Winter Garden couple leads cyclone relief again in Pacific

Jonathan and Donna Robinson are in the midst of helping Fiji recover from Cyclone Winston.

By Zak Kerr
| 9:03 a.m. May 24, 2016

Like last year in Vanuatu, Fijians will need medical care, and the Robinsons will help deliver it.

West Orange Times & Observer
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PACIFIC OCEAN Last year, Sea Bridge fleet directors Jonathan and Donna Robinson, who have a home in Winter Garden, led Sea Mercy's disaster recovery fleet in Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam wiped out homes and even entire villages.

In their catamaran, the Chez Nous, they traveled to the most remote islands of the South Pacific with critical supplies, food, water, building materials and even medical professionals for devastated islanders where no one else would.

ABOUT CYCLONE WINSTON

On Feb. 20, a Level 5 cyclone, Winston, blasted Fiji with winds exceeding 190 mph and tidal waves of over 30 feet. Winston destroyed homes, stripped all edible fruit from trees, uprooted crops, contaminated the water catchment drinking supply with saltwater and killed. Remote islanders had nothing to meet any basic needs, let alone begin a recovery process.

No roads connect the remote islands to the aid available on primary islands. Thus, since 2012, Sea Mercy’s Sea Bridge volunteer yachts have delivered direly needed health care, education, economic aid and other disaster relief and training. Sea Bridge arrived two days after Cyclone Winston, making it the first non-government organization to deliver food, water, shelter and medical care to hundreds of devastated remote island communities.

This year, while working in the U.S. on Sea Mercy plans, the Robinsons heard of Cyclone Winston's destruction in Fiji and immediately offered their services again. According to Sea Mercy reports, they have helped to build Sea Mercy's emergency response fleet and united more than 30 vessels from all over the South Pacific in the Sea Bridge fleet for disaster recovery and rebuilding.

"I know that Jonathan and Donna like to remain out of the limelight while doing their work for Sea Mercy, but I needed to take a moment to honor their hard work and devotion to the people of the South Pacific," Sea Mercy officials said in a statement. "They are one of the many quiet and unpaid heroes who play important roles with Sea Mercy. They depart (May 13) from New Zealand with a fleet of vessels to serve the Northern Lau Group. Please keep them and the rest of the fleet in your thoughts and prayers."

Donna's mother, Lynne Cole, also of West Orange County, said as many as 40 vessels are working with the Robinsons now, with many to follow in June and July.

Jonathan and Donna Robinson have spent months aiding South Pacific islanders via their catamaran, Chez Nous.

Before the official June 1 start date for the Sea Bridge program, the Robinsons have been on course to arrive May 25 on Vanua Balavu Island in Fiji. Free tracking of their journeys is available at the website Yachts in Transit, yit.nz/yacht/cheznous. Most recently, they checked in at 10 p.m. New Zealand Standard Time (6 a.m. EST) May 24, just southeast of Nayau Island.

For more information or to aid Sea Mercy, visit SeaMercy.org.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].