A big typhoon skirts Okinawa. All the fishing, diving boats are hauled out of the water to avoided being washed ashore. Work really gets in the way and I am unable to take the Scaffie to safety. She will have to ride it out at anchor. Will the anchors drag? Will she be wrecked?

Out on the reef

This situation imposes strict discipline onto my usual lackadaysality.  Wake up at 6:00. Rush out, in blue towel clad, to see if the boat is still there. Wade out into sea in driving rain to bale boat and check anchors. Go to work but escape at lunchtime to wade out to recheck anchor and bale. It has been raining like crazy and the winds are very strong. Leave work as early as possible to wade out to check anchor and bale, usually in driving rain. I love it! Discipline, stern mistress!

Still life.

The last 3 days have been wonderful. However we have not had a real typhoon, like in our faces, for 2 years. My Okinawan buddies feel this is very strange and blame Brexit, as the harbinger of global wierdness.

The bad weather has driven birds to shelter and a field nearby is sputtered with plovers.

Pacific Golden Plover faces into the wind.

Kentish Plover yearns for Maidstone.

Now the storm is over and I feel gratification that my 16 ft Scaffie braved it at anchor whilst vainglorious diving boats skulked onshore.