The thing about hurricanes is that it can look like they’re going out to sea, and then they can turn on a dime and blast back to land. That’s what happened with Hurricane Iniki when it hit Kauai in 1992. So the media has to really hype the hurricane, and get everyone’s attention just in case it does make landfall and there is major damage. People have to be safe. Thus, all the closures on Maui.

It was interesting, though, that Sunday morning–after the storm was on its way out– I was practically blasted out of bed at 3 AM from a flood warning on my cell phone. I don’t know how they even got the volume that loud, way louder than my normal ringtone!

There will be major run-off into the ocean from the storm, which creates murky water (dead fish and animals), and then the sharks move in. There was a report in the Maui News on Sunday morning (www.mauinews.com), about a man and his children surfing Maalaea Harbor after the storm, and a shark showed up. NEVER go in the water after a storm like this!

Anyway, the beauty of storms here is that they blow the VOG (volcanic organic gas) out, and we get nice clean air for a few days…longer, if we’re lucky.

We were hoping it would dial the heat down a notch or two, but we are still having record temperatures, over 90° every day, and the humidity…WHEW!!

Thanks to all the readers who sent good wishes for our safety in the storm, and even wrote to follow up. We appreciate each and everyone of you!

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