Hurricane Isaias popped up, coming across the Atlantic as a Tropical Storm and off and on as a Category 1 hurricane. With winds on the way we spent a couple of days getting things ready.
Some makeshift chafe protection. These docks are pretty terrible as far as rough edges go. I’ve got some better solutions on the way, but rags and duct tape would have to do for Isaias.
I took some of the roof panels (the ones without the solar panels on them) off of the bimini and added some lines across the solar panels, in addition to their regular mounts. Honestly, if there is one thing on this boat that I suspect of being susceptible to hurricane force winds, it is the bimini. Removing the whole solar panel array is a pretty major project that I’m not eager at all to have to do. If a big storm bears down on us, that’ll probably be on the list, though.
Just days earlier two huge boxes had arrived at the marina. A Wanderer friend had sent me piles and piles of brand new docklines (thank you friend, and thank you USPS). Between the old and the new, we had a nice spiderweb of lines keeping Bumfuzzle in place.
As the rain started to come down we didn’t think much of it. The storm appeared to be well south of Puerto Rico (we are in San Juan on the north side), and it seemed to me that the worst we would see was 45 knots and loads of rain. But the marina was scrambling, and the dockmaster arrived with a packet of papers telling me that we had to leave. The storm had been upgraded to a Hurricane Warning (I think that’s what it was), and that had triggered their rule that liveaboards couldn’t stay on their boats.
I told him it was a little late for us (it was now about 5 o’clock in the afternoon) to find a place to go, and he said he understood, so we could stay, but I had to agree that the marina was not liable—for our lives. Well, that sounded ominous. He then gave me the phone numbers for the Coast Guard in case there was an emergency.
At this point I’m thinking, “Well hell, what do these guys know that I don’t?”
Not wanting to be the dummy who put his family in danger after being explicitly warned, I jumped online and booked a hotel room down the road for Ali and the kids. The storm still didn’t look to me (from my few weather sources) like it was going to be bad at all, so we decided I’d stay on the boat and keep an eye on the lines. The biggest threat seemed to be that our lines would chafe through and the boat would spend the night slamming into the dock. As long as that didn’t happen I couldn’t fathom what else could.
The kids, as always, didn’t mind spending the night in a hotel.
All the preperation was for nothing. It was a completely calm night in the marina. Ali said it was windy up in their hotel room, but on the water there was nothing but a light breeze and some heavy rain. No surge, no wind, and no waves. All good news. First storm of the 2020 season out of the way. If only they will all be this friendly towards us.
And Ouest even came home to whip up some banana bread for breakfast.
15 Comments on ““Hurricane” Isaias”
It’s better to be prepared, and not need it, than to not be prepared, and need it. Here’s hoping for a mild hurricane season this year!
Exactly, just talked to the kids about it again this morning as there is one headed our way this weekend. Talked about how we will prepare, how the weather forecasters are just predicting where it will hit and how big it may get, and how if we don’t do it beforehand there will be no chance of doing it once it is already here. Fingers crossed.
All is well that ends well. Better safe than sorry.
Glad it was a much to do about nothing as my mom used to say. Hope it stays that way. Safe travels as always.
Now that is the way to weather a storm!
My peeps in Arecibo said same! I arrived in Puerto Rico July 31…will be moving to Mayagues the 12th. Hope to see you guys on the water? Safe travels!
I’ve been convinced that if you want to understand these storms, the best source is Levi Cowan at tropicaltidbits.com. Very lucid explanations of these storms, and a great comfort the last 10 years.
We had a lot of advance warning in CT for Isaias. Didn’t stop us from being out of power for 6 days after the tropical storm came ashore.
Black Rock Yacht Club is closed for the season as their docks were smashed. Same I heard about Larchmont. We came through ok even though the wind was straight from the south, which is almost unheard of. Levi had described it turning into a nor’easter, but it went in west of the Hudson.
Will have to check Levi out. Thanks. Glad you guys are good – but 6 days over a tropical storm, ugh would be worried for a hurricane.
We, as well, are fans of Levi on
tropicaltidbits.com. Glad this storm wasn’t too bad.
Thanks! Watching him now that we have another system brewing for the weekend.
I’ve followed you guys since the circumnavigation? I do my scuba a week a year and live vicariously through you guys the right the rest of the year. You live my dream everyday, always appreciate the posts. May the wind be always at your back. Have you ever tried gaffers tape? Like duct tape but leaves no residue when you take it off. Could be perfect to have on a boat.
Hi Schmev, thanks for your comment. We appreciate it. Good idea about the gaffers tape – it seems for these docks and hurricane season, we should be using chain…
Good to hear it was a fizzle.
I really like the picture of your kids on the bow of your boat! “Land Ho”.. now is Ouest looking N,S,E,orW?
Down – manatees! 🙂