Kauai Abnormal

Thursday, March 8

Aboard Murre, Nawiliwili Harbor

2am. I wake to wind and heavy rain. Too bad. I’ve not put the boat cover back after the day’s work. Then lightning. Not close. Often no thunder. But it’s like paparazzi flashes.  I count seconds–one-and-two-and-three-and–and see white light on every upbeat at least. Sometimes it comes in bursts that defy counting. I dash on deck to spread the cover. Rushing to finish before the lightning nears. Breathing heavily though the work is not strenuous. Thinking how dumb it is to be on deck, naked, in torrential rain…in a lightning storm. I wear rubber flip-flops for protection. During last week’s storm two boats on this finger were hit.  A strike blew the through-hull out of one boat. Six inches of water inside before the owner, lucky to be aboard, could jump from his bunk. I saw him on the dock today. He looked like a man who’d seen god and was not too happy about it. How can a weather cell contain so much energy?  It’s raining lightning.

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Bridges out or closed, landslides on north shore roads, 36 inches of rain in Hanalei this week.  And in the days following, winds to 40 knots in the channels.  Still, the cruise ships come and go as if all is usual.

Turn off at the Kapa'a bypass road. Photo courtesy Dinah Chao.

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Today, from Starbucks.

Mixed cloud and decreasing trades from the NE.  But only midweek.  By Thursday, expect more trade wind advisories.  Yesterday was dry, all day, first time in memory.  This is my window.  Will attempt departure tonight.