Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Storm

All day, we knew it was coming. Winds grew from 15 kts to 30 during the morning and afternoon. At anchor, I keep a wind alarm at 25 kts and it's never a good thing when I increase it. Still, we were very safe and secure.

Around 3 pm the National Weather Service started issuing tornado watches for our area. We kept a careful watch on the front, got out our life preservers, and even re-fit them on Dyna & Dylan. We discussed emergency plans and were all ready.

At around 6 pm, it got quiet. Eerie quiet. An obvious front line was visible in the west. We prepared the boat, disconnected much of the electrical systems, lowered the antennas, removed the screens, and shot one video of the approaching front.

We decided that the safest place was in the stateroom below so all crew retreated there. The wind picked up to 40 kts, rain thrashed everywhere, and in 5 minutes, it was over. The red dot in the radar image above is directly on our location.

We stayed below for about a half hour watching the weather radar on the iPhone and listening to the handheld VHF.

The radar now shows another band coming in about 2 hours. No fear though. The crackerjack crew is ready.




4 comments:

Sheila and Bill Corbett said...

Two related quotes. Where are they from?

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires,
Vaunt-couriers to oak-cleaving thunderbolts,
Singe my white head! And thou, all-shaking thunder,
Strike flat the thick rotundity o' the world!

and...

Awise storm! North wind bwow! South wind bwow! Huwwicanes! Typhoons! Earthquakes! *Smog!*

Glad that everything's OK. I see that you are now moving south again.

MV Red Head said...

Wasn't that Larry Eaton?

All is well as we once again head south.

Sheila and Bill Corbett said...

That's a good guess, since Larry is often quotable. But the quotes are from Lear & Fudd.

MV Red Head said...

"Huwwicanes" gave away that it was Fudd...