Waterspout Touches Down in the Sea

Rich Boren from the Port San Luis-based Hudson Force 50 Third Day reports that cruisers in the Singlar Marina in Santa Rosalia were treated to a spectacular show just outside the harbor entrance on Monday morning.

"We were all watching the towering convection clouds forming to the south and west. Some were removing their sun shades in hopes of getting a free rinse down from the expected rain showers. What they didn’t expect was to see a waterspout dancing just outside the entrance to the Santa Rosalia harbor.

"The marina is currently full, mostly with boats that just came down from spending the summer in the Bahia de Los Angeles and haven’t seen a marina slip, dock water, and shore power in months. We’d just arrived and were busy making preparations to leave Third Day in the marina for the month of October.  As I was putting out extra fenders and lines I heard, “Attention the fleet, attention the fleet” over the VHF radio. Long-time Old Marina resident Toby from the vessel Pear D had spotted a funnel cloud descending from the dark mass of clouds to the south of town and was alerting everyone to get ready for some possible excitement. 

"The boats that didn’t already have their sun shades down scrambled to clear their decks as the waterspout touched down on the lighted rock just south of the Santa Rosalia harbor entrance and then headed for the mouth of the harbor.  Stinging rain gave the boats their desired wash down to the sounds of banging halyards and wind whistling through the rigging. The waterspout passed in front of the harbor entrance and dissipated in about 20 minutes, but the rain continued for the next two hours, washing months-worth of salt from the boats.  No damage was reported — a few seat cushions and sunbrella covers flew off boats but were retrieved from the water after the excitement passed."