Today's Thundestorm

As we approached the top of the Delaware Bay, where the channel narrows, we saw the black storm clouds of an approaching thunderstorm. We quickly struck sail, and prepared for the storm. We have been sailing in company with S/V Kathryn, and we watched them strike sail
as well. Coming up the channel was a large freighter.

The storm came on strong from the beginning, with 20 knots of breeze, and driving rain. We were positioned outside the channel where the freighter loitered.. on our starboard side we were hemmed in by the shore. The winds climbed quickly through the 20s, then through the 30s, and the boat becamed difficult to manage. Visibility was almost zero and none of the other boats in the area were visible. The winds continued to increase, hitting 48 knots, and the bow was being blown off, towards the rocks waiting onshore. We throttled up to point the bow up into the wind, but we had to be careful not to enter the channel where the invisible freighter was waiting. All the while we hoped that the freighter wouldn't drift down on us in the extreme wind. We were able to stay on station, but just barely.

The winds stayed in the high 30s for half an hour, which is a long time when you are blind and just trying to hang on, and you don't know where the other boats are.

Eventually, the winds tapered off, and the rain stopped. Silence was OK, but we couldn't see S/V Kathyn anywhere. We motored ahead slowly, watching astern with binoculars for any sign of them beyond the bend of the river. We eventually spotted them underway in the distance.

We turned into the C and D Canal, with no wind and flat waters, a welcome sight. Now we are anchored in the Bohemia River, happy to be almost home.