Report #1: 11:20 am Thursday

19 hours till predicted Wilma encounter.

The island has been doing the routine for one and a half days now. Everyone is in a frenzy! All normal work has stopped. The schools are closed and the shelves at the grocery store are pretty sparse. The sound or hammers banging as the plywood gets nailed on is all around. Traffic is heavy as people scurry about taking care of everything they need to do. Water, food, candles are all in short supply. The news is full of constant reports from the officials saying "run for your lives" or "we have this all under control". It is no wonder the people are in such a state.

On a more personal note, Encarna (Tony's girlfriend) and I have decided that Wilma is on her way and we are doing what we need to do. Our house is easy. Just a few windows and the wood is already cut. Just 30 min or so to set it up. We have water and lots of candles. We figure we need to loose a little weight so we did not buy any extra food. When the power goes out we will have to eat everything in the fridge anyway! Our water tank on the top of the house if full so it won't blow away and we have tied up or knocked over anything that could catch a gust.
I have a nice feeling now. I am not afraid but I really don't know what to expect. It is going to be my first hurricane. I hope I can still write at midnight. People say when the wind starts howling it is pretty scary. Like a freight train for hours and hours. All part of the adventure of living in the Caribbean.

I hope I can continue to send these out through the night. I think I will post some pictures on the website and see if I can create a hurricane Wilma page! If you stop getting updates that does not mean I am dead or underwater. It just means a tree has fallen on the power lines and I can't send anything out. I hope to stay connected as long as possible.

Tony

Report #2: 1:32 pm. Thursday in Cozumel.

18 hours till Wilma says "howdy".

Well, there is an increase in intensity already. Just wind for now but spotty showers as well. People are still off rushing about and the hammering and pounding still resounds all around. I just finished prepping the house. It has boards up on the glass windows, wood shutters are fine without, propane tanks unhooked and stowed, light fluffy things put away safe and the dive room is secure. We have all the provisions we need and are just hoping we have electricity as long as possible. It is going to get a little boring without it. I guess we would have to talk or something?? Hehehe!!!

There is a mandatory curfew rumor that is supposed to last from 3pm today until Saturday morning. I am not sure if it will be enforced but I will try to get out and take some pix for as long as I can safely. Now that will be a hoot!!

Latest info says the little lady is moving so slow it may sit on us for 20-30 hours. With winds whipping about at 145 mph and above it should make for an interesting weekend. I guess Carlos and Charlies will be closed. Can't buy alcohol anyway says the big guys. I am going to save my batteries on the computer when the power goes out but write updates and save them. My camera is charged so I will hope to take lots of pix.

Encarna says that people are busy but calm. They are fresh off Emily and not too tense. It is almost scary how lightly people seem to be taking it. I am with them. There is nothing more we can do about it but wait for it to come. People are going to the other side just to see the big waves hitting the east shore. The police are stopping them so the don't get stuck over there.

W e are going to get on the motorcycle and check some stuff out. Let you know how that goes in the next update!!

Let the adventure continue!

Tony

Tony's website is:
www.scubatony.com