Twister Terror

The second of two tornados clocked at 147 knots as it roared through the marina and pummelled the poor boats there.   Only about 600 m away, we could see large pieces of debris flying into the air.  And then it came towards us!

One of the most common questions I get from landlubbers is if I am ever scared and I have been able to honestly respond 'No".  Until today....

Peter and I got up to another dreary grey day (the 5th).  Rain pelted down in fits and bursts.  Storm cells came marching past with close enough lightning that we went through our usual routine of putting all electronics in the oven.

Then, just after 1 p.m., Peter yelled at me to come and see this, "Quick, it's scary."  Over and touching down on the marina was a huge, chaotic cloud swirling.  As we watched it began to move toward us, like a big steam roller on it's side.  Absolutely terrifying!  It came closer and closer.  Peter was preparing to turn on the engines to take pressure off our anchor.  All I could imagine was all the stuff on our boat - canvas, enclosure and two heavy bikes - becoming flying torpedos.  I yelled at him to get inside.  We both watched from the portlights as the twister came toward us, obscuring everything under it as it came.  The small sailboat that we had thought was a little too close for comfort over the last few days disappeared briefly as the outside of the tornado swept by on us.  We could feel Milly shuddering and lifting.  As quickly as it came, it passed and dissipated on the mountains behind us.

What I really needed was a video.  I didn't gather my wits enough to pick up the camera until it was well passed and dissipating but we could hear the trees cracking and see the cloud swirling UP.  So wild!

We scanned the anchorage aan saw that a 16 m or so day tour boat - somebody's source of income - was capsized.  As Peter picked up the VHF to alert the marina, a dinghy came out but it was too late. With a hiss and bubbles frothing the big boat sank within about 5 minutes of capsizing.  So sad.

The stern of the tour boat as it sank from view.

The coast guard got to the sinking point within another few minutes and put two divers in the water, probably to ensure no one was on the boat and perhaps to mark it with a buoy.  As the divers were down another tornado appeared bearing down on the marina.

This one was a well-formed, defined twister.  It roared like a train.  Debris was sucked up into it.  And then it came toward us and the small dinghy coast guard boat.  Somehow the two guys on top communicated to the guys below.  We watched as they levitated - adrenalin can do that - into the boat and sped off just in time.

Again I watched from the port light, yelling at Peter to get inside.  But he was watching.  It doesn't come too fast - there is time for him to walk the 8 feet into the cabin.  So we watched.

It was already dissipating when I got the courage to come outside.  That is not more than 100 m away from us!

 Within minutes of the second passing and along with a couple of other boats in the anchorage, we decided to leave!  We thought we were on a squall/tornado line that had been marching along all morning.  We weighed anchor and moved 5 NM away to a calm, sunny bay.

So strange, so very scary.  We were helpless.  All we could do was watch and hope....

On our way to blue sky while enormous, dramatic clouds still hung over our old anchorage.

We were very lucky.  Not so the owner of the tour boat.  We have since heard from friends that several sailboats in the marina were thrown off their dry dock stands and "thrown about".  A pontoon was ripped off the sea wall.  A floating motor yacht was heavily damaged and a sailboat is taking on water.

Another friend has sent this youtube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go3ZX2P6df0  Milly is the catamaran seen as the boat sinks.

Apparently, this is the first tornado that has hit the marina in 20+ years.  And it was not just one, but two!!

New anchorage.  Safe and sound and shaking.