IRENE

It’s that time of year again as Irene just reminded us. Have been a hurricane evacuee three times on land with two of those real horror stories but my worst experience with a hurricane came at sea. My parents gave me a cruise to Bermuda for college graduation. The ship left Savannah and everything started out sunny: swimming pool; food every hour; flying fish off the bow and then my favorite the little red dingy Savannah way outside the harbor marking the entry to our port. I was in my element. I loved my first voyage. When not in the pool if you’ve ever seen the movie Titanic you know what I did: stood on the bowsprit and enjoyed the crashing waves – long before Gwyneth was born. I marveled at the sea and sky.
A day later the clouds moved in; white caps whipped up and swells grew larger by the minute. When the weather didn’t improve they emptied the pool and finally told us what we already suspected: we’d run into a hurricane. Apparently, the Captain was the last to know. It was only a decade since WWII and I doubt our young German crew had ever been near a hurricane before. . I was fine as long as I stayed in the open air. If I went inside I felt queasy so I stayed outside and slept in a deck chair. Soon lifelines were strung on deck to hold onto and lots of green looking people joined me on the deck, some leaning over it with gusto. Joyously we made Bermuda and the island and its weather were perfect.
Before the return trip began many questioned the Captain before boarding and he assured them the storm had moved on north. Nonetheless a passenger from Charleston swore off cruising for life and took a flight home.One day out and we met our old nemesis again, only this time it was worse. The troughs of water between the mountainous crests of waves were deeper. We rolled so that you could only see water until it rolled the other way and you only saw sky. We pitched and dishes and glasses fell from the racks and broke when the props came out of the water. The whole ship shuddered as if it would shatter each time that happened. At meals the elegant dining was gone as we made do with sparse settings. No big deal since few showed up inside for meals where you had wine OR water OR tea OR a cocktail since there was only one glass per guest allowed. Very sobering!
We safely made it home a day late with many worried but welcoming friends and families with outstretched arms awaiting us.