Just a quick update – no change here except wind gusts are
picking up. News reports say Tanna and Erromango in Vanuatu were
pounded; now New Cal’s Loyalty Islands east of here are next in the
path and just about to go onto Red Alert which means no one allowed
out and about.  I believe I translated (?) a posted notice this afternoon that said Noumea was expected to go onto Orange Alert tomorrow about 5 a.m.

Vania is now a Category 2 and expected to strengthen
to a 3 or 4 before she’s done – hopefully after she has passed us
by. AVATAR is trussed and bound like a pig to market and we are
about to take our crucial luggage to the hotel before we have to
cart our bags through a drenching rain! We rented a car for the
next few days so think we might take a little sightseeing detour to
check out the surf along the coast.

So we’ll keep y’all updated as events unfold but if you don’t hear from us it will be most likely because of a power outage or internet or cell phone service down.

LATER:  It’s Thursday night here and we’re in our hotel room ready for bed.
Tonight hopefully won’t be that eventful; tomorrow we will see! We did take a quick drive along the windier side of the island. The locals were out in force on the beaches! Windsurfers screaming through the chop; even a kite surfer braving the elements. Lots of people swimming in the surf. Per Wendy’s comment we spotted a small boat flipped upside down on it’s mooring; a few palm fronds on the roadway and trash cans tipped over. So far winds are gusting between 25-35 knots so it will be another story tomorrow when the gusts start approaching 75-85 knots!

 

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