The Calm After The Storm

Normally, we hear the phrase ” the calm before the storm” to mean a period of peace before a crisis. Recently though, what is stuck in my mind is literally the calm AFTER the storm image of our boat safely back to its mooring after being aground(!!!) during the storm. It was with some disbelief that we saw her floating again and looking good the next day after the incident; when we expected the worse to happen because of complications that could arose if rescue boats or tug boat make a mistake in dragging it back to its mooring.

All our worries in the previous night were for naught when I looked down from our bedroom balcony to see our boat floating on glassy-surfaced water with very clear reflection, safely tied up to the second mooring. My elatedness at that moment  made me forget the ordeal when we watched the strong winds bashing our boat for four days even before the actual passing of the storm in our area. We thought we had her secured nicely with two thick mooring lines. Unfortunately, the strong winds chafed the rope protector and the ropes, where they rub against the sides of the cleat holes, so that when the storm came during the night the ropes broke completely and our boat got washed ashore. The Coast Guards came by to offer help and planned with us for towing back the boat when the storm has gone out of the Philippines area of responsibility. The plan didn’t materialize because there was no need as she has left the shore. How our boat got back safely to its mooring, from the seashore, is another story…