The clouds continued to build their layers darkening the sky through out the day. Some time in the middle of the night the rain started. When the sun should have been rising the sky held an eery blue – grayness. It was if the sun just got stuck as it was first starting to rise. The layers of clouds shading the earth. The water was still aside from the rain drops breaking the surface. It was a strange stillness. We could make out all of the other eighteen boats. The rain continued through the morning as we checked in with everyone through VHF and WIFI. Max again with his PA system tried to lighten the mood with blurps of music. Like “Here comes the rain” and other songs.
As we started to get tucked in we watch quietly from our cockpit the events around us. We noticed the birds were still flying about. There was a strange energy or maybe it was a stillness. You hear people talk about the “calm before the storm.” Anxiety building up from just not knowing what to expect. Around 10 am there was a shift and the wind picked up. We continued to sit in our cockpit watching and waiting. The raindrops became bigger and bigger and began falling faster and faster. We had left the Bimini up keeping the cockpit enclosed. The dodger was up too with a window we could quickly release if we felt it was became a sail. We both hope we didn’t make a mistake choosing to keep it up. 
The wind continued to increase exponentially. The stillness of the water turned into a mixed up mess as the rain pounded the surface by buckets. When the wind blew the buckets turned to sheets. The water was angry and mixed up. Soon there was a circular pattern to sheets of rain, water movement on the surface, and visibility of the other boats. It was as if we were in a circular power washer. A bonus is it quickly washed away the 10 months of salt, dust, and bird poop that had sneaked into every piece of Hiraya. She was at least 30 lbs lighter.
We could watch the wind and sheets of water pass each boat and as each boat heeled to the power it would disappear popping back up as each of the other boats got hit. We were quickly able to see the pattern and brace for our turn to lean and pull on our ground tackle. As this pattern continued the intensity of rain, wind, noise increased. Boats were calling over the vhf the wind readings off their wind instruments. By eight pm we were at the most intense winds. Some one clocked 61 knots. We continued to watch entertaining our selves with counting the boats and holding on when it was our turn. There wasn’t anything we could do but watch and hold on.
For the next three hours we staid at that intensity. The wind howled through the boat the rain beat on the deck and slapped the sea. The water mixed and blew one way then another like an angry boiling pot of water that was getting tossed around violently. It was becoming more difficult to hear the vhf. A neighboring boat gave hour reports of the storms progress. With starlink we were getting reports of the devastation Kay was leaving in her path. We held on and continued our checks. We were now at the end of our chain. As the wind caught Hiraya and swung us one way we could feel the intense pull of our anchor pulling us back keeping us in our place. So happy we chose to over size our anchor. 
Around 11 pm the wind shifted Kay was passing. We shy with relief understanding that we made it through the worst. As the hours ticked by the intensity continued to diminish. It felt as if it was passing faster than it came. It was getting quieter. The wind wasn’t howling and screaming like a banshee any more. We felt comfortable doing one more check and going to bed. It wasn’t until we ventured out of our cockpit did we realize the wind was still blowing. It was surprising that 30 plus knots of wind was so quiet and gave hardly any movement. We felt safe and went to bed while the storm continued to calm.
We woke to a gray, drippy morning that was as still as it was before the storm. The layers of clouds had thinned to a light cover. Everyone started taking stock of their boat. The vhf started to come to life. Checking in each boat reported non to minimal damage. Only a few tears and a broken Wind generator pole. Some found minor leaks but that comes with boats. Everyone held in their place. Quickly everyone put their sails back on and by that evening most of the boats had left.
Sam had helped everyone so much that we chose to just stay the night. We would get our selves put together and meet everyone for the “survivors party” later. We were tired. We napped off and on. Talking about the storm and what we would do differently next time. We checked in with family and friends back home as we looked around at the empty bay grateful that the storm passed. We worried about the locals and how the village did.
News came over VHF. Those boats is La Mona faired well. No damage to report. They did however witness the river of water knock down the hill side and all but sweep part of the beach including the beach bar palapas into the sea. Full litter of Indio beer bottles floated by their boats as they looked on.
Cars and trucks had been swept into the bay. Roofs torn off and roads where washed away. The run off water carved new river beds into the already rugged terrain. The locals were already out dragging their vehicles out of the bay and back to land. They quickly got their roofs and homes back together and set off to begin clearing the road. They didn’t accept any help and asked the cruisers needed anything instead.
Hearing this we decided there was no hurry leaving. We had stocked up on provisions before leaving for Don Juan. So we staid in the quiet bay of Don Juan. There was absolutely no wind and we didn’t want to use our gasoline in the dinghy as we had no idea how long it would be before gasoline would make it to the Village or if it was contaminated with water. Kirby came over the next day to drop off our engine part that his wife Jody was so kind to bring with her from the states. We were excited thinking that we may have a working engine after all.
Catching up with them we planned dinner on Lodos. A few hours later in came Delos, One life, and Calico Skies. All famous You Tubers. We met them while paddle boarding in the still waters and soon came with an invitation for bone fire on the beach that night. After having dinner on Lodos we all headed over to the beach talked and laughed as the sun set and the stars came out one by one.