Storm Light

The storm came out of the blue. Very heavy rain, gale force gusts, frequent thunder and lightning. I looked around and saw the lighthouse nearby. Luckily the door was unlocked and I made my way up the stairs.

It was warm and dry in the control room even though the rain pelted on the windows. I could see a light out at sea and felt sorry for anyone stuck out in the storm because the swell was at a record high. Lightning flared, shortly followed by a clap of thunder, briefly revealing a fishing boat riding the swell.

***

Waves surged over the bow as the boat dipped into the trough. As the boat rose again to the peak the flash of a lighthouse could just be seen through the heavy rain. We were being washed towards shore, thankful for the warning, and steering away from the rocks surrounding the headland. The storm abated as we beached with other debris from the storm.

Emergency shelters were being erected for those affected by king tide flooding during the unexpected coastal tempests, surely an indicator of climate change.