for cruisers who have elected to stay aboard throughout the storm. Once we pull in ALL our anchor chains to the center we are committed to one another and cannot even reach shore without swimming or risking lives of staff. There is a bit of drizzle come late afternoon but weirdly quiet and still. We went up to the Boat Shed Restaurant for lunch and one of the staff invited us to stay at their home if we felt at risk staying on the boat. I am in awe of these open, trusting people. Other cruisers who have rented places for the storm have also offered up their couches on the morning net. Oddly, the raucous local birds returned late afternoon? At least it is now cooler and some breeze forward in the basin.

17 December, Thursday
Mild wind and rain began overnight but not very threatening. Yasa is now moving at 10 knots an hour; quite a bit faster than the previous rate of 4 per hour. Three of four weather models have confirmed the Cyclone Yasa will go through Bligh waters and Koro Sea between the two main islands and not be a direct hit over us on the West side of Fiji. On the morning net Cheryl assured everyone we would get through this by being kind to one another and rounded the marina and yard to check if anything needed tying down still. For the storm duration we will do hourly VHF safety check-ins for those staying aboard. Four of the Vuda Marina staff volunteered to spend the night here; all others went home at 2:00 pm to beat the nationwide curfew of 4 pm to 6 am. Noon the winds are only in the 20's with gusts in 30s. Nothing we wouldn't sail in. About mid afternoon rain stops and sailors are out walking around taking pictures which we were advised not to do due to flying debris. It is now 1830 and approaching high tides but the barometer and reports say the storm is passing to the East of us already as now moving at 24 knots an hour. It will still bring devastation to the small islands in its path but the sunset and resulting rainbow is encouraging. After sunset the winds from the back side of the cyclone came though just as I was getting blasé and reached about 50 knots throwing some palm branches across boats into the basin.

Quite an emotional ride; maybe similar to what you have ridden through this pandemic. Fortunately for me it only lasted seven days here. I am very grateful to be here in Fiji.

Now we reverse the entire process and go sailing again. Sea Mercy has begun calling for volunteers to sort and deliver food stuff out to outer islands. Lots of swell and flooding damage especially in Savusavu where the eye went over about 9 pm and boats came loose in over 100 knots of wind
. Thank you for all the encouragement and prayers.