Our morning started off as usual. Paul checks our emails and starts to make our coffee. I crawl out of bed (7:30am) to the wonderful smell of brewed coffee, sit in front of the computer with my hot steaming cup and read my "news" (emails). As I was reading an email from my mom we started to hear someone calling on the radio. We are currently anchored in the lagoon of Ouvea, New Caledonia 20.43S 166.25E with 30 other vessels who are in the ICA Rally. Solanjo was informing us of a Tsunami warning that was in effect in New Zealand. Due to the 8.3 earth quake in the Samoa. Yes, that leaves us in the line of fire so upon hearing the warning we, and all the other 30 boats, lifted our anchors and headed out to sea. After speaking with the French Navy our warning was till 9:16 am. It was a mass exodus with Free Spirit being the second boat out. We were not planning on sticking around to see what might happen. Now, half the boats were still asleep or didn't turn on their radios so luckily we have "LIZZIE" large trawler with a very loud bull horn that woke everyone up. All of us were out of the cut with in the hour and in what we considered a safe zone. We continued to monitor the warnings from the French navy. At this point we were getting all kinds of info from family back in New Zealand and Australia who said the wave was getting smaller and by the time it reached us it would be non existent so at 9:20 our head boat called in no effects in our location and we started to head back into the anchorage. It was a non event and we were thrilled! We are now enjoying some of our duty free booze we picked up in Vanuatu and are celebrating life.
P.S. School lesson today: What is a Tsunami?
Love you all,
Paul, Michele, Merric and Seanna.
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