First an amazing story from Member Gary Townley of his "Cruise through Bonnie" Scuba wrote: > I have just returned from a cruse to Bermuda and had the ultimate > storm > chase of my life. The cruse ship Zenith, of the Celebrity Cruse > Lines > sailed through the center of what was minimal Hurricane Bonnie. It > all > started at about 2A.M., on Friday when I was awaken by the powerful > shaking of the boat. Waves at that time were estimated at about 15 to > > 20 feet. As daybreak came, the skies were partly cloudy and waves > were > 20 feet with a red sun rise. This was the start of the day from Hell. > > Me and my wife stayed in our cabin for the rest of the day, until 10 > P.M. at night. As noon approached, we were experiencing the outer > squalls of the storm. Waves were now up to about 30 feet, the waves > were starting to break over the bow of the boat. We had all that we > could do to get up to go to the bathroom. In the bathroom we had to > hold on to the towel rack and the wall in order not to slide off the > seat. People that were up and about were falling. At noon the > captain > made an announcement, that we were about 90 nautical miles to the West > > of the storm and conditions would improve at about 6 P.M. and the ruff > > seas were being generated by the boat passing through the Gulf Stream. > > I said to my wife YAA RIGHT, HE IS FULL OF it!! As the afternoon > passed on conditions continued to go down hill. It was now raining > with > about 50 feet visibility. With each passing large wave you could now > hear the cashing of dishes, doors, and other things. It was like > being > on a roller-coaster and not being able to get off. We were on the > sixth > level and the water was breaking even with our window. We were now > popping Dramamine like candy. At 6 P.M. the captain made an > announcement, that we were about 130 nautical miles West of the storm > and ruff seas were being generated by us passing the Gulf Stream, I > again said to my wife, HE IS FULL OF it!!! At 7 P.M., occurred the > worst combination of waves yet, everything fell off the table, the > mattress that we were laying on slid off the box-spring on to the > floor. > All we could hear throughout the ship was the sound of breaking glass. > > I said to myself, how much more could I take of this and how much more > > could the ship take of this before we start to break up. Fortunately, > > the worst was over at about 10 P.M.. When I got up to get a soda, I > went to a bar on the eight floor, water had come through the doors and > > the T.V. set had fallen out of the wall and smashed on the floor. > When > I arrived in New York yesterday, upon leaving the boat I kissed the > ground and vowed never to take a cruse again. Member Gary Townley skubaaruba{at}eci.com Now a Report from CASI-SOUTH Leader Chris Phillips about the damage in Eastern NC: ---------------------------------------------------------------------