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FROM THE HELMIt’s Hurricane Season Once AgainWhen I first moved to Florida (I’ve moved here twice) in1979, I left Florida to cruise around the Bahamas thefirst week in June—the beginning of hurricane season. If itwasn’t for the ignorance and adventurous spirit of youth, Iwonder if man would still be living in caves—on the samecontinent he first started out on, wherever that is. After all,who would go cruising in one of the most hurricane proneareasof the world at the beginning of hurricane season? Onlyfools, madmen and young naïve sailors.I spent most of my life on the West Coast and knew littleabout hurricanes, although I had been through the edgeof one as a child in North Carolina. But that was exciting fora 10-year-old. I never thought of it as dangerous. InCalifornia, though, where I spent much of my adult life, fewpeople pay attention to these storms or when they occur.When I came to Florida to go cruise around in a sailboat, Ididn’t give them a thought. I just took off. Not only that, theonly radio I had was a transistor AM radio—my only link toany news or weather, besides looking at the sky. I did getstuck in Nassau for a week when a storm brewed upenough wind and waves to keep us in port. We only heardabout it from the scuttlebutt on the dock. Even then, I neversaw a day windy enough to make me think about a hurricanethat was a long ways off. When the wind lightened upto the southeast, we left Nassau and headed toward theExumas—deeper into hurricane country.Today, I would not consider venturing off during theSTEVE MORRELL, EDITORheight of hurricane season—the heavy, storm-prone monthsof August, September and October. I am less ignorant now,at least about hurricanes. But I do remember that the summerI spent in the Bahamas was paradise. Every day waspredictably beautiful, there was a breeze to keep you cool,the water was 80-plus degrees and clear as a glass of water,and the spearfishing fed you whenever you wanted. If youhang out into August, you get to dive for lobster—and theymake a great meal. Honest.I do remember hitting lots of afternoon thunderstormsthat summer in the Bahamas. They always seemed to be onthe banks. When we knew we would be passing throughone, we would reef the main and just sail through it. It wasabout 15 minutes of wind and rain—then back to paradisewith a great sailing breeze. The freshwater tasted good andgave us a great shower—a luxury on a 26-foot sailboat. Wewatched as little powerboats would just motor around thesestorms at 25-30 mph.I guess we were pretty lucky back then, because oneweek after we got back in late August, Hurricane David hitWest Palm Beach, and I had to move the boat north to a hurricanehole in Stuart. That’s another story.I got older and found out that hurricane season comesaround every year. Here it is again. But one of the best fewmonths of my life was spent cruising in hurricane countryduring hurricane season.It sure was great being young and ignorant.10 June 2008 SOUTHWINDS www.southwindsmagazine.com