Bienvenidos Gaston…maybe

Here we go. It’s getting to the meaty part of hurricane season where every “invest” by NOAA is a potential LO worth investigating. There is a formula to this as tropical waves roll off of Africa’s west coast and IF the Sahara dust is light and IF there are sea surface temps conducive to LO formulation and IF shearing winds aloft are light and IF predominant winds are headed in a direction to facilitate cyclonic (spinny in a counterclockwisey fashion)  pattern and IF the earth keeps spinning in the same direction further validating Dr Coriolis’s crackpot theory then it’s ON.

We have the undisputed sailors weather advisor Chris Parker on retainer with daily email updates. Mark Malsik the SC “severe weather liaison” is a serious scientist as well as a seriously funny commentator (forecast is a bag of weasels and broken glass). These guys are our main source of data and routing info. I cannot imagine the faith and luck Mariners of antiquity before this wealth of information relied on. As we say condescendingly in the Deep South “bless their hearts”.

A series of “invests” are rolling east to west. T/S or hurricane Fiona (tip o the hat to our mild mannered Irish friend of the same name up in DC) will be a fish storm headed way east of Bermuda and into the big blue nothing.

This from Cris Parker today:

…”INTENSITY: Models suggest that, if Invest99 develops, it may become a strong Cat3-Cat5 Hurricane, capable of significant damage.
Invest99 is the 1st credible threat of the season for Caribbean. All interests N of about Trinidad (from Grenada-Leewards-VIs-PR) should have a PLAN in place to prepare for a Major Cat3-Cat5 Hurricane as soon as Wed24, and be prepared to put your PLAN into action with sufficient lead time to complete your preparations by the end of Tue23.”….

Ok then. We keep quoting Hunter S. Thompson “buy the ticket take the ride” but, as we all know mr Thompson was not captain Thompson and mr Thompson (although not a train driver) found himself well off the rails.

These babies are safe. We have a multi tiered hurricane prep plan in place. We have refundable high ground concrete hotel reservations in place. We’re provisioned deep already anyhow. Bottled water and peanut butter crackers eat the same in a blacked out hotel as they do in a boat during a gale. No worries. Kelly and I have been through a number of these in our lives on land. Whether this gets merely sporty or outright biblical you can rest assured we are safe. I love this boat. I love this life we’re living. But if I have to choose….sails off, canvas off, triple lines and fenders… See you on the other side my dear Madame. We’re headed to the Virgin Islands shortly.Stay tuned much love.

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