Posted from an iPad aboard Loose Cannon as we head North to Fishing Bay towing Prophet, with Lud Kimbrough and Kenny Cobb aboard. We all raced Friday on the inside course as the wind was predicted to be quite strong. But it ended up at 8-15 knots from the South and Southwest. The John McCarthy race committee started the A fleet on time at 10am and sent us on three races, a W6, then another W6, and finally a W4. Everybody was back at the docks by 3 to 4pm, in plenty of time to enjoy the beers at the event tent in the HYC parking area.

Rain began to fall about 5pm, and by 6-7 it was getting squally and some very heavy rain came down. We went to the Japanese Restaurant on Queen St at 730, and at about 8 a terrible wind and rainstorm passed by. The power went out, but the iPhones reported a tornado down by the Food Lion just west of Bluewater Yachts and HYC. We were told the HYC tent had been blown away and was hung up on power poles two blocks away. After it passed we were unable to get within 3 blocks of HYC as downed power lines and trees blocked the road.

This morning all became clear. HYC sustained substantial damage and the balance of SBRW was postponed for about 364 days. All visitors are headed home and the club has a lot of work to do.

The Buhl children were in the tent as the tornado arrived. An alert security guard saw it coming, and everybody went inside to hide in the bathrooms and halls. Fortunately no one remained in the first floor dining area. 4 of the 6 large plate glass windows exploded into the dining room, but apparently the glass didn't hit anyone. The upstairs dining room suffered little damage, except the railing on the outside deck is gone. There was a flat roof over the showers at the Northern end of the clubhouse. A section about 20' square complete with the structural 2 x 12s framing portion was in the parking lot. A roofing contractor was already working at 11 am to replace the roof.

Nanuq had a large pickup in the parking lot. Both tires on the port side were speared by flying debris and were flat. The Voodoo bus sustained 4 broken windows, now duct taped up. Most sailboats on trailers in the parking area were turned over at 45 to 90 degree angles, with many broken and bent masts. Larger boats in slips seemed to come thru without damage, though I did see one broken mast. A brand new Fiat was parked next to the tent. It was from one of the event sponsors. Unfortunately the tent's departure was its undoing, and it will be headed to the body shop for some repair.

There was no power at the club, and though there were lots of utility workers the outlook that Lud would be able to lift Prophet onto the trailer was not bright. So we decided to tow him home on the water while Matt Braun took home the empty trailer. ETA at FBYC, around 6pm tonight. Lots of sad pictures are available on Facebook and on Flickr