Let's Say, Savusavu

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.  

Copra Shed Marina

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.  

Tangled boats

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.  

Cat grounded in Savusavu

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.

Fijian Spirit

As volunteers for Sea Mercy, we were asked to sail to the small island of Makogai, (one of the hardest and most direct hit from TC Winston), just east of Viti Levu.

We were to deliver supplies and make water for the villagers that still remained on the island.

Makogai before Winston

 Once we left Port Denerau, we carefully navigated ninety miles through a maze of coral reefs around the island and made it to the east side of Viti Levu.  From there, we then spent another full day pounding our way across the Makogai channel.  We finally arrived in Dalice Bay at dusk.  From the deck of Long Windid we could see the devastation of the island.  It was obvious to both Dan and I that everything was gone except for a few very well built concrete houses.  The rest of the twenty something homes were blown away.  All the surrounding trees were barren.  Even the palm fronds were blown from their trunks.

Makogai after Winston

We purposely anchored Long Windid further out into the bay than we normally would have because the current was stronger, thus the sea water would be cleaner for making fresh water.  The following morning, Dan and I launched the dinghy and motored over to a worn-out old concrete wharf to introduce ourselves to the island chief.  It is customary to get permission from the chief before entering his village to use the bay for fishing, swimming or any other water activity. We found out the island is the property of the Fijian government, so it doesn't have a chief.   An island manager appointed by officials from Suva, the capital city of Fiji, has been tasked with the responsibility of having the small village operational in just one month.  Giant clams populate the bay making it very popular with visiting divers and the Fiji government wants the tourist trade back as quickly as possible.

Old concrete wharf

We discussed with the island manager, our plans to make approx. 200 gallons of water a day and that we would need at least 20 of the 5 gallon jugs that we were told were delivered to the village days earlier by other boats.  Then we would need a longboat twice a day (morning and afternoon) to pick up the filled jugs to take ashore and deposit the water into large plastic totes, then return the jugs for more water that day.  Great, everyone understands and agreed to the plan.  We went back to Long Windid and began reconfiguring the water maker system to pump directly into the jugs rather than through the boat tanks.  Hours passed waiting for the jugs to arrive.   Dan decided to go ashore once again to try to push the process along.  There he was told the manager was summoned to Suva for an important meeting.  All of our arrangements went with him.  There goes our well devised plan!  While walking through the ruins looking for someone else that might be in charge, Dan met a woman doing her laundry in feces contaminated water coming from one of the large totes we were supposed to fill with fresh water.  The water she was using was designated to be used as toilet water.  She had no other choice than to use it for her washing.  She told Dan that while the other villagers had fled to other islands to stay with family or friends in stronger houses, she and her husband (the village school teacher) and their three children had to wait out the Category 5 Cyclone under their house which was completely leveled from the floor up.

Fijian Spirit

Finally, after a day and a half of searching, the villagers were able to scrounge up only ten 5 gallon jugs for us to use.  To make matters more difficult, there was only one long boat that could be used to randomly pick up and drop off the jugs to us.  While we had planned to make at least 800 gallons of water in the four days we were there, it turned out that we were only able to make 200 gallons in total.

 Although this was a disappointment to us, the Fijians were very appreciative of our being there and our willingness to help.  Through all the devastation of the island, the villagers are a happy and resilient people with a strong spiritual belief.  It won't take long before the village is back to normal.  Their spirit cannot be broken!