Farlig storm i Florida

Pär Lundberg från Göteborg är i West Palm Beach och jobbar med kappseglingsbåtar. Knappt hade han hunnit dit förrän en rejäl storm svepte in över varvet. Stora kölbåtar föll som dominobrickor när Pär tog fram mobilkameran och fotograferade.

Pär Lundberg skickade följande rapport från West Palm Beach lördagen den 17 mars:

Hi!

So i got my first taste of what Florida weather can be like today. The forecast was for a few thunderstorms and a cold front passage in the early pm. Around 3pm the skies got a little bit darker but definately nothing that i would normaly see as any sort of danger, looked like it might rain a bit and you could hear thunder in the distant…

Sooooo a few drops started falling, quickly closed the hatches and left the boat to seek shelter under an awning outside the offices at Cracker Boy Boat Yard in Riviera beach….within seconds I had to abandon my post since i was getting soaked by horizotal rain getting in under the awning.

Slightly confused and very wet i joined the rest of the crowd in a ”….what the hell ?!?!…” this was just supposed to be a thunderstorm but by now it was blowing 40 kts !!!

Just as we mentioned that the wind took another breath and came back with 60 fresh knots !!

Visibility was nill, and the next thing we heard was the sickening sound of a lot of carbonfiber hitting concrete….when visabillity cleared we saw ”Riima” and ”Harrier” on the ground, ”Harrier” with its mast broken in 5 places and, from what I could see, beyond rescue.

”Rima” looked like she might be able to fix but i doubt she’ll see water this year.

Anyway, sad times but some intersesting photos…oh..”Harrier” totalled a Jeep and ”Rima” took a van with her…

And to make things worse…”Rima” was just sold and was going to England on a ship on the 24th, already booked solid for the 2007 race charter season…not happening…

Hope you’re all doing well

Cheers, P

Pär Lundberg under lugnare förhållanden på railen ombord på ”Artemis” under Key West Race Week januari 2007.