Squalls to Beaufort
Arion's West Indian Adventure
Hermione & Douglas Pattison
Thu 30 Jun 2016 02:34
The horrid feeling as you watch the dark clouds getting nearer and nearer, wondering if altering course will mean it missing us or not, or whether to keep going. Waiting, preparing, running through what to do in your mind. The ENORMOUS lightening forks cutting through the sky a little too close for comfort...... This happened twice last night so Douglas and I got very little sleep.
The rain at one point was so hard, we could hardly see and the thunder was deafening as the squall whooshed through us. I actually felt like I was in a film and I was looking at myself in the movie! How weird!!
Then, all of a sudden, quiet. " We are in the eye of the storm now" said Douglas. "Great- what happens now?". " We wait to get hit by the other side of it". Excellent, I thought. He made me wear his crocs incase we got struck by lightening, as I was at the wheel, holding the metal. This really was the end- we are sitting ducks, hoping not to be hit by lightening and if we do get hit- I will probably die wearing lime green crocs. " What a grand exit from this earth " I thought to myself. As it happened, we were very fortunate and did not get struck by lightening. I don't know how as we really were in the thick of it with bolts in all directions. Strangely enough, I was not scared or worried. I knew Arion could handle it, and so could we- my main concern was that the children did not wake up as they would have been scared. I do NOT know how they slept though it all, but they woke up this morning without a care in the world- magic!!
The two squalls were luckily both pretty short lived and afterwards, everything returned to normal and Doogie managed to get a little bit of sleep.
We arrived in Beaufort at about 9--am and went straight to Morehead, where we have been hauled out. Some funny vibrations have manifested themselves in the steering and it seems it might be a prop bearing ( D will have to fill you in on these details- a little beyond me!!)
We have had such a warm welcome here from many people and our lovely neighbour on the hard even arrived with brownies this evening. It is a great little spot here and tomorrow I am off to the local library for children's reading group. Let's hope it is Harry Potter as I feel the Americans would just LOVE a few chapters read out by a real 'Hermione' with a real 'English accent'!
I gather it is the 4 th July soon so we hope to join in the celebrations for this. I think we have ringside seats for the fireworks display which is launched about 10 feet from where we are parked........... We may have to move- my nerves are shot to bits with flashes and loud bangs after last night!!