OK, maybe “Rainbows” and “Doom” aren’t things usually associated together.
But we learned our lessons about Caribbean rain storms our first afternoon in the British Virgin Islands, and we’ve now got it down to a science. In short – you NEVER leave the boat with windows open, ever. For five minutes, even if the skies are blue without a cloud in sight.
The weather here in the Caribbean is generally nice. If you check a weather site this time of year you will usually see a series of sunny days with temperatures in the mid eighties. And a non-zero chance of rain. That non-zero chance of rain really must mean “at any particular moment”, because we’ve noticed that there seems to be a little rain almost every day. It may only last a few minutes, sudden and short. But that’s enough to leave you with damp sheets for the night if you are unwise enough to leave the boat with windows open.
The air here is clear, and you can see the weather coming. Not too long ago we were sitting at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club for happy hour and we saw, across Simpson Bay, a most lovely rainbow. “Ooh, it’s a double!” someone noted.
Of course some more practical then noted “that rainbow is moving towards us!”
Yes, that IS the Rainbow of Doom. You may be sitting under blue skies enjoying a cool drink and soaking the late afternoon sunshine when you see it, looming on the horizon. The Rainbow of Doom and it’s accompanying rain shower. You can see it closing on you, with a following curtain of shimmering rain as it moves across the mountains and hills, over the bay, and towards your comfortable spot.
Sure it’s pretty, quite gorgeous against the verdant hillsides. But you better make sure your hatches are battened!
