We Had been watching the progress of Hurricane Irene, with hopes of it turning to the East. We were in St. Michael's MD on Tuesday, watching the progress of Irene, catching crabs, visiting the Maritime Museum, and exploring the town of St. Michael's when we decided to have a late lunch. While Stephanie, Stephen, Pam, and I were enjoying lunch and a cold one, our world started to shake. I thought at first that someone had hit the dock. A few seconds later, things really started to shake. I have never felt an earthquake before this, and I never want to have that feeling of terror again.
We decided to cut our stay short, and leave the next day, because it looked like the hurricane was headed for the Chesapeake. We needed fuel and water, so we headed to Solomon's, took on 800 gallons of fuel (gold) and docked at Washburn's, where we had work done a couple of weeks ago, for the night. The next morning we cruised about five miles up the Patuxent River to St. Leonard's Creek to a protected area where we would ride out Hurricane Irene. After arriving, we picked out our spot, we set our storm anchors, and spent a quiet night at anchor.
Friday morning was prep time on September Song. We removed the fly bridge enclosure, took everything in that could blow away, taped up all the vents, instruments, and controls on the bridge, and taped down all the hatches.
By the time we finished all the prep work, it was mid afternoon, and Vera's White Sands, one of our favorite watering holes, was in sight of our anchorage. The four of us decided that we had been working so hard, that it was time to go to Vera's for a pre-hurricane party. Hey, all work and no play! After our trip to Vera's, it was time to return to the boats, put the family cars up, and wait for Irene's arrival Saturday morning.
Saturday Morning, the wind and rain started around 08:00, and by lunch, it was blowing 30 to 40 with heavy rain. Hurricane Irene was a huge storm, about 500 miles across, so we knew it was going to be a long time before we would see the end of this one. As the day progressed, the winds got stronger, the heavy rain kept coming down, or should I say sideways, and we knew the worst of the storm wasn't going to be here until around 23:00.
Nightfall came, the winds and rain got stronger, I could no longer go out on the front deck to check the snubber lines, and the only thing we had to watch were the radar, anchor watch GPS, plotter, and TV. Our highest gusts came around midnight at 73 MPH. September Song was being blown back and forth, and rolling 8 to 10 degrees, Cassie and Godiva stayed at our side, and we could only hope the Storm anchors would hold all 47 tons of September Song. The worst lasted until around 02:00, and by 05:00, the winds calmed to 30 to 40 MPH, so I knew we had weathered the storm, and it was time for a nap. By 10:00, we started to see spots of blue sky, and by 15:00, we were back at Vera's to celebrate.
Irene lasted for twenty four hours, and we are glad the bitch is gone!
Things like a hurricane, bad weather, rough seas, etc. are no fun, but we love our cruising life together on September Song, and wouldn't change a thing. Our storm anchors held, our hurricane plan worked well again, the sun is out, and we are getting ready to cruise up the Potomac to Washington DC.
Many thanks to our friends and families for their prayers and good wishes during the storm.
September Song (the bitch is out of the building) out
Bob
September Song and Tides In at anchor in the harbor at St. Michael's.
We decided to cut our stay short, and leave the next day, because it looked like the hurricane was headed for the Chesapeake. We needed fuel and water, so we headed to Solomon's, took on 800 gallons of fuel (gold) and docked at Washburn's, where we had work done a couple of weeks ago, for the night. The next morning we cruised about five miles up the Patuxent River to St. Leonard's Creek to a protected area where we would ride out Hurricane Irene. After arriving, we picked out our spot, we set our storm anchors, and spent a quiet night at anchor.
Friday morning was prep time on September Song. We removed the fly bridge enclosure, took everything in that could blow away, taped up all the vents, instruments, and controls on the bridge, and taped down all the hatches.
By the time we finished all the prep work, it was mid afternoon, and Vera's White Sands, one of our favorite watering holes, was in sight of our anchorage. The four of us decided that we had been working so hard, that it was time to go to Vera's for a pre-hurricane party. Hey, all work and no play! After our trip to Vera's, it was time to return to the boats, put the family cars up, and wait for Irene's arrival Saturday morning.
Saturday Morning, the wind and rain started around 08:00, and by lunch, it was blowing 30 to 40 with heavy rain. Hurricane Irene was a huge storm, about 500 miles across, so we knew it was going to be a long time before we would see the end of this one. As the day progressed, the winds got stronger, the heavy rain kept coming down, or should I say sideways, and we knew the worst of the storm wasn't going to be here until around 23:00.
Nightfall came, the winds and rain got stronger, I could no longer go out on the front deck to check the snubber lines, and the only thing we had to watch were the radar, anchor watch GPS, plotter, and TV. Our highest gusts came around midnight at 73 MPH. September Song was being blown back and forth, and rolling 8 to 10 degrees, Cassie and Godiva stayed at our side, and we could only hope the Storm anchors would hold all 47 tons of September Song. The worst lasted until around 02:00, and by 05:00, the winds calmed to 30 to 40 MPH, so I knew we had weathered the storm, and it was time for a nap. By 10:00, we started to see spots of blue sky, and by 15:00, we were back at Vera's to celebrate.
Irene lasted for twenty four hours, and we are glad the bitch is gone!
Things like a hurricane, bad weather, rough seas, etc. are no fun, but we love our cruising life together on September Song, and wouldn't change a thing. Our storm anchors held, our hurricane plan worked well again, the sun is out, and we are getting ready to cruise up the Potomac to Washington DC.
Many thanks to our friends and families for their prayers and good wishes during the storm.
September Song (the bitch is out of the building) out
Bob
September Song and Tides In at anchor in the harbor at St. Michael's.
I can't believe Stephanie took this picture of me with my head in a hatch.
Just beyond that corner ahead is where September Song will ride out Hurricane Irene.
September Song in her hurricane hole.
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