Quality Peoples

Hopefully updated on a semi-regular schedule as we endure the hurricane:

Hurricane John has been pounding Mexico’s west coast, making it’s way slowly towards us, in the Bahia de Banderas. Not to be left alone, John has now been joined by a lesser hurricane called Kristy.

Historically, the Puerto Vallarta area has been spared from hurricanes, due to the geological nature of the large bay we sit on. Hurricanes barrel up the coast and then turn out to sea just south of the bay, once out to sea the water becomes much colder and the storms dissipate. This theory was shot to hell a few years ago as Hurricane Kenna started close to the coast, down by Acapulco and then swung out to sea, only to come right into the bay, giving Vallarta an almost direct hit. The photos of the destruction of Vallarta’s Malecon (boardwalk) are impressive.

Depending on who you talk to, we’re either gonna get a double pounding or we’ll get some light rain and wind. Officially all schools have been given the day off tomorrow, so maybe the municipality knows something I don’t. As I stick my head out of my nice, a/c’d office, all I see are blue skies and not a ripple in the ocean. If a major storm was to break ground here, later this evening, wouldn’t we already be getting some nice storm pulse swells?

Not to put a lighthearted spin on a potentially dangerous situation but I could use a nice big storm swell. i’ll keep my fingers crossed that the hurricane(s) stay out of the bay and that the waves come in.

**update - 5:00pm**
Well, the skies are no longer blue, more cloudy but white-cloudy not storm-cloudy and the ocean has a light roil to it. it’s not flat, but there are no waves. just looks like there is so more non-directional movement.

**update - 6:50pm**
Well folks, it looks like this isn’t a drill. This is the real thing. Hurricane John is now officially a cat 4 (Katrina was a 3). And the US Consulate in Vallarta has issued an email advising us to storm proof our houses and to put our passports in plastic bags. Further, the airport will be closing and the AP wire is saying that we can expect 15 foot storm surges. Reports are saying that the hurricane will pass closer to the bay then previously forecasted. I don’t quite know how to respond yet, but I’m about to go over to the parents’ house and help them storm proof their house, just in case. they live at sea level (i live up the hill about a hundred feet or so). They are starting to get a little worried (compounded slightly by mom’s childhood hurricane traumas). We’ll see what happens in the next 12 hours or so. I’ll keep updating as I know more.

**update - 11:00pm**
It’s hard to decipher the signal through all the noise. Most people around us, neighbors, friends etc.. have not made any preparations yet the resort “Paradise Village” in Nuevo Vallarta has already evacuated all of their guests and employees. It looks as if the hurricane will hit here, sometime around noon. I can’t find much more info, so we’ll have to wait until NOAA updates. I helped my parents move all of their furniture and decorations from their sizable covered patio area, along with the pool furniture etc… We also packed up the office and moved everything to the back room. The office has three large very breakable windows and is also at sea level so it’s possibly prone to flooding. At our apartment, Marcia and I have moved all of our smaller potted plants, and patio furniture etc.. inside. we have several larger potted plants that are just gonna have to weather what may come. Since we are high on a hill, with a nice view of the ocean, we have very little to block the oncoming winds. As the winds pick up, we’ll decide to (or not to) tape the windows. Our biggest concern, at the apartment, is that it sits at a shallow “V” in the road, this V has a storm drain at the lowest point and the drain is partially blocked. During large rains, the street fills up with muddy water and has come close to flooding our apartment several times. Usually someone has to wade out to the drain and try to unblock it. If the rain is particularly hard, we could be in trouble. Like I said, lots of noise, very little signal. Time to watch a movie and not think about this stuff.

**update - 8:00am**
We got a little rain, nothing too heavy, last night. The humidity is insane and has been, since mid-yesterday. Things are calm here and the Hurricane Center’s 3-day cone says that the storm is farther out to sea, than was predicted yesterday. So it most likely won’t touch the bay. We’ll get some heavy rain and winds, but nothing too crazy. Let’s go with the cautious optimism, that works for me. The report is saying Hurricane John will pass by around noon. I’ll continue to update as I get more info and as the weather starts to change. stay tuned.

**update - 10:00am**
It’s pretty thick clouded to the southwest, but we actually have a little sun peaking through the clouds to the east. All the workers are out, building the umpteen houses that are going up in my vicinity and it looks like everyone is ignoring the idea that a hurricane will be rolling close by in the next few hours. The Hurricane Center is calling it a cat 3 hurricane now, which is better, but as I look at the wind speed graphs, we seem to be in for some heavy winds. The local radio says that the weather should start to turn sour around 1:00pm, so again, we sit and wait….

**update - 1:00pm**
Well, it’s 1:00pm-ish and no sign of any hurricane just yet. The ocean is getting slightly choppier but with no real directional swell. The airport is open, but most flights are cancelled. People are either boarding up their windows or kicking back celebrating a day off with a beer. We just got back from the corner store, stocking up on vegetables, fruit, cheese and beer (only the necessities). The Hurricane Center says that hJohn is about 60 miles southwest of Cabo Corrientes, which is on the south side of the horn at the southern tip of the bay. The local government is issuing directions to all residents to prepare as fast as possible, including turning off gas and electricity, I think they refuse to be caught off guard, as they were with Hurricane Katrina. Just started drizzling, still waiting.

**update - 3:00pm**
It’s raining a little bit harder now, but nothing near storm strength and not an ounce of wind or waves. Depending on who you talk to, hJohn is directly west of us now and we should be getting some kind of storm winds. It’s weird. We hear that Vallarta’s malecon area has been evacuated as a precaution. Cautiously, I think we aren’t going to get much more action then we’re getting now, Vallarta seems to have been spared. Obviously it’s still to early to tell, and Murphy’s Law is a powerful thing, but let’s hope things continue to go the way they’ve gone.

**update - 5:30pm**
The Hurricane Center has reclassified hJohn to cat 2 and it looks as if the hurricane has completely missed Vallarta, now being about 100 miles west-northwest of us. No real rain to speak of and no wind at all. The skies to the east and south are light and clearing. I went to the beach to check the waves and it actually looks like something small is rolling in. actually, honest-to-god waves. This requires a closer investigation. I’m about to put the board in the car and head out to El Paredon. Assuming the weather doesn’t miraculously change, this will be my last update. hurricane updates are fun but only if something is actually happening. Some guy writing about nothing happening is, well, boring. it’s a good thing, boring, i like it. signing off….

technorati tags: hurricanejohn, hurricanekristy, mexico, vallarta, hurricane, updates