Struck by lightening

We went to one of our favourite spots in San Blas, a small uninhabited island about 6 miles from the mainland in the Nargana area. We dropped the anchor after lunch and we all spent time catching up on stuff to do (washing dishes in my case). 

Electrical storm

The following night a storm passed over San Blas, with lots of wind, rain, thunder and lightning. It started around midnight and lasted until morning. 

There was a lot of lightning and rain close by. I couldn’t sleep because of the noise and because I was really worried about Capo, but I didn’t dare go out and check where he was.

Around 2.30 in the morning the lightning was striking very close to us. And then it happened: flash, ccrraacckk, we were struck.

Now dear readers I would never ever believe this would happen to us. I mean that thunder went right to the very last bone and the lightning set the sky on fire. The whole boat was filled with a cloud of particles. We all kept very quiet because the storm was raging around us. All of the sudden the anchor winch started going mad and dad made sure again everything was switched off.

As soon as the storm passed and there was some light, dad started testing, trying to figure out what needs to be replaced and what we can fix…. Luckily we had mobile internet from Nargana, so dad could look up a lot of information.

Fried electronics

As you might guess there was a lot of damage: Starlink burnt, nav lights burnt, cabin lights gone except my dad’s reading light and the guest cabin, fridge and water pump gone, anchor winch dead, AIS, radios, alternator regulator, Sterling regulator, chargers, invertors, control panels, one solar panel, bilge pump, ….. you get the idea. And everyday the list gets longer. You fix one thing, then the next thing goes, as if there is a delay in things realising they are broken.

Superdad

Dad had the boat engine and anchor winch working the same day, in case we had to move out in a rush.

That night there was more lightning!?!

The next day was the same as the day before, doing tests and fixing. We tried to help, but most of the tasks were for dad to resolve, according to priority. We made our own plans, like boiling rain water to make tea for the time we didn’t have access to the water tank.

Luckily dad made a plan with some spare parts and managed to fix the fridge and the waterpump.

By day 3 he had most things under control and had ordered all the new parts in.

He has been working around the clock for at least a week to get everything sorted that he could without the new spares. 

Waiting for spares

To get the new spares here is another long story. Most things need to come from the US. We’ve decided to use our delivery system in Bocas as the collection point, and send all the orders in one big box to Panama City, so it can be picked up by the Kunas that do transport from Panama City to Guna Yala. 

Stricken Capo

And what about Capo, you might ask? Both mom and I were worried at the time of the lightning strike that he was stuck outside, but he had safely snuck inside well before the strike, and was lying on the couch in the lounge, where dad saw the lightning land.

Most likely he saw the same as dad and got a horrendous fright. He looked his normal cattish self, but unfortunately animals can’t talk. But they have other ways to tell us not all is well. Ever since the strike we’ve noticed that two spots on the end of his back close to his tail have become bald. On further inspection and research we conclude that most likely Capo has been having stress problem.

In all fairness there hasn’t been much ‘peace and quiet’ since the strike, because mom and dad turned the boat inside out to get to all the spots with potential damage. 

Frazzled Gitane and frizzled Capo