Exuma storms

[Canibul]

We're just this morning hearing tales from just north of us up in the Exumas about severe winds last night, gusting to over 100 mph in the northern Exumas.

We're hearing about boats on the rocks, people losing anchors, all kinds of damage. Staniel, Warderick, etc. If you know anyone on a boat in the Exumas, you might want to check in with them.

[Vasco]

Her's a report I got this morning:

This is for all the G Town cruisers now known as CLODS --
It is an email from s/v Charisma and the squall that just passed through the anchorage -- CHARISMA faired well...but this was an extraordinary event which came from no where without any advance warning. We went from 15 to over 55 knots in less than a minute. I had set two anchors in my "spot" off Honeymoon Beach and had decided on the FORTRESS rather than the BRUCE as the North, or windward anchor. That decision very well may have saved us, I of course had the engine running and powered forward. The most I ever noticed was 72 knots, but a boat in hole #2 recorded 92 knots and yet another boat recorded something over 100 kts. This went on for an hour. Boats drug everwhere. At least one is on the beach in front of CHAT & CHILL. Many are damaged, some seriously, but fortunately no one was injured, to the best of our knowledge. So how did you learn of this event?..the likes of which I hope I never see again - I'm exhausted..
Say some prayers that all are ok..
Chat Conversation End

[colemj]

Looks like it was a deracho. We are further south and saw brief 55, and sustained 30's. Lots of lightning.

Mark

[the_alpine]

What a nightmare!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[sneuman]

In Chris Parker's daily chat he mentioned the 100 knot winds. He also called it a possible derecho. We were farther north (in Abacos) and completely out of it -- the most we saw last night was perhaps 25 knots.

http://svsymbiosis.blogspot.com/

[Vasco]

Another friend on a houseboat in hole2:

Yep! We got hit by a huge storm here last night! Up to 100mph winds! Lots of boats with damage and missing items! The net was a long one this morning!
We all faired well in hole 2! We were thankful for our moorings last night! Winds were out of the west! Those anchored off Stocking island took a slam! Lots of dragging and boats hitting other boats! Good thing you were not here for that!

[witzgall]

Are there any updates on how things worked out at Georgetown? A group effort to get the boat off of the beach?

Chris

[Captain Bill]

There are reports on Women Who Sail (via the admiral) that a boat broke loose at Staniel and burned, another went on the rocks at piggy beach and broke up, the crew got off ok. It sounds like it was a good day not to be in the Exumas. Wadrick Wells reported 106 knots.

[Cheechako]

What's a Deracho? We experienced sudden severe micro cells in Florida before. Usually less than 45 mins duration but up to 75+ MPH winds.

[jstevens]

Don't know the definition of Deracho used by the Weather Service, but I believe it means straight line winds caused by large weather systems. In this case the low pressure system that formed between the Bahamas and Cuba then quickly intensified. This to differentiate the phenomenon from those caused by local effects such as a micro burst or tornado. The definition is probably somewhere on the NOAA site.

John

[Kenpimentel]

We were at Normans Cay in the anchorage (near the DC3) when it hit at around 4PM. Saw winds peak at 56k, but we were sheltered a bit from the worst. Cambridge Cay reported 106k. It blew over 40k for more than an hour. It was intense. No one hurt and no boats broke (other than minor damage).

At Staniel Cay, they had much the same thing, but at twilight. Cool Cat, a Leopard 40, lost their mooring bridle, then their windlass failed, then their port engine, finally they hit the island on the bow, and as they were trying to steer off, their steering chain failed! Not the cable, the chain that goes from the autopilot to the helm. They had major luck in winding hard up against a dock that was just next to them. Better than grinding the boat to death on a rock.

Another boat went on the rocks nearby, but people were rescued and the boat refloated today (I'm told).

I'll report more later if interested.

[Kenpimentel]

I wrote up a blog entry about it and included some pictures and video. There were more stories I didn't capture, especially the carnage in Georgetown.

Dream Catcher: Experiencing a Derecho

[SVNeko]

We were anchored near Staniel Cay. Here is our blog post:
Gale! | Sailing on Neko
Indeed, it was hairy. The highest officially confirmed winds I heard were 55 knots, and that was indeed what we saw. I think the reports of 70's, 80's and 100+ winds are a little high. Nevertheless, no fun for anyone in it and we hope the boats that were damaged get repaired and on their way again.

[colemj]

We saw 55kts in the Jumentos (open water, so no land block), and have had several direct observations of similar winds from others throughout the Exumas. The only "reports" I have heard of higher winds have been of the "I heard" Chinese whisper types. So far, I haven't found a confirmed direct observation of higher winds.

Not that that 55kt blast and subsequent 2hrs of 35kt was a cakewalk - particularly since it was out of the West where we were...

Mark

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Kenpimentel

I wrote up a blog entry about it and included some pictures and video. There were more stories I didn't capture, especially the carnage in Georgetown.

Dream Catcher: Experiencing a Derecho

Nicely done! Interesting read. IIRC much of the area surrounding the anchorage becomes sand at low tide in there...? That must have hit at high tide for you all...?