Singing in the rain

While shooting footage in China yesterday for a biofuel project we are working on I experienced a first for my life (and hopefully a last). We were shooting in a large metal warehouse that is used to store gutter oil. Barrels and barrels of it, waiting to be refined into biofuel. As is common in this part of China, a thunderstorm moved though the area. Probably the most violent thunderstorm I have ever experienced.

Whoever says lightning never strikes the same place twice is wrong. The building we were in was hit three times in rapid succession by tremendous bolts of lightening that made the whole structure vibrate and sing in the most God-awful, freaky sound I have every heard. The thunder, of course, was instantaneous and was the loudest thing I have ever heard in my life. All the while the rain was pounding down so hard that I and my director of photography had to shout to be heard and we were standing right next to each other.

All in all an amazing demonstration of power and energy that man has absolutely zero control over. If nature wants to blow us all to smithereens it will have no problem doing so at the drop of a hat.

Our ears are still ringing.

Agree, except wasn't it "screaming in the rain"?

We just kept working even though the building was being lit up with a bazillion volts of electricity. The building acted as a Farraday (sp?) cage so we were safe enough inside although the noise was stupendous. We did wonder for a moment what would happen if the gutter oil was set on fire but the Chinese workers in the plant said that the building is "hit by lightning all the time and never any problem so no worry," so after awhile when nothing happened to us we didn't.

It's an experienc that in retrospect I'm glad I had but I would not care to repeat it.

I worked In an uninsulated all metal recycling warehouse for a while.We carried ear plugs for the rainy days.We were in a bit of a low spot and the place was never hit by lightening while I worked there.So I can relate to the noise.If that building would have been hit by lightening, I would have probably died of a heart attack,or at least needed a change of pants.

markpierce said:

Agree, except wasn't it "screaming in the rain"?

Click to expand...

Mark,

Anything new on your drive repair? Good thing you weren't screaming into your slip when it failed. I guess that's why they say don't approach the dock any faster than you'd like to hit it.

FlyWright said:

Mark,

Anything new on your drive repair?.

Click to expand...

Ray, I'm waiting for the builder to send a replacement shaft section and universals.

Great, I'll tell Al

I was down at the boat today checking on refrigeration temps, etc. Your boat looks lonely!

I'm thinking of making a run to Pittsburg this Saturday to buy fuel. I'm concerned that its too shallow to get to our own fuel dock in Vallejo.

Giggitoni said:

Great, I'll tell Al

I was down at the boat today checking on refrigeration temps, etc. Your boat looks lonely!

I'm thinking of making a run to Pittsburg this Saturday to buy fuel. I'm concerned that its too shallow to get to our own fuel dock in Vallejo.

Click to expand...

Who's on first? :lol:

Mark, hope you're back up and running for a full summer of boating. But at least we can boat all year long, so there's always next month!!

Ray, what do they gas up at your fuel dock, canoes?

Hope both you guys are able to make the July Delta Rendezvous. I spent a couple days prepping for the week of the 4th. We're reconfigured from fishing to cruising, dinghy prepped and loaded on the swimstep, and an extra apartment size fridge loaded and powered by the inverter. I put two kids through college and all I got was this well-used fridge (...and two well-educated young ladies)!

Bring on the fireworks!!

Sorry, Al! It was another senior moment. This morning driving to my volunteer "job" at Linsday Wildlife Museum, I said to myself "did I say Ray instead of Al? Oh shoot."

The local marine mechanic called me today. The broken universals have been removed from the transmission and the remainder of the shaft. The builder said he received the replacement shaft section and expects to receive improved clip fasteners today. He will ship it via express, from China. Will need to repaint the replacement before installation.

So, there's still a chance we can make the Fourth.

Getting to Vallejo Marina's fuel dock hasn't been a problem so far, but the Coot draws several inches less than Mahalo Moi. Shouldn't be a problem if the tide is up. Me thinks Ray just wants to make a run to Pittsburg and save a few dimes per gallon (is there still a significant difference in prices?). Stay overnight at the guest dock and have dinner in Pittsburg or neighboring Antioch?

Sorry, Marin. You ain't gettin' this thread back....

We're planning to head up into the Delta on July 3rd for the remainder of that week. Will take on 400 gallons of fuel in Pittsburg on the way up...

Let's discuss the details in our "social" group so Jennifer and Matt and others can join in.

Giggitoni said:

Sorry, Marin. You ain't gettin' this thread back....

Click to expand...

That's okay. I wasn't expecting any sort of discussion on my initial post. You guys can continue talking amongst yourselves. We're off to help create more opportunities for US jobs to move over here.

I have a terrible dilemma...can't decide whether to study Spanish or Mandarin...

Giggitoni said:

I have a terrible dilemma...can't decide whether to study Spanish or Mandarin...

Click to expand...

Depends on how much money you want to earn. If you're willing to live in a box under the freeway and trade in your GB for a well used Sears aluminum rowboat, learn Spanish. Make sure the first sentence they teach you is "You want fries with that?"

If you want to drive around in a new Range Rover, Audi A8, or Porsche Panamera like most of the business people over here and trade your GB in for a 60 or 70 foot yacht that you keep in the Med, learn Mandarin. Make sure the first sentence they teach you is "I can make it better, faster, and cheaper than that guy over there."