Sakiusa Kotobalavu has a love affair with the sea.

So much so that he knows no other life as he braves the rough and turbulent seas to ferry people and goods daily to the Yasawas.

Crew on board, Waya Express, M r Kotobalavu, 35 makes the trips from Waya in the Yasawa islands to Lautoka at least twice daily.

At Lautoka wharf yesterday, Mr Kotobalavu was loading gas cylinders and other goods that were being picked from the Yasawa islands to be refilled at the Sugar city and returned to owners.

“I can come two times or more depending on the demand and the need,”Mr Kotobalavu said.

“I  love the ocean. I can’t explain it well but I have lived in Yasawa for so long and I am so used to the seas.

He said because of the bad weather they would only be transporting materials.

“No passengers today (yesterday) because it’s too risky,” he said.

For a young man whose line of work demands attention and skill out at sea, Mr Kotobalavu surely displays ease and expertise.

At the Lautoka wharf yesterday, rough seas and strong wind saw boat owners getting their boats and punts out onto dry ground.

“It’s safe to do this because we want our boats out of the water in case the TC Gita hits Fiji,” Ram Krishna, a fisherman from Tomuka said.