Tsunami Report

March 11, 2011

It’s 2:30 PST and the majority of the tsunami seems to have come and gone. Reports from around the Bay seem to be marginally more severe than what we experienced but still nothing serious. We observed 2′ walls of water moving at several knots parallel to the Golden Gate Bridge. Just before the tsunami surge hit our breakwater the standing water receded and left the muddy bottom bare. Then the wave(s) hit and created a ton of turbulence, kicking up mud and causing an impressive flotilla of water foul to stream by in parade.

Inside the harbor things were calmer. It looked for a while like the channel markers that were being swiftly carried around the harbor on the current might be a problem. Luckily the Emeryville Harbormaster was out there taking care of it (over and over again). We watched the depth sounder fluctuate by two and three feet. Luckily nothing broke loose and our boat acted like it was just an unusually fast changing tide.

All in all it was a great learning experience and a good drill for the kids. Both Ruby and Miles responded well to the challenge and it reinforced to me that, in a real emergency, maintaining calm should be the first order of business.

As glad as we are to have been spared any disasters here, our hearts and thoughts go out to the people of Japan who have been devastated by the earthquake that caused this. Our thoughts are also with the boating community of Santa Cruz, who have suffered losses to personal and harbor property.

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