Saturday, February 27, 2010

SPLISH SPLASH, I WAS TAKING A BATH



We were awakened by an unusual sound
As we were alerted to head for higher ground
We awaited the potential Tsunami's force
While perched on a hilltop golf course
A better refuge could not be found

The wave has come without fuss
Leaving only a memory that time will not muss
We give thanks for our fate
As we'll mark down this date
As the day the ocean almost visited us


So much for a restful Saturday... We were awakened by Tsunami Sirens at 6:00 AM and Mainland phone calls from friends and family alerting us to the potential for a Tsunami to hit the Islands around 11:30 AM local time. An 8.8 magnitude earthquake had hit 200 miles south of Santiago, Chile and generated a potential tsunami. Sixty years ago a 9.5 quake hit the same area and generated a wave that killed 1100 on Hilo, so everyone is being cautious. We decided to head to Kaleheo and parked at the community golf course with a view overlooking the ocean 947 feet above sea level. It turned into a community picnic as everyone brought out blankets and chairs and watched the horizon. We had bathroom and restaurant facilities and a great vantage point, so it was an ideal spot to "ride out the storm"

For our book club, I've been reading a “spiritual” memoir by a Eugene author, called “Rolling Around Heaven” and it seemed appropriate to sit in my sand chair facing the ocean to watch. I went up to the clubhouse for a slightly better vantage point out of the sun and worked on my blog since I figured this might generate more interest. I was tempted to pass time on the golf course but when they started landing helicopters on the first fairway, I retreated to my book. The event passed with only minor surges of a few feet on the other islands, so we headed back home around 2:00 PM so everyone could rest up from our "Waiting for the Flow" event. I had intended laundry to be my most exciting activity for Saturday and finally sudsed up around 5:00 PM. Dinner is slated to be shrimp and pork and corn with card playing in the evening. We're hopeing for uneventful slumber tonight. Stay tuned....

1 comment:

Rick Seifert said...

I think the term is "Go with the flow." Fortunately, there wasn't much flow to go with.

I did think about you, but figured my "head for the hills" advice wouldn't be needed. But "head for the golf course" makes even more sense.

Rick