21 03S 1559 28W
Libertyatsea10
Sat 21 Aug 2010 17:43
All good here.
Just as I was complaining about the "nothing to do=ness"..last night we had another great adventure. An electrical storm. No wind , no rain for the most. Huge lightning storms started across
the horizon just south of us. We tracked it for hours, glad not to be near it. Fork lightning, sheet lightning, the sky lighting up blue like daytime, Great big webs of lightning streaking across
the whole visible sky. For hours it raged and it seemed to be on the same track as us. We considered it was generally on its way to Raro and so we could get there first and let it pass behind us.
Then it grew in ferocity and headed right across our path. On the radar it was a mass of red and yellow, steaming across the screen. So we took the opposite trajectory, put on the revs and off we went. Poor little Benj was scared witless, the skies at one point were constantly lit with fearsome light. no thunder still , no rain. The lightning storms in PAnama were big, but nothing compared to this.
Fortunately calm seas and little wind when we were motoring straight back along our course. I imagined this in nasty weather...not a happy thought.
Johan was brilliant on the radar and Marpa (tracking devise). He sought out various centres of the storm and tracked the paths, speed and headings sow e were able to make sound decisions based on calm operation of this fantastic piece of technology. Well Done Johannus!
Eventually the storm broke into smaller ones all doing there own thing which was challenging, but we found a way out without having to experience the main centre which was massive. IF we had stayed on our original course we would have had the full mighty force of heavens knows what.
Maybe lightning does'nt strike twice but I, for one, was not going to test that throry.
We were all on edge, specially me. I get the heebie jeebies now when I see lightning. Jerugen did a big rainy stint on deck whilst Grum sat with Benj to reassure him.
Everyone worked like a dream together and here we are entering Raro in beautiful sunshine.
WHAT an experience and just as moody Skip was on a whinge. Serves me right for moaning.
I just remembered to write this because I took the GPS, Sat Fone and Laptops out of the oven.......
Now a little list of things to do and a little R and R. DR, you can have a day off too! Thanks as always for being there
XXX