Awaiting Isaac

Here are pictures of Kinsale, battened down for the approaching storm: Main sail lashed down, extra fenders along starboard, doubled bow and stern lines and a "fail-safe" line to port in case the stern lines on that side fail as we expected winds to be from that direction. Ten dock lines in all to hold her fast. We've tied down or removed loose lines and cleared anything that could clog our cockpit drains.

The yellow shore power cord running down the starboard side of the boat will be removed just ahead of the storm so we can keep our batteries as charged as possible, ensuring that the bilge pump can do its job of keeping the boat from filling with water and sinking should cockpit drains plug or a through-hull fail.

Whether Isaac is going to be a hurricane or a tropical storm remains to be seen. And the forecast track continues to shift -- first west, then back east, then west again -- as does the intensity with each National Hurricane Center Advisory.

Since we arrived home from the boat yesterday, we've experienced waves of squally weather from moisture pushed out ahead of Isaac, a good trial run for tomorrow, when the storm should start having impact on our neighborhood here in Miami. Ian and Eve are ready, in their self-constructed "hurricane hole" in the hall outside Ian's bedroom:

They are spending the night there, with plans to provision the space tomorrow for the approaching storm. As for our house, we've made the decision not to put up storm shutters because right now our winds are projected at "just" tropical storm strength (between 39 and 72 mph). The marina was feeling the effects today, so we'll be in touch with friends there to get reports on local conditions in the day ahead. The boat is as prepared as it likely could be. Now we wait.

Godspeed, Kinsale.