Good friends are hard to find and some are just special… here is one such….
Twas the night before Irma and all through Dock 4
Preparing all day was an exhausting chore.
Pack up your bags, your papers, your pictures
Of course don’t forget your beers, wines and liquors.
Watching projections on our Bay News 9,
Darn it, for 3 days you made us feel fine!
Then on the third day, your models turned west
We started to feel like we weren’t at our best.
Stomachs were aching, stress spread about.
We’d all lose our boats – that was without a doubt.
Dock carts were filled with all of our treasures
We took threats of this storm to the most extreme measures.
Surges were threatening, the winds would be high
Just hoping our homes would stay safe and dry.
As lines were adjusted the ten millionth time
We said ‘bye’ to our boats and hoped all would be fine.
Some went to the Hilton, some left the state
Some left too early, some stayed too late
A couple of sailors would ride out the storm,
To check up and help out in true dock 4 form.
As trees started swaying we knew Irma was here,
We battened the hatches and cracked open a beer.
The wind, she was howling, Lisa called 911
Yeah sure this is scary, but dammit, it’s fun!
The rain came down sideways, yes this was no good
As Lowes and Home Depot ran out of plywood.
This shook Drew and Sharon in their house made of glass
They hoped and they prayed that this soon would pass.
Rhonda was somber, as her girls ate spaghetti
Don’t worry guys, ‘cause this time we’re ready!
Chris and the baby were up in their room
While Stan called with news of impending doom.
Angie and Richard went to bed early
Hoping the Hilton was built to be sturdy.
They nestled up next to their 50 MREs
As they slept to the sounds of the wind in the trees.
The eye’s getting closer, this is insane!
While Janine and Leo bit their nails up in Maine.
Chris worked all night to send news with haste,
While Kara and baby rode it out in Westchase
Tyna and Gary left to where it’d be sunny,
But she left their door wide open…that was pretty funny.
Mike, Vicki, Liz,John on the coast to the east.
Fighting against this horrible beast.
Sherry and Art, they are part of our family,
So glad that they made it all the way to Miami.
Alan braved it out on Intermezzo 2,
If he wants to go sailing that’s what he must do.
Laura and Ken in the worst of the weather,
Tomorrow hopefully we’ll all feel much better.
Lawyer Rick, Dr. Rick, United Rick, Polish Rick, What were they to say?
When all of the water had left Tampa Bay.
Bob, Brian and Vince slipped on their raincoats
Risking their lives to save all the sailboats.
60 knot winds… was this just a teaser?
As Nan worried about all her food in the freezer.
She’s tearing out street signs, yes this girl is mean
But we woke up to high fives with Glenda and Dean.
As the night ended, the skies turned to blue
Irma had left, we had all made it through.
Now let’s hope our boats were all just as lucky.
If the cleats didn’t hold it will be rather sucky!
Safe Mode’s still floating, so is Wassaw, Orion
Aries, and Homerun, if they weren’t we’d be cryin’
SE of Disorder and Z-Raye’s okay
It was minimal damage at the end of the day.
We look down the dock and see Nirce and Miles,
So happy to see they are nothing but smiles.
A sad day for some as we dodge the downed trees,
Still waiting for word from Art in the Keys.
We give hugs and support for those who lost all
We are all here to help, so just give us a call.
We’re in this together, so don’t start to worry
Anything at all, we’ll be there in a hurry.
Let this be a lesson to Stan and to Chris,
It’s because you were leaving, now this I insist.
We all needed you here just a little bit longer,
Because with you here, Dock 4 is much stronger.
Now that it’s over, we all know what to do.
Put your hands in the air and shout…..IRMA SCREW YOU!!!!!!!
S/V SE of Disorder
And all points south…