MeXscape

10:00 AM. Hurricane Lane, now a cat 3, is a few miles off the coast of Mazatlan and the leading edge is pounding us with 100 mph plus winds. The wind gusts buffet my little RV like the breath of the devil him self. The heavy winds and rain began in earnest at about 3:00 am and are building to their eventual crescendo, hopefully, some time latter today. I have lashed down my satellite dish, with a ratchet strap and a 3’ steel, concrete stake, so I am still on line. Coconuts are raining down like angry bowling balls and palm fronds litter the ground. The word maelstrom lacks sufficient meaning as to what is taking place around my aluminum box; the intensity of wind over 100 mph is truly a humbling experience. Fortunately the place I relocated to, prior to the last big blow, is sheltered on 3 sides by palms and tropical thickets. It was just enough of a windbreak to engender a moderate sense of security. I have kept my leeward windows open to saver the savage sound of nature's organized chaos. The rain is hammering the ground with such volume and ferocity; the expression “biblical” keeps coming to mind.

11:30 AM. The once blue ocean is now brown and frothy without any regular wave patterns and the storm surge has completely devoured the beach. The stray dog I feed, that never comes any closer than 100 feet, is now cowering under my trailer and would now be more than willing to come in. Snickers is cowering in her normal cowering spot, a few more of these things and she might get used to it.

The wind on the beach was hard to walk in and just standing required a significant lean into the wind. It was a strange sensation to lean over far enough to gain the sensation of falling, with out ever hitting the ground. When the eye passed by, the winds dropped and I thought the worst of it was over. Then it all came back with a vengeance.

2:30 PM. The satellite feed showed the eye coming on shore slightly above Mazatlan. The wind has decreased to a tolerable 30 to 40 mph, however the rain is still quite persistent and at times, torrential. There are several large billboards down in Zona Dorada and many small signs destroyed as well as the more flimsily of the awning structures. Even most of the hard-pressed restaurant owners kept their doors closed today and the purchasing of an obscene tee shirt would prove to be a difficult task. Avenue Camaron Sabalo, in town, is flooded in a number of places, some up to a foot deep. A number of the manhole covers (or should I call them personhole covers) in the center of the streets, have water boiling up through their holes adding to the flow. All the storm drains in the north end of town are maxed out and most streets are flooded. At the far north end of Camaron Sabalo, a fairly low spot in the road is filled with about 30 inches of water at the deep spot.

There are a few drenched tourists wandering about looking more like refugees then folks seeking festivities. I am sure the business owners will be up and running tomorrow in hopes of salvaging what’s left of this holiday week end.

4:30 PM. The wind is calmer but the rains are heavy, like Seattle on steroids. Hopefully, we should see some sun tomorrow.