We got about two hours warning via VHF (no cell signal where were) that the storm was coming. It was still over eighty miles away, but it was coming at us at 40mph, plus we were sailing straight at it. We were right between A and B, with no time to reach either one and nowhere to duck into in between. No bravery involved!
It was a beautiful day. We were sailing close hauled in about 12 knots of wind, with full main, 110 jib and Bimini top up, sipping a beer and relaxing with the autopilot on, when the VHF started squawking about severe thunderstorms and small craft advisories. We immediately dropped the Bimini and tied it securely. Then we put in a double reef, just in case some weather arrived early.
We sailed a while longer, listening to the reports, which of course seemed to get worse and worse. After a while we said okay, lets get ALL this canvas down, and fire up the motor. Then we finally got some cell signal, and saw the line of thunderstorms on radar for the first time. That's when we decided to stow the jib and bag the main. I also folded down the solar panels, and lashed them - something I have NEVER done before, even on the trailer. Finally, when there was nothing else left to do below, we put in the crib boards.
All the while, we had been discussing whether to motor into it, or drop the anchor and sit it out. I ultimately made the decision to keep motoring, which turned out to be wrong, but I was glad afterward to have learned something. When that wall of wind hit, there was no keeping the bow into it. I was turning her around in under ten seconds, thinking oh
crap, I definitely shoulda anchored!
I wish I knew what the wind speed was when it first hit, and I wish I had the camera on the whole time. To be honest, I was pretty nervous about the whole thing, and didn't want the extra stress of being on camera. The surface of the water seemed really white for the first couple minutes, and even while running off, the rig made a howling noise I had never heard before. I didn't start filming until that stopped. But there was no hail and
no lightning, praise God, and not even much rain. After two miles I reluctantly turned us back into the wind (right on the nose of course) and put the Tohatsu to work in what I would call very confused water.
Three hours later, we were safely at anchor, enjoying some Appleton Estate, and watching a beautiful sunset.