Dark and Stormy

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Last night was an interesting one. It all started like a normal Friday night here. Around 5 when everyone has finished work for the week and the weekend has begun, everyone from the marina heads to Salty Mikes for a drink. Salty Mikes is the locals bar at the marina and is just a hole in the wall place, very rustic with a lot of character. We have enjoyed going there because it is a great place to meet other sailors and swap stories. Last night we made friends with a delivery captain and his crew. They have sailed all over the world, across the Atlantic and thru the Panama Canal 4 times, moving other people’s boats for them. He gave us great advice and taught us some new tricks, all over a couple of dark and stormies (which is a delicious drink made with good dark rum and ginger beer, a new favorite). They are getting ready to bring a boat down to the Grenadines in a few days, and are tied up next to us.

After a couple of hours and a few dark and stormies, the winds start picking up and a storm starts rolling in. So far we have gone a couple of storms here with a lot of rain and some heavy winds. One of the storms was mainly lightening that was sticking all around us (we actually saw it strike a boat at the other end of the marina- very scary). But they pass quickly and do very little damage. But not last night, it got pretty dark and stormy here. It was windy, raining slightly, and the sky would light up green with all the lightening. It was pretty intense.

First we secured our boat, making sure all the lines were holding and the fenders were in a good position. We had to tighten some of the lines, which took considerable effort because the storm was pushing our boat pretty hard into the dock. We then helped out our friends, making sure they are secure as well. Then Dave, the delivery captain, says we should check on all the other boats on our dock. You have to make sure they are tied up well enough that they don’t break free and run into you. Right now we are the only people spending the night on the boat, so all the other boats need to be checked. By this point the wind is easily blowing 50 knots and the sea is rolling and the boats are slamming into the docks. We use all the lines we have to secure the other boats, and have to reposition almost everyone’s fenders. It was rocking and rolling on the dock. But we are very thankful that the dock we are tied up at is inside the mega dock, which is a big concrete dock built to act as a small sea wall.

Meanwhile, the boats on the other docks that aren’t as protected are getting hammered. Boats are breaking free because the lines snap and are slamming into other boats and the dock. A lot of big metal cleats that hold the boat to the dock are breaking, making it impossible for some people to stay tied up. The sea is so rough that it is lifting boats up out of the water and slamming them into the docks, causing tons of damage to the fiberglass and toe rails and anything in the way. Everyone is struggling to keep their boat safe. One man lost a hand, it got cut off while he was trying to protect his boat. And sad to say, one boat sank. Yes, sank and is sitting on the bottom of Charleston harbor still attached to the dock. The two people on board abandoned ship and are safe. We think that they slammed into the dock hard enough to put a hole in the side of the boat and too much water rushed. It is crazy.

The good news is that we are alright and the storm has let up. We have good friends who are looking out for us, and a very sturdy boat. I am happy to report that the rum runner handled the storm great.

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Photos

Sunken
This 46 foot sailboat sunk and is sitting at the bottom of Charleston Harbor.

Sunken
Another photo of the 46 foot sailboat that sunk last night while still tied up at the dock.

Fiberglass
Just some of the fiberglass that litters the docks, all due to the storm last night.

Cleat
One of the metal cleats that tie up the boats to the dock, totally destroyed last night.

Cleat
A close up view of the cleat that was destroyed in the storm.

Winds
The winds have died down to 20 knots when this picture was taken.

Pusser
This Pusser sign fell off the building, it was up about 10 feet and when it landed it left a big hole in the dock.

Bikes
Even the bikes were tangled up this morning.

Comments

[Nancy Rodger]

gad
Thank god you guys are ok. There probably are a lot of people that are happy you were there to tighen up their lines. Did Kona help or was he tied up down below? No doubt the dolphins had something to do with your escaping harm. Dark and Stormy seems to be the theme. Is the drink only the rum and ginger beer? Maybe it is time to switch drinks to Sunny and Breezey. Do you guys plan on getting skype? If you get a camera, we can talk to you and see you too, all over the computer.

[G-Gran]

Safe
Thank God that yo are safe during this storm; I did not expect this happening so soon!!! Love you and am praying for a safe journey.

[richard Shapiro]

ho, ho ho anna a bottle o rum
we're floating the morter floor next week, so we will be expecting you for tiling on thurs. see you then ta ta