We were literally days from heading south when a wave later to be called IRMA entered the Atlantic off the Africa coast. As we continued to prep for departure south, the wave grew thru a tropical storm into a monster Cat 5 storm. This storm claimed friends of ours Dave and Marilyn’s boat the KELSEA C in St Thomas as well as hundreds of others boats…

We watched more intently as the track wobbled and claimed more boats as it tracked closer.

As I have worked in public safety for over 30 yrs, I knew this one had me worried. Closer.

As we watched it took aim now at Key West and another friends boat, and we continued to prep the boat for possible track changes. More lines, removal of high windage items, reports were coming in on the storm being larger that any in recent history.

Then it moved farther west. Now instead of just a wind event, in became storm surge and cat 3 storm, with a possible eye tracking over the boat.

I decided to move valuable papers and what equipment we could off the boat. 9 1/2 years living aboard, fixing and updating items, dodging a few tropical storms, and this is the first time we elected to seek shelter off the boat.

No this was not an easy choice. As we sit in shelters, with friends from other boats on the dock, we hope and pray we have boats to return to. As these are not immobile objects, mere items to be tossed aside, but our homes, our lives as many of us have spent years preparing to cruise the oceans. With all our advances in technology, we are still at the mercy of Mother Nature. For all the prepping we can still in an instant lose it all to natures forces.

So, with the eye of Hurricane IRMA bearing straight for us, I hope all the prepped we did hold and we don’t lose SE Of DISORDER