We are hunkered down in the marina. Typically in this situation we are moored against a floating pontoon and secured by three lines; here there isa concrete pier between us and the wind and we are secured by seven lines.
It is just as well. The weather has developed into one of the two “dangerous storms” they get here each summer. In the Velebit Channel (north of us and a notoriously windy spot) they are anticipating winds gusting up to 100 miles per hour - off the top of the Beaufort Scale. Here it’s not so bad. We can expect “only” gale force winds. But we have some friends who are up that way and they have already left their boat for a few nights in a hotel - keeping an eye on their boat from the security of dry land.
We have spent most of the day watching the wind intensify and the charter boats return to harbor. Most of them look like they have had a rough time of it. They are not equipped skill-wise or gear-wise for this kind o f weather. It is their summer vacation after all! The charter companies do a good job. They put their own skippers onto the boats and don’t allow the clients to park them. Sensible from all perspectives.
We eat dinner on board. In fact we haven’t left the boat all day. Then we watch a movie. The night is not too bad. About 12:30 we are both awake and the wind is howling. This continues for about a couple of hours then it subsides but only a little. I get back to sleep but Lori stays awake until about 4:00. We both sleep until 8:00.
The night has fortunately been uneventful and we hope things continue this way. The wind is due to continue to lessen over the next 36 hours (which is just as well because that’s when Jim and Tracey will arrive).
Hopefully we will get off the boat today and get some provisioning done.