![\"Devastation](\"https:\/\/yachtadina.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/DSC_5079-640x424.jpg\")
<\/a><\/dt>\n\u00a0For the sailing community it\u2019s been a cruel blow \u2013 it\u2019s estimated just over 50 boats were on mooring buoys in the local harbour, a so-called cyclone hole, yet around 30 boats were sunk or destroyed. The pictures of boats washed ashore, piled up on beaches or with masts sticking out of the water made us realise how fortunate we were with Adina being in the boatyard.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Adina’s bow loaded with aid from your donations<\/p><\/div>\n
But time has not stood still. People have been out working hard, really hard, to clear up the destruction. There has been a daily sound of chainsaws accompanied by smoke drifting up into the air from the debris they\u2019ve been chopping away as people set to restoring their lives. The local Ni-Vanuatu were the hardest hit. We\u2019ve always had a soft spot for them, they are incredible happy people but often shy. Ask them how they are, you have to press hard to find out if all is ok. \u201cAre you ok, is your family ok?\u201d \u201cYes, good\u201d \u201cIs your house ok?\u201d \u201cFallen down\u201d. The immediate aid seems to be effective on the whole with emergency water, food and medical supplies getting out. Food is a problem, people rely on their own crops and all of those have gone. The fresh market which we daily visited and so loved still remains empty. But things are recovering, the greenery is returning, banana trees are shooting out big leafs. It\u2019s a good sign.<\/p>\n
As for us, we\u2019ve been flat out getting Adina ready, helping with some clean up, meeting up with friends to see how they are doing, out and about spending peoples donations to buy help for the ni-Vanuatu. Adina was unscathed, plastered with leaves but nothing a good clean couldn\u2019t sort out. Our mainsail is furled up inside the mast and when we got it out it was covered in mud. Goodness knows what was in the air during that cyclone! Some furious work on her and she was launched on schedule on 1st April. As she sat in her cradle in the water we were told to check there was no water in the bilges to ensure there were no leaks before they let us out of the cradle. Much to our initial horror there was a thick layer of water in the engine compartment. But we soon pumped it out and worked out it was water from the cyclone that had been sitting in the bow and had flowed back. Relieved, we went up to give the signal they can let us go. Waste of time, they had already let us go and we were off!<\/p>\n
We motored Adina around to the harbour and secured her to a mooring buoy we had pre-arranged. It was a lovely moment when Elsie, the owner of Yachting World who owns the moorings and restaurant that so many yachties enjoy, came up to us and said \u201cIt\u2019s so nice to see your lovely boat sitting out there\u201d. We felt a little proud, we\u2019ve so loved Vanuatu and it was nice to be doing our part and leading the way for what we hope will be a good sailing season and hope many sailors will still come to visit Vanuatu.<\/p>\n
Since then it\u2019s been final preparations and starting to say our farewells. We\u2019ve taken Adina out for a test sail and she was like a puppy unleashed, romping through the waters. So touch some timber, all good with her and she is now being loaded with fuel and provisions and getting a nice clean and polish.<\/p>\n