Just gonna leave this here, re: MATTHEW

[Captain Smollett]

This has got to be one of the craziest hurricane forecast tracks I have ever seen.

Kurt / others in the SE environs...batten 'em down.  Who knows where this'un is gonna go.

[ralay]

I bent the track around with intense wishing for it not to come up to New England and destroy Mona while we are away.  Sorry to anyone down there.  In all seriousness, I hope everything comes out OK for folks farther south.  I can't wait for hurricane season to be over.

[Bubba the Pirate]

Just by chance, I had previously asked for Su/Mo/Tu off. I'll be at the boat to pick up any pieces and assess. Emma is on the hard in Fort Pierce. Matthew at the moment is about the worst case scenario. I am glad not to be in the water however.

[w00dy]

Have my fingers crossed for you.

[CapnK]

Good luck, Todd, hope you fare well.

I am still in my marina, pretty much "last man standing", it's ***really*** empty. :)

Been watching forecasts closely, the way they have changed over the past couple days has been great. Right now forecast is for about 50mph E/ENE winds - that's *across* the river I am on - so if that holds I will stay put.
If it sours, I can be off the dock and on a more sheltered one around in town in about 1.5 miles, 2 places to tie up aligned 90* from each other, which is just about perfect.
So all in all, if it sticks as is forecast now, 'evar' little t'ing, gon' be allright...'.

[Bubba the Pirate]

Well, Matthew decided to stay off shore. That is good.

According to the almanac data on wunderground.com, Ft. Pierce had sustained winds at 33 knots with gust over 50. We probably survived that OK.  I'll there Sunday or Monday. 

Thanks, everybody. 

[cap-couillon]

Glad to have it miss us here in the middle keys... Not even a shower in Marathon

Gonna try for a second pass by Wed or so? 

[Frank]

Got word back from friends on Green Turtle Cay.....the eye was far enough west they only had rain and strong winds....nothing serious. Happy for them all. (and Allure stored there)
Sure hope the folks on E coast Florida and Georgia fare out ok....
Be save

[CapnK]

Been in touch with Connie/Pixie, she and Croc were stateside and heading back when Matt popped up, so they stayed in SoFlo, heading back tomorrow I think. They got word though that their island and boats and such all weathered well, so that is a good thing. :)

I am in marina, staying here tho' the storm is passing close, as the winds will be easterly their (hopefully) won't be much wave action in here. I figured why move to sit in a windy spot when I could just stay and sit here in a windy spot...
As long as the center stays anywhere south of passing N of here (including, heavens forbid, running right over top of us), then it'll just be a wind/rain event. As long as the wind cannot get enough fetch to make it bouncy, the rest is manageable, and I'll just have a few hours of experience of what it sounds like maybe-kinda in the Southern Oceans during a 'normal' storm there, right? :)

ION: Will be going up to Chessie for the A30 Oct 18th give or take a day. Can't wait! :D

[Norman]

The prognosis is good, Kurt, and as long as the deck is sound, you should stay dry!

I keep watching Mathew curve to the East and reduce the risk to the coastal areas of the Carolinas, plus steadily weakening.  All in your favor so far.

The 17th should be a pleasant time of year to travel down from the Chesapeake in the A30. 

I would not be much help as crew, but that is a journey that I have always wanted to do.  If you go on the inside, do you have room for a short distance sailor?  My calendar is open in that time period.  Age has slowed me down a lot, but I am still sailing, and single hand my Mac 22 in good weather.  A few years ago, I was still crew on a 30 foot Benneteau, tactician racing, and crew with the owner moving to and from the location of the  race.

[Frank]

Glad Connie's boat is ok....
Southern Bamamas got it pretty bad in some places..

[CapnK]

Track is not being kind. Have accepted that, and the possibility of losing the boat. Good thing I have backups. :) Put Barque in his second home (car, he loves it), parked on high ground. Snakes on docks seen when walking up to car, little cottonmouth showed me his pearly whites. Ditch bags packed, "Please, Jesus" lines (that's how I am thinking of them) run to the point that I have one big one left and nowhere to tie it onto (considering tying it right to the mast). Not much else to do.
Have had sustained winds i would put at stronger than 40; they seemed about what I feel when riding the scoot at 45mph. If lucky, the sustained winds will top out there, with some stronger gusts - hopefully infrequent. Storm center is SW of us now, about 100 miles away from here.

Been a long night. Might try and get an hour of shuteye while waiting on the sky to lighten up a bit, and hope that the slight E turn the storm has made since 2AM continues and continues and continues, and that a brush with the ACE Basin and Chas knock it down a bit, and that it doesn't get a whole lot worse. Maybe I'll get lucky.  8)
Standing by...

[Captain Smollett]

Hunker down, Kurt.  I have faith in your preps.  Wind speed probabilities don't look TOO terble for your AO.  At least not high likelihood of Cat II {wink}.

Here's hoping that turn east starts early.

[Bubba the Pirate]

Hoping all is well, CapnK.

[CapnK]

Boat still on top as of ~30 minutes ago, though heeling 15-20 degrees at times (while tied up...). Eye right at us, just south of here - I could see it except for the torrential rain, lol, but winds seem to be clocking around. Having done all I could for the boat, I packed up computers and cameras and the best 4 bottles of rum and am now up on the hill. Strong winds still, hoping the tin roof stays on my shed here. 2-3 more hours? should see us through, keeping my fingers and toes crossed. :)

[Frank]

I imagine it will feel like a very  L o n g  Few hours.....

Hope all is well...

[Captain Smollett]

I imagine it will feel like a very  L o n g  Few hours.....

Hope all is well...

Yes, but isn't it just magical when the tone of the wind howling drops by that first 1/4 note and you start to really believe it is beginning to slacken?

NHC most recent Discussion product puts 'landfall' right at Georgetown.

Godspeed, Kurt.

[ralay]

Good luck, Kurt.  Let us know when you're on the other side.

[CharlieJ]

Just talked to Kurt. Has had some
Problems but he's ok. I'll leave it to him to fill in

[Bubba the Pirate]

Thanks for the update.