Irene, our little hurricane

Irene wasn't a treacherous storm, but our little hurricane was exciting and a great learning experience. Eric stayed on board Clementine in a small cove near the National Harbor. He was protected by a hill, the bridge, and an island. (I stayed home with the pets and kept him company by telephone when the wind was at its worst.) So what did we learn?

Advance planning. Make sure you have enough food, water, and sleep before the hurricane arrives. Know where you're going to put the boat and get there early. Watch the weather. Know which way the wind will be blowing, what path the storm is taking, and what the current is doing. Protect your nylon rode. Eric wrapped cloth around all of the potential chafe points to keep the line from breaking and the anchor secure. Clementine is stout. With winds at 47mph, gusting to 58, Clementine yawned and went back to sleep. We both have complete confidence in her ability to take on the elements.

The following day was bright and sunny, yet surprisingly dry. It was like Irene had never even been there. When all of the bigger boats started coming home in a long line down the river, it was like a joyous parade. We even got to see John, our neighbor on the water, who abandoned his boat in good times but came through for her in bad.