Days Events:

Will make this a 'running' commentary with postings every few hours, since we have nothing else to do today except watch the wind!

05:00 - the forecast remains a tropical storm - winds predicted as sustained 37mph with gusts to 73mph peaking mid-afternoon. Right now, SSE 11mph, 76 degrees, cloudy [duh]; they start to ramp up about 09:00. Came through the night without incident - low tide was 03:08 and the lines look fine.

07:30 - rain starting, mild, off and on; winds increasing, easterly - our anemometer [handheld] shows 5-12 mph. More boat movement, so tightened the port mid-ship and bow lines for the east winds. High tide expected 09:21 so lines will now be fine.

09:10 - really wild, winds gusting to at least 60, rain so hard can't see 100yds; every boat rocknrolln; Marg said glad I put out extra lines; had anticipated mostly SE/S/SW winds but so far only east! Should have put another line to stern to hold us better, as winds blowing us on the fender board against the dock - mostly from stretching of the lines, which is expected. Definitely the worst wx we've ever been in. No water leaks noted. Power flickered a few times. Still have 3-4hrs yet of potential severe winds.

11:50 - the worst is over; sun peeking out; winds brisk around 20-25; whitecaps and breakers have abated for the most part; one dock south of us, more exposed, for mostly jetskis, had obvious damage for about 40-50 ft with broken boards; can't see any other significant damage. Tide going down and the wind/tide/wave motion pulling on the lines has a couple of them on pilings being rubbed between the piling and dock, so adjusted them. Will leave boat positioned slightly closer to stbd side but 'not touching'.

12:15 - spoke too soon; some 30+ mph winds now SW, so pushing off the dock and on the bow; glad we have lots of spring lines. Glad I readjusted the lines again. Change in wind direction changes the sounds - we were used to easterly blow, now with the SW we are all anxious again!!

14:00 - it does seem finally over, with blue skies and sunshine, though winds remain in the 20's. Will take down the flybridge/sundeck lines, replace the bimini top, etc. Put everything back in its rightful place.

16:00 - I checked with BoatUS Tow Boats about hurricane effects in the ICW; he didn't know, because hadn't been up the ICW today. Decided, based on the lower tide effects on the ICW AND the probable debris from the storm AND our being fatigued from the storm, that we will defer leaving until Thursday.

Also acquired more valuable experience - do not tie lines to fixed pilings when in a significant tidal area. The spring line from the port stern to the stbd dock ended well up in the air due to low tide; I thought I was being smart to connect that line from the piling down to the dock cleat on the floating dock to improve the holding power of that line; but, as the dock went down with the tide, the line between the piling and the dock became tighter and tighter!!! I had to cut it at the cleat, careful to avoid getting hit by its tension, when the dock dropped 1/2 foot!!!. Will remove the remainder once the tide comes up. We had all our other piling connections as 'loops' - no knots on the piling.

Photos - showing the wind/waves/etc [but you get a better impression on TV]. One shows a woman's hair blowing in the same direction she is walking up the ramp; the other shows how miserable the marina looks - the damaged dock will be to the left of the guys trying to walk on the dock [they had been securing a jetski]. The shots are through the pilothouse window.

Just took one of the lowest tide they've had - due to the wind shift to SW in 'hurricane', it blows the water out of the bay; you can see our boat bow sitting on the mud - all the boats along our dock are in the mud.


Admirals Desk:

Wow! What day! We have survived our first, and last, hurricane! We are fortunate that it was only a Cat 1/strong tropical storm. Anything stronger and we would have been in a hotel. We were always safe and secure thanks to all the lines Rob put out. If we were blown away the dock would have been dragged along with us. It's amazing how fatiguing the stress of watching the wind can be. More experienced boaters may cope better. Cooking again. Summertime Shrimp Scampi. A new recipe, very simple. I'll rate it tomorrow. Best to all.


We've had enough excitement for one day, or one year, so that's all for today at least. Time for a beer and chips. Stay safe.


Comments:

Don Hryn - 4 Aug 2020: Take care

Janice - 4 Aug 2020: Whew! Good to hear that you have weathered this

Dick - 5 Aug 2020: Good job Rob.

Ernie R - 5 Aug 2020: Glad you all safe! Feels great to be hurricane certified doesn’t it! You can run the intercostal now with tropical storms and not even notice! That low tide must have set a new record! Wilson lake will be so boring when you all get back!

Jerry Reves - 5 Aug 2020: Glad you made it with minimal damage (1 sacrificed line). This is one reason we keep Sweetgrass on Wheeler instead if here in Charleston. (It was a non-event here mainly rain, wind only 50 and no surge to speak of.)

Dd - 5 Aug 2020: Wow! That is scary! Get a couple of days rest!

Ann- - 5 Aug 2020: exciting times! Get a good book and relax today. More fun times ahead. So glad y’all are safe with just a muddy mustache & one less line!!

Jim and Susie - 5 Aug 2020: So glad you folks are safely docked. Looks so bad in tri-state area. Take care