Hong Kong has gone through its first Signal 10 Typhoon (the most severe rating) in the last five years, and the strongest I've experienced since living in Hong Kong. The worst is now over for the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, with Typhoon Hato moving away from Hong Kong, but still at Signal 8 strength. The storm was made worse by happening during an unusually high tide and storm surge. Joanna, cats, and I are ok.
We have just had shore electrical power restored, and the fresh water supply is being repaired (thanks to those out in the still heavy rain who have worked on this!). Several of our neighbor's boats have been damaged or lost their moorings in the storm. The boat we are tied up next to literally exploded its main cabin door and large window due to the hurricane force wind and atmospheric pressure changes, blowing debris across while I was checking our mooring lines on deck. Watermark has suffered some heavy damage to one of her mooring points, which will require a visit to the shipyard to repair, but fortunately with some jury rigging of rope we were able to keep her anchored and minimize her crashing into other boats. Very luckily for us, nothing more serious. Cats handled it well, with only a case or two of sea sickness.
We are thankful for the Typhoon Shelter's seawall, which for a major portion of the time was the only thing that stood between Watermark and crew and the Typhoon when directly south of us. Here are a couple of video clips shot by neighbors showing the waves of the South China Sea breaking against the sea wall as it held them back from the Typhoon Shelter and those of us in their path. We hope all of our friends and colleagues in Hong Kong, Macau, and South China are also safe and dry.
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