20% or below

I will not be going out on the water if the chance of rain is over 20%. And this is why…

 

The last time we went out on a boat there was a 30% chance of rain and it stormed all night. (We were camping on an island.) There was a tornado warning and a small craft advisory. And when we woke up in the morning, our boat had been washed ashore.

 

And then…

 

Beau and I went out on the sailboat Saturday, about midday. When we left was very different than when we returned.

 

Beau and I were getting the sailboat ready to leave the marina when Hugh, the manager of the marina, came by to warn us that a storm was supposed to be rolling in around 1:00 or 2:00. Yeah, we know Hugh. We’re not worried. But thanks!

 

For the first hour of our little jaunt out to the harbor there absolutely NO wind. Nothing. We had to motor the entire time. But Beau set the sails up in hopes that some wind would come along. A little came and we were moving along quite nicely. Then…

 

Before we could blink an eye, the winds picked up enough to put a rail in the water and create white caps in the water. As I’m trying desperately to steer the boat into the wind, Beau is trying to get both sails down so the wind will stop knocking us around.

 

I’m looking around and noticing that people are leaving the harbor. They’re going back to their marinas. And where are we going? We’re going further into the harbor so that we can continue to sail into the wind. As I’m noticing this and thinking we’re the only ones out here, Beau comments about how this situation is reminding him of White Squall. Not funny Beau. Not funny.

 

We get the sails down and sit. we sail (motor rather) back to the marina. Not a drop of rain landed on our heads, but that wind was storm enough for me.

 

I will be staying on land if the chance for rain goes above 20%.