CURRENT LOCATION: Anchored in Ensenada Honda, near town on Culebra
18 18.326' N, 065 17.979' W
Overnight there were no rains, and only a little wind (nothing over 20 kts). Sheryl noted a red sky this morning, and we immediately took the warning and checked on the status of IKE.
IKE (5:00 AM 9/06)
Status: CAT 3 HURRICANE
Max winds: 115 MPH
Range of hurricane force winds: OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES
Range of tropical storm force winds: OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES
Position: 22.4 N, 67.1 W
Movement: WSW at 16 MPH
Distance from us: ~ 300 MILES from CULEBRA
Conditions at weather buoy 41043 (~190 miles north of Culebra): wind=25kts; gusts=30kts
IKE remains a very compact little ball of fury. He passed within 140 miles of our
favorite weather buoy, and the maximum winds registered only 30 kts with gusts to 35.
Better still, IKE's current position places him WEST of us, a comfortable 300 miles away.
Although HANNA taught us that it is not unprecedented for a storm to drift back to the southeast, we are feeling quite relieved here aboard
Prudence for the time being. I suppose all we had to do in order to keep IKE at bay was to undertake the storm preparations mentioned in the previous blog. Even with JOSEPHINE fading to a tropical depression, hopefully leaving things in the status quo storm prep state will serve to ward off letters 'K' forward, as well.