Weather Changes The Plans Again

We had really been looking forward to get moving to Vanuatu this week. Dan is flying in to Port-Vila on Efate in Vanuatu tomorrow and we are waiting to check out from Fiji the same day. If all goes well it will be a 4 day trip .He has booked into a hotel/resort so hopefully still has a good holiday. Chapter 2 's son, John, is also flying in there.

The hold up has been because of a low pressure system moving from there to Fiji. It had developed into a tropical storm that had a low to moderate chance of becoming a cyclone. Not something we wanted to be a part of. Winds were in the 45 to 65 kn range but it is now starting to dissipate. Two of our fleet have been skirting it to the north and are doing ok to be in Santo soon. But they both have some damage to their boat. What is unusual is that this is supposed to be the "non storm season".

We have been anchored in Musket Cove most of the week so can't complain about the location. On the windy days we were getting wet and salty in the waves on the dinghy, but it was worth it to get to shore. You can pay a nominal amount to join the Yacht Club and then use the resort facilities. There is a 6 foot tide so it makes for an unusual beach and reef.

We can pick up one radio station which has English news and older American music. This will be our last night of internet until we get a new sim card in Vanuatu. The closest government check out location should have taken us 2 hours today to sail to. But the wind and waves were high and right on the nose so it landed up taking us over 4 hours tacking with the motor and sails. Because this is the first chance to leave in a while there is a big group here to get through customs including a rally. I hope it doesn't take all day. We are anxious now to be on the seas again.