RONNIE #5 It's so very true; venturing out on the water, be it the river, a lake, or in particular the ocean, can be filled with trepidation. One will always, or should, check out the weather reports before going fishing. This also includes just about any speculation of water activity. Summer will bring speedy change to the prevailing weather conditions. One minute; clear skies, quickly; a thunderstorm. Our big green cat was a very stable "fishing platform", she loved heaving into an approaching sea, one problem; twin hulls seem to want to ‘knell' when following the ocean swells at an angle. THE BUGGER CAME FROM NO WHERE. WE had been out wide, WINDARRA BANKS? Pulling traps? We were heading home because an ominous cloud bank had begun to form out back of MAIN ARM in the hinterland. The great billowing banks of Cumulus clouds we could see forming and visibly moving east meant; "lets go home". Now I'm not one to ‘beat me meat' about climate change, it just seems to me that many coastal people, including myself, have some interesting facts. In high summer for as many years as I can remember, an afternoon thunder storm would roll out of the hills, ‘bangin' and crashin', drop a bucket full of rain, maybe some hail, and "Bluey Czarsoff", and be gone. The aftermath would be clear skies and oppressive humidity until sunset. In the evening the most glorious light show can be witnessed from land. Well this demonstration of natures splendor, (the one we are about to encounter), was forewarned, hence our heading for safety. WHERE DID HE COME FROM? You could detect the oppressiveness, temperature dropping and the off shore breeze starting to agitate the previously smooth ocean. Possibly, and around 2/3 N miles south was a ketch rigged yacht, just ambling up the coast in the formerly calm conditions; I guess we were about 3 N miles of Brunswick Heads. Under the bloody great clouds we could see the rain band, and ominously, the brilliant blue flashes of many thousands of dangerous stuff called volts, transcribed; LIGHTNING. The panorama of the storm at first seemed distant, with incredible speed the wind picked up, the rain started pelting, the thunder and lighting rang and sizzles in our ears, we in the middle of frenetic energy, and battling to keep headway. THEN THE HAIL. The ‘BIG GREEN CAT" is being pelted by hailstones. Did I describe the ‘Centre Consul'; about one meter wide with a weather screen, designed for one person; The Driver, OK the Helmsman. Well two very apprehensive fishermen are trying to gain refuge behind this only bit of protection on the boat. Nature's calamity has encircled us; I have never sensed or heard so much energy unfold. On land you head for the nearest building, you remain in doors inside your flimsy dwelling; we are virtually inside the enormity of what? It's only water, moisture, precipitation, but the bastards frozen solid. Size of cricket balls? Nah, that would stop you following this story. Is there a "pin pong ball" size? Well that will be fairly close. They are falling desperately in an effort to melt down and rejuvenate and replenish the earth. Only problem is that we in the way. And the ambient color, it goes from dark grey to brilliant blue, but we could not see a bloody thing. Did not have a clue in what direction we were heading. Lighting is supposed to strike the highest point, we were the highest point. Ron is fighting desperately to hold the Cat's head into the storm, throttles ahead about 3/4‘s. We were very conscious of not coming beam sides or copping the fury over the stern, all this crouching behind the consul. All the time the hail is belting on the Perspex shield, bouncing of the deck and generally creating havoc, and it's bitterly cold, (all this in the middle of summer). I recollect somewhere looking around the deck, hailstones are building up on the deck, and "will they get so heavy we will sink?" When will it ever stop? I can't ever remember so much excitement, maybe when my eldest and youngest were born? Plenty of water then. The shattering sound, did I say that? The noise emanating from all directions, it was all encompassing and brain bending, so much noise. AND SUDDENLY, OUT THE OTHER END. BUGGER ME!! It's gone, we survived, and we hugged. Ronnie and I have come through a ‘Cranky Earth Mother reminder'. And so the prayer; "Dear God, let me travel to harvest your abundance, let me travel in safety, let me return to my family in peace, my God will protect me". Spiritual, Mystical, Self-indulgent, God fearing? WHATEVER. I'm there. I've got another prayer, it's just for any travel, "Dear God, let me travel and return safely". And the Ketch, well, she was only a matter of ½ mile away. WE motored down to offer assistance, all the time wondering how she managed to be so close.  The stay sail was shredded, the main was all over the deck, but all the crew was safe. How long were we subjected to the calamity? It seemed liked an eternity, maybe 20 minutes. Brunswick Heads our haven.

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