Letters
First Hand Samoa Tsunami Account
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 11:33 PM
This morning (six hrs ago) we were shaken awake by
an earthquake which seemed to have no end! We were
aboard Gallivanter and tied side-to a big concrete dock in
the heart of Pago Pago, American Samoa. And after living
up & down the California coast, I knew this was no minor
tremor.
After the rude awakening, Cath & I walked across the
dock and chatted with a few of our fellow sailors, one of
whom said that he’s just done a Google search on “recent
earthquakes” and said that it measured-in at 8.1 and the
epicenter was only 120 miles distant.
The most comfortable, durable, and We returned to Gallivanter and I turned on our
attractive marine cushions made. laptop and searched the same website. Sure enough there
With 1,854 patterns on file, we cover virtually every production boat
it was... “8.1 earthquake - American Samoa - 20 minutes
ever built. If we don’t have yours we can still make a custom set for your
ago”. I clicked on the “Show Map” option and noticed the
one-of-a-kind boat. Call or email us for your simple pattern-making kit.
epicenter was located south west of Pago Pago... which is
Get the comfort you want without the nuisance of soggy seats, split seams,
located on the southern side of the island.
or stuck zippers. There’s no upholstery to hide mold and mildew. Just as I was considering the ramifications of that little
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fact... all hell started breaking loose! Our boat was on the
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move! My first reaction was to start the engine and dash up
www.bottomsiders.com • cushions@bottomsiders.com on deck to see what was going on. I witnessed the water
2305 Bay Avenue, Hoquiam, WA, 98550 around us was rapidly dropping! Rapidly! In a blink of an
eye, we were on the bottom and the boat was falling away
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from the dock! Three of our big dock lines popped and we
fell right over into the mud - the entire basin we had been
performance Gore-Tex footwear from
floating in only moments ago had completely drained!
People were screaming!
Next - the water came flooding back in at an even more
alarming rate and the next thing I knew we were floating
directly above the dock! Over the concrete slab and drifting
toward a young lady we knew (from another boat) who
was desperately hugging a power pole and up to her chin
The Newport The Ultima
in swirling water! I told Cath to cut the two remaining dock
50/50 Leather/Cordura 100% Leather
lines with our serrated bread knife and to be quick about it!
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Right as I put the boat into gear, we were somehow
washed back off the dock and into the basin as I advanced
to full throttle and we accelerated through a floating debris
field of floating docks, fuel drums, sinking boats, a shipping
container and a barnicle encrusted wreck all of which were
spinning in the torrent of rapidly dropping sea level. It
was absolute mayhem! As we steered out toward the deep
water in the center of the harbor I looked over my shouder
and saw what appeared to be a waterfall pouring off the
dock and shore beyond. Not one of the dozen vessels
remained at the dock. All were underway in a matter of
seconds... with or without crews aboard.
We motored around in the middle of the harbor
watching the waves of floods & ebbs while wondering
about after-shocks and our fellow cruising sailors. As we
passed one of our neighbors she shouted to us that her
husband had been washed off the dock as they were trying
(206) 782-5100 www.SeattleSailing.com
to get away. She was alone and seriously concerned. Other
boats broke free from their moorings and anchors in the
48° No r t h , No v e m b e r 2009 Pa g e 10
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