Monday, February 27, 2012

A Windy Day...seems to be the theme around here

That's right, another windy day! On Saturday, Feb 25th, WHOI recorded wind gusts between 50 and 60mph. The only difference? This time, the wind blew south-westerly, rather than the usual easternlyish direction.
WHOI pier to the left looking toward the largest of the Elizabeth islands with Martha's Vineyard in the distance
I took the majority of pictures from the observation deck at the MBL Club and Visitor's Center and could barely stand let alone hold the camera still.
Walking the dogs was a hilarious affair. Though Sandy wasn't blown around due to her low center of gravity, the wind whipped her fur in every direction. You could see loose fur flying off her. At the end of the short walk she looked like a deranged punk rocker. One strong gust lifted Tia from the ground and blew her sideways. Frightened and leashed, she ran around my legs, tying them together. The same gust sent sand and fur into my eyes. Now blinded and vertically unstable, I silently wished for no further calamity, but Sandy had enough and yanked on her leash to seek shelter. This tipped the scale and, like a falling tree-except for the briefest of moments when another wind gust rendered me weightless, crashed to the forest floor (or, in my case, parking lot). On that terribly ungraceful note, we immediately ended the walk. I made it out later in the day to take photos.
Waves crashing into the sea wall at low tide. National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) main building in the background
WHOI buildings...I'm crouched against the MBL pier gate trying not to get wet from sea spray. Again, low tide.

Chad and I rarely sleep through the night when wind gusts exceed 30mph. The constant moaning and groaning of lines (sometimes extra lines) is terribly loud. In the past, floating crap has hit the hull, as have other boats. Plus, we check on the bimini top and need to be ready if something happens. We didn't sleep well Saturday night, and neither did the dogs.

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