Five year anniversary of Jova

Today, the 12th of October, is the Five-year anniversary of hurricane Jova. Totally devastating to crops and the people. I was house sitting near the canal that overflowed and my car ended up half covered in water. A month later I got the car back not totally complete but ran well. Amazing how much worse it was compared to Patricia last year. Jova was water and Patricia was wind.

Hurricane Patricia claims a ship on Isla Navidad

Patricia claimed a whole lot of palapa and lamina roofs, almost all outside signage including businesses and highway, many ramadas and awnings and some lessor buildings. This ship is definitely the largest object moved by the wind.

Barra de Navidad

The 215 meter / 705 foot long, 71665 dwt (dead weight tons or metric tons or 2200 pounds) bulk carrier Los Llanitos ran aground in Pacific Ocean near Barra de Navidad, Mexico. The Los Llanitos had left Manzanillo one day before Hurricane Patricia approached, but had been blown ashore unable to withstand the strong winds by the hurricane. The bulker went ashore and sustained severe hull damage as it’s hull dragged along the rocky shoreline. The engine room and several sections of the hold suffered water ingress. Fuel tanks were also ruptured releasing pollution along the shore. Authorities were alerted and a Mexican Navy helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The helicopter rescued 19 of the 27 crew on board with the remaining crew voluntarily staying. No reports of injuries. Reports state the vessel was directed by port authorities to depart rather be in port when the hurricane made landfall. Later reports state the Los Llanitos has suffered a large crack in the hull which may result in the vessel being scrapped.

Will the wind blow it down

My crazy neighbor snowbird Canadian built this monstrosity saying he wanted a Canadian looking home, not a Mexican one. That also includes sloping roofs that slant toward the neighbor on the other side and this year he wants to slant one toward my property. I complained to Obras Publicas and they never came out to look. He also has windows opening directly onto two properties. Part of the problem is engineers only worry about foundations and not roofs or windows.

Anyway the only thing that monstrosity did for me was block my view of sunsets. We haven't had a storm this year to test his aerodynamics and with hurricane Patricia on our doorstep we might find out if his wing flies away. I just hope it stay in his yard and doesn't damage other people properties

The monster next door

Hurricane Patricia expected to be a CAT 4 on our doorstep

Friday update ...

...PATRICIA...
...THE STRONGEST EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC HURRICANE ON RECORD...
...HEADING FOR POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC LANDFALL IN SOUTHWESTERN
MEXICO LATER TODAY...

A Weather Sandwich

We get storms on opposite coasts now and then and sometimes the weather becomes pretty interesting. These two don't look all that serious but really you never know. It is something to think about when you are gong to fly out within the next week. Seemingly unrelated to the distant Invest 93E is today's weather in the bottom graphic. Actually not all that uncommon this time of year and the wind and rain has started from that big red/pink blob.

Pacific 5 day potential

Atlantic 5 day potential

Today Monday the first of September

Melaque is right in the middle of graphic

In out of the weather

These guys like to sit on the sconces inside my covered porch. It's out of the rain, wind and high enough my cat can't even think of going after them. When they first started this I was afraid they were ready to make their mud nests but no sign of it for 4-5 months. They built a nest upstairs but I got it before there were any little ones in it.

I have two neighbors that have swallow families living inside their homes.  One house is always open and the other is open during the day. A little startling to have one fly past your head as you walk out the door.  They must be great bug catchers but mucho poop below the nest is why I don't welcome them.  One was sitting on my tomato supports this morning and I stood there talking to him less than a meter away.   Very cool birds. 

On the sconce

One still there under the porch

The sun is out

Hurricane Bud just slipped away Friday night after leaving almost 2 inches of rain and some heavy winds. Lots of branches down ... some from people cutting to protect their houses. Lost power a few times for a few hours. Woke up Saturday morning to the sun shinning and we have the same today.

No work Friday but Thursday and Saturday we finished up the walkway and the step around the palapa. Next week they will tile the palapa floor. I ordered 4x4 support beams for the lamina ramada in the other part of the yard but he was going to cut them Friday and couldn't. They also finished the cement 'cap' on the two flower beds earlier in the week

Just got back from the Ice factory with two large blocks to cool the beer and Coke for the birthday party we almost canceled. Should be a good day with as many as 50 people attending.

The sky looking north at 4pm Friday

The sun is out this morning