Bud and Me

Hurricane Bud
Hearing about the oncoming hurricane, we debated over what we should do. Our friends took shelter in a local marina. These are our surfing – paddling – occasional drinking friends from our favored anchorage in Punta de Mita. We figured we’re young’ish, brave’ish, and broke’ish (marina fees = ugh) so we huddled in the bay near the marina, just in case’ish.

***

I’m scared. I’m trying not to be. But I am. I know the storm shouldn’t hurt us. But still. The waves are rocking the boat making us move. More than I wish. They’re hitting the boat hard enough to sound like an alarming slam.

Heartbeat ≈ 91

The rain stops and starts again. When it stops if feels like everything will be OK. But then the rain starts back up again. And with it comes the wind. The wind is not reassuring to say the least.

Heartbeat ≈ 94

This is my first hurricane. They call it a level 2 or something like that. I guess that makes it a mild one. Mild if you’re on land. In a solid home. Made of brick and mortar. I’m not in such a home. My home has a transmission and it floats.

Heartbeat ≈ 97

We’ve already secured the deck as best as we could. Our boards are safely nestled next to our bed. I get to cuddle with my paddleboard. Our vee birth is filled with cushions, pads, canvases, and seats. Our windows are closed. But some with bad gaskets are leaking and dripping. So am I. It’s hot and humid.

Heartbeat ≈ 105

My at-rest heartbeat is on average in the low 60’s. I’m not really moving, other than my running and clicking fingers on the keyboard. I don’t even need to touch my wrist or my neck. My blood is pulsing so strongly all I need to do is count the beats as they pound away in my chest. I’m shaking. I know it will all be all right because Leo said it would. He promised to take care of me.

Heartbeat ≈ 112 

Make it stop. Please make it stop. Please please oh pretty please let me at least get this post out!

___________
Hurricane Bud hit just South of us. Locals told us this year – there would be no hurricanes. The water is too cold, they said. Any hurricane may form South of here, but will die as they move North, they said.

Bud is the 2nd hurricane to hit East Pacific and we’re only but 10 days into hurricane season. And yes, we’re totally ok. Although I was a bit nervous, this was mainly an almost fictional piece as I tried to best describe an emotion. I will give a piece of candy to the first who can identify the emotion!  ツ

The images of the hurricane are however real and accurate. Freaky hunh?

25 thoughts on “Bud and Me

  1. I’ve been through a couple of hurricane and it’a frighten I’ve even been chased ny a tornado not fun but mother nature though frighten in her violence is also pretty awesome ad beautiful

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    1. Mother nature is a wild beast isn’t she… One minute she is a tender seductress the next she is holding a knife to your throat. Such a diva.

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  2. Wow! Weathering the storm in the boat sounds scary as hell to me. You described your mounting terror extremely well, and the mounting heartbeat had the same effect as, in a horror story, flashing to the beast as it climbs the stairs, then jumping back to the heroine huddled in her bed. That repetition, that listing, is a very effective way to build emotion.

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    1. Repetition – a great tool also to use in comedy. Thank you thank you thank for the wonderful feedback!

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  3. Hurricane season gets worse every year. We get the occasional scares almost every year here but so far, we’ve managed to dodge the bullet.

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    1. Does it really? Get worse? Dam that Zuckerberg. I blame HIM!

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  4. I can’t imagine what living through a hurricane is like on land let alone on a boat. (New Englanders, FTW!), but your device of adding your increasing heartbeat is very effective to help me understand. Very creative and I’m glad you and your husband are ok.

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    1. Yeah. I think the worst part was taking everything inside. It really was scary. And I really could count my heart beats! It’s all over now, and behind us!

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  5. omg…i could not imagine trying to ride one out on the water in a boat…good lord…hang tight…lash yourself to something solid….smiles at it being fiction but def all too real…

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    1. I lashed myself all right! Held on to my laptop for dear life!

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  6. tumbleweedtrucker 26/05/2012 — 10:20 am

    Your post may have been *almost* fiction, but that hurricane looks 100% non-fiction! Glad you’re safe.

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    1. Yeah… 100% real hurricane! brr…

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  7. You guys are brave is all I can say. I don’t even go in the ocean at the beach unless it’s calm. I’m not a good swimmer (just ok) and fear very deep water. Hurricanes are scary to me on land. I couldn’t imagine being on the water in one. You’d have to put me out! Stay safe out there my friend!

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    1. We’re only brave because it ended up being a very mild storm in our bay. Had it blown us to smithereens we’d been stupid. ツ

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  8. Unreasonably(but probably because I’ve dated some expert boatmen), I feel much safer in a boat than most other places.
    Will be thinking of you & offering up good vibes.

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    1. I’m so disappointed you didn’t grab the opportunity to say you’d dated seamen. It was there. A great opportunity for you to grab! Sigh…

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  9. Nope, not selling the whole living on a boat thing to me today. That had me scared just reading it.
    So glad you came through it ok

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    1. It really wasn’t all that bad (of course hind sight has such bravado, doesn’t it?)

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  10. i just realize that you actually live on a boat.
    right…
    i just would shit my pants, l think…

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    1. …could be worst – the boat could be living on me!

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  11. Scary! Yikes, glad you’re ok!

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    1. I’m glad too! But it got even more scary there when we dropped the last ice cube in our drinks!

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  12. Glad you made it through okay. But your occasional drinking friends took shelter in a marina? Just how much do they drink?

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    1. Actually it was 2 couples – 2 different boats… How much do they drink? Uuuuhhhhh, not sure but I’ll say more than me? Yeah. I’m going with that one!

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  13. That is crazy! Glad you made it through OK!

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