We have had quite the week. After cleaning, sanding, and painting the bottom of  Mistress we were advised that it would be safer if we stayed out of the water till hurricane Mathew blew past. It has been approx. 150 years since a hurricane passed over Aruba, so this was a very rare occurrence, and needed to be taken seriously. The marina was flooded with calls to lift resident boats out of the water. Two were spend securing boats.

As the storm got near the sky filled with clouds and the wind increased. The marina yard came to life with banging halyards and the sound of whistling rigging thank God for ear plugs. With the lack of sun, and the need to shut down the wind generator we set up an extension cord to power our fridge.tucked in behind a huge power boat with a concrete block tied to the predicted wind ward side we faired very well.

The eye passed over us around 12 midnight. We got  the expected rain, thunder, and lighting, but the wind gusts were not as bad as forecasts. The ground is saturated with water causing the jack-stands sink. It is still 100% cloud cover in the sky, but temps still at 85 degrees.

We got a call from friends in the bay. Down the street from the marina they had a derelict boat drift into them during the night. With the help of another cruiser we were able to move it back to a safer distance closer to the mangroves.

I wish I could say that hurricane Mathew was going to blow itself out over the sea, but it is predicted to turn northward and threaten more Islands. Strange how it usually targets the places with the least amount of resources.

We can only pray for them.