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Paw Paw - Log Day 274: So Much for Spring Time in Paradise



This morning after breakfast we had hoped to go ashore, but decided it was more prudent to stay onboard due to the impending storm that was approaching Fiji. Well,  it's a good job we did, as we would never have been able to get back to Paw Paw.  

We had just finished an early dinner when all hell broke loose. Within minutes we had sustained winds of 40 Kts, gusting to near 48 Kts, accompanied by torrential rain. If we thought the storm in Boro Boro was the worst we had ever been in, well, this one most certainly takes the cake!

We're in a secluded anchorage, but the waves coming across the reefs had all the yachts bouncing around like corks. Fortunately we are on one of the Musket Cove's hurricane mooring balls along with Do Over and Blue Summit and they held. What caused havoc in the middle of the storm, however, was a huge yacht that was anchored next to the mooring field which broke loose.

At first he passed the fro nt of Paw Paw and we thought he was heading into the marina, although that seemed ludicrous in nearly 50 Kts of wind. Then at the last minute he turned. At that point we honestly thought he was going to end up on the rocks. The engine was bellowing plumes of black smoke as it struggled against the wind and waves to make the turn. But then the wind caught him and he careened towards the yacht next to us and the one just behind us. Barely missing them, he raced towards Do Over, where he managed to make another turn without hitting them , but, alas, he was now heading straight for us.

While we risked being blown off the deck in the high winds, but with fenders to the ready, our screams went unheard. Our prayers were answered instead. His little engine kept on going. How he missed all of us before heading out of harms way to reanchor is a miracle and for that we are truely thankful.

Tonight, while it has stopped raining, the wind is still howling, but we' ll take the current 25 to 30 Kts any day over the 45 to 50 Kts of earlier.

So much for spring time in paradise!


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