Gary,

Would you let the Club Members know just for their information that Hurricane Irene is about to hit s/v Truelove, my 45-foot, steel-hulled, center-cockpit, cutter-ketch which is on the hard just north of Beaufort, North Carolina.  The center of the hurricane is expected to be at 34.4 deg N. / 76.66 deg W. in about 24 hours.  Cape Lookout, which is a few miles south and east of Truelove is at 34.62 deg N. / 76.525 deg W.  This will be the twelfth time Truelove has been hit by a hurricane.  Three of those times I was on board, twice at a dock and once anchored out off of the Pamlico Sound.  Truelove will probably be safe this time because she is out of the water.  Oddly enough, the most dangerous thing about hurricanes is usually the huge surge of water that they push up in front of them.  Water is so dense, almost nothing can withstand a mountainous wave.  Until the wind gets up to Category 3 or higher, the wind is not as dangerous.  For that reason, lots of people make arrangements with boatyards to pull their boats out of the water when a hurricane threatens.  A  lot of insurance companies will even pay for it.

For many years I wrote stories about sailing Truelove.  I have attached a couple that dealt with hurricanes. You are welcome to send them out as you       wish.  I just thought that with Irene in the news, some of the Members might find them interesting reading.

Lee

Epilogue: Lee said the Truelove made it through the storm okay.. I’m putting the stories up on here for your viewing pleasure