Aftermath
- Ingrid Molitor
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
I wanted to share a quick update on Hurricane Lala, which struck the Big Island before weakening into a tropical storm as it reached Oahu. I am deeply grateful that the Big Island absorbed the full force of the storm. That landfall drained much of Lala’s destructive energy before she reached us. Even so, the damage there is significant, and the aftermath is heartbreaking for many communities.
Hazel made it through the night without any major incident, but it was far from easy. The storm demanded constant attention, moving lines, tightening them, repositioning them, and repeating the cycle hour after hour. It was a long, exhausting vigil.
As you will see in the photos, we lost part of our finger dock where the cleats were mounted. The main gangway was completely severed, leaving a fifteen foot gap from one side to the other for most of the night. Early this morning, a group of us gathered ratchet straps and worked together to pull the dock back into some alignment. Even with that effort, we will be without electricity and water for several days.
The bay where Hazel is docked has transformed from its usual turquoise clarity into a churned, muddy Mississippi brown. The swells I mentioned in my last post, four to six feet when entering the bay, have now grown to twelve to fifteen feet. No one is entering or exiting the harbor under these conditions.
Through all of this, I thank God for the protection we received, and I am reminded once again of the sheer power and authority of a hurricane. I have learned my lesson well. It will be my life’s mission never to sail anywhere near one.
The storm approaching, and the beautiful turquoise water.
This was the notification given on all cellular networks:
Here you can see several of the lines used to secure Hazel in position. She had a bow line, a stern line, a spring line aft, a spring line forward, two midship lines, and the anchor ready for deployment. One of Hazel’s cleats failed early in the process, and the finger dock she was tied to is slowly tearing away from the main gangway.
After a long session of ratcheting and adjusting, we managed to pull the main gangway close enough to make the jump across. When you look at the photos, keep in mind that Hazel is cleated off at the very end of the gangway on the T section. It is not a comfortable place to work, but it is the only place that kept her secure.
We continue to see relentless rains.
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