Just this evening, things laid back down to normal here in Miami. It's been challenging climbing on/off this boat without the stairs given the extra high tides with the full moon. Earlier tonight, my friend Margaret posted a video of the ocean coming over the beach in Fort Lauderdale and intruding upon A1A, right where the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show is going on, where the winds were still wicked. Even though this storm was "way offshore" from us, the winds were amazing through mid day today down here in Miami. And ironically, only about a handful of boats, if that, on my pier prepared for it. As a result, I saw a fair share of ripped canvas, missing rubrail, etc. Another friend out on a mooring ball came home at5PM on Thursday to tend to his boat, before the bad stuff was supposed to be here, got out there, and said to himself, screw this, realizing that by the time he would wake up to something having given up that he's be well under the bridge and on the rocks....he gathered up his important stuff and went back to the marina office. His boat survived just fine, but his Droid phone in his pocket did not as he dingh'ied in from the mooring field.
A realization from someone who has not lived here all her life - even though that storm is "way over there", don't take it for granted that it will be just another day in the park. These past few days were nasty...just not as "wet" as other storms that came directly upon us. As usual...over preparing rather than under preparing has paid off.
Supposed to be 66° tonight....loving every moment of that. I guess that Miami's silver lining in this one. Can I put my storm lines and fenders away now, until next year? I already turned off the AC and opened the windows and hatches.