We're fine, hanging out in the area around New Georgia and Ghizo Islands. Doing boat projects, and sweating, as per the usual. It's nice.
A couple of days ago the weather turned nasty with strong winds from the north and severe thunderstorms. The night before last we had the most intense night of lightening and downpours we've had on the entire trip. Fortunately our anchorage is secure, and never did the forty plus knot winds cause us any concern. All this weather, which continued last night and today, is just a taste of Tropical Cyclone Sandra, which has been feeding off the warm waters of the Coral Sea and has been stirred to life by high winds aloft.
The cyclone keeps throwing out troughs and fronts full of rain and bad weather, but nothing compared to conditions closer to the center. Here we are getting flooding locally and unusually high water levels. The surf on the reefs in incredible, and thunder is almost always present. Our solar panels are mostly decoration at the moment, as the gloom hasn't lifted for days. Hate to have to run the engine to top up batteries, but may do so. Also the water is light brown due to runoff; so no swimming, and no use of the saltwater pump when doing dishes.Right now the storm is category 2, and is projected to keep strengthening over the next days and gradually move off east southeast. Looks likely to be in the cat. 4 range in a few days time, though by then our weather should be much better. Here's a satellite photo with our position marked.
Owen
