Trouble in Paradise!
As you know, we arrived in the Cook Islands two days after a cyclone. It was obvious that Rarotonga Island had suffered lots of damage - downed trees and coconuts everywhere but it was the first cyclone in over 18 years so we thought we were safe. We began to get the news, several days ago, that (lo and behold) another was on its way.
It hit on Tuesday. Since the weather service was tracking it and it seemed to be on a south/southeast course, and since we were located on the south shore, the hotels in this area decided not to evacuate.
It began at about 11:00 a.m. with high winds (that eventually rose to 80 mph) and heavy rains. We watched from our hotel room - as the room filled with 1/2 - 1 inch of water - and listened to the hourly weather reports as the cyclone veered off course, heading instead to the south/southwest - in other words, to our side of the island. The storm roared until about 5:00 - 6:00 when it became eerily light. Apparently, the storm was about 14 miles off shore and it was possible to see the eye of the storm, through which the sun was shining.
As it passed by, the wind on the rear side of the cyclone was far less strong than the front side.
Today, we drove around the island. Trees were down everywhere, as were coconuts. (Imagine getting hit by a coconut flying 80 mph!) Several power lines were down and the main road was closed in that area. The roof (corrugated metal) had flown off a nearby Catholic Church and a school. The scary sight was a house next to the church where the roof had landed in the front, side and rear yard and missed the large glass windows of the home altogether.
Mel described the experience as wild, scary and fascinating. Some of us found it more scary than others!
When the hotel management saw our room filled with water (even after we spent an hour trying to soak it up with towels) they changed and upgraded our room. For about a minute we considered staying for a few extra days - but apparently Cyclone Olaf is gathering in Somoa and it is said to be two times larger than either of the past two storms.
So, tomorrow we head for New Zealand. We are safe and love you all.
Janet
It hit on Tuesday. Since the weather service was tracking it and it seemed to be on a south/southeast course, and since we were located on the south shore, the hotels in this area decided not to evacuate.
It began at about 11:00 a.m. with high winds (that eventually rose to 80 mph) and heavy rains. We watched from our hotel room - as the room filled with 1/2 - 1 inch of water - and listened to the hourly weather reports as the cyclone veered off course, heading instead to the south/southwest - in other words, to our side of the island. The storm roared until about 5:00 - 6:00 when it became eerily light. Apparently, the storm was about 14 miles off shore and it was possible to see the eye of the storm, through which the sun was shining.
As it passed by, the wind on the rear side of the cyclone was far less strong than the front side.
Today, we drove around the island. Trees were down everywhere, as were coconuts. (Imagine getting hit by a coconut flying 80 mph!) Several power lines were down and the main road was closed in that area. The roof (corrugated metal) had flown off a nearby Catholic Church and a school. The scary sight was a house next to the church where the roof had landed in the front, side and rear yard and missed the large glass windows of the home altogether.
Mel described the experience as wild, scary and fascinating. Some of us found it more scary than others!
When the hotel management saw our room filled with water (even after we spent an hour trying to soak it up with towels) they changed and upgraded our room. For about a minute we considered staying for a few extra days - but apparently Cyclone Olaf is gathering in Somoa and it is said to be two times larger than either of the past two storms.
So, tomorrow we head for New Zealand. We are safe and love you all.
Janet
posted by Mel and Janet Muchnik | 5:59 PM
2 Comments:
I'll try this one more time.
Hope you got my email and am damn gload you're both safe.
Try to avoid cyclones named Olaf, he obviously trayed way out of his neighborhood.
Stay safe,
Frank
Hey So happy to hear that you two weathered the weather. I am enjoying traveling along with you through the bog. Fellow Traveler Sally
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