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Kauai Lifestyle - A striking new year on the north shore

By Debra A. Jason

Real Estate Agent with Na Pali Properties, Inc.

January 23, 2009 09:46 AM

Aloha,

Happy new year. Here on the north shore of Kauai (near the Haena area), my boyfriend and I ended 2008 with a bang - literally! At 12:30am on Dec. 31, 2008, our house was struck by lightning. Talk about a frightening experience.

Kauai may be known for rainy winters, but thunder and lightning hasn't been a commonplace occurrence until the last year (maybe 2). This night we slept comfortably until there was the loudest explosion I ever heard. I compare it to what I imagine a bomb would sound like. My boyfriend looked up and saw sparks above his head falling from the roof (outside the window). All the power was out . . . phones were out . . . it was very dark and we could hear a hissing noise. What could be hissing we had no power. Couldn't be the amplifiers....was it the propane tank leaking? Talk about SCARED.

The pipes under the house had burst! Well, with it pouring rain and the water meter way out on the road, going outside was not an option other than to assess the damage under the house. The thunder & lightning continued for about another 2 1/2 hours - loudly right over our heads. We could tell our neighbors had power. We were the only ones hit. It was a petrifying 3 hours with an 80 lb. golden retriever shaking in our laps and the two of us very distraught, candles lit and flashlights close by. Called the electric company's 24 hour line and they thought we might need all our electrical wiring redone. Something that could not be determined until daylight.

Later we learned from one neighbor that they smelled it, another neighbor said that he'd seen 2 plumes of fire coming off our roof. Guess we were fortunate that there had been so much rain the fire did not last and we were safe. Luckily the next morning, despite the Hanalei Bridge being closed, we were able to

1) check the main breaker outside the house, switch it and get our electricity back

2) get a plumber out here to fix the water pipes. He said he thought the house shook so badly it caused the pipes to burst.

3) assess that the lightning hit a tree, the tree's branch was touching our roof, went through the house and out the other house where it blew off the telephone box. There it was on the ground.

The joys of living on an island and in a more remote part like Haena, means learning to adjust accordingly. Nothing happens too quickly. We were without telephone land lines for about 5 days (at least one of our cell phones got reception) and without cable/Internet for 4 days. A small price when you consider we were lucky and very happy to be alive. Found a couple of electrical outlets out of order, etc.

Also, news travels fast on the north shore. The nice thing is knowing that if you needed help, your neighbors would be there for you. Kauai is wonderful that way, people rally around one another in a time of need. So, 2008 on the north shore of Kauai was striking and it did indeed go out with a bang. Here's hoping 2008 was safer wherever you are and that 2009 brings good days, happy days, good health and prosperity ahead for all.

Wishing you the best of everything.

Debra A. Jason, Realtor-Associate