Vagabond Voyagesvideo
Why are the boats buried here? Vlog 116
March 20, 2026 · 31 min · 12K views · Ba, Fiji
Sailboats buried in trenches under bright sky at Marina Fiji
What this video covers
Tom and Anissia complete a north-to-south transit of the Yasawa Islands and arrive at Vuda Marina on Viti Levu, Fiji, before leaving Fiji to return to Switzerland.▶ 0:16 The marina's most distinctive feature is its cyclone storage system: boats are lowered into excavated pits so their hulls sit below ground level, reducing wind load on the hull; keels are chocked solid, masts are staggered so neighboring rigs cannot touch, and anchor chains are connected to a central mooring block.▶ 8:58 Since a 2012 incident prompted rule changes, no major storm damage has occurred, including during a 2020 cyclone.▶ 14:03 For boats stored afloat, marina staff run a line under the keel connecting both fenders to prevent them lifting in strong wind.▶ 12:28 Tom searches the boatyard for a vessel he sold 20 years ago to an Australian, who resold it to a Fijian — he does not find it.▶ 19:44 Navigation in the area requires caution: Fijian charts are unreliable, depths on the chartplotter are inaccurate, and the crew clears a 2.0-meter sandbar with minimal margin using dual depth sounders — a NASA Marine unit and a second sounder — departing on a rising tide.▶ 27:47 Starlink provides connectivity underway.▶ 1:25 The Sri Shiva Subramanya Hindu temple in Nadi is briefly visited.▶ 20:42
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