The calm before the storm in Solomons, MD

Despite the fact we are hundreds of miles north of Hurricane Ian’s 2nd landfall (near Charleston) we have still been feeling it’s effects.  It’s slow passing, followed by a reinforcing low-pressure system, have given us winds of 20 – 30 knots, gusting to 40 with heavy rains, for almost a week.  Oh – did I mention the nighttime temps have dropped to 48! With no sunshine, the daytime temps have only been in the 50’s.  “Record breaking cold” the TV news people have been repeating.

These are only the remnants of Hurricane Ian – you can guess those dark colors are bad

We survived the first 3 days at anchor – freezing.  While we frequently run our generator to heat up our boat, the temp would drop like a rock within minutes of turning it off.  Cruiser friends Mike & Ann, who now live nearby at a condo, generously invited us over for a wonderful gourmet dinner, but the thought of returning in our dinghy in the freezing, pouring rain, in the dark gave us pause … What?  The condo association has a guest boat slip we can use for cheap … we’re there!

For 3 glorious days, our heat aboard blasted away while Mike & Ann provided a fantastic dinner, food shopping & even laundry!  Like magic, on Thursday, the weather is forecasted to suddenly warm up with the big rains & winds coming to a halt.  If so, we’ll be off to Hampton, Virginia, then thru Norfolk if the rains haven’t caused too much local flooding (some of the low bridges in that area flood which shuts down their openings until they can dry things out).

Every single year we have had to hold, divert or prep for a hurricane – fortunately either weak or distant, so a mere inconvenience compared to the alternative.  Our hearts go out to those in southwest Florida …