Severe Lightning Storm

Swan Creek, MD Anchorage

What is Lightning

KINDNESS experiences some scary moments during a severe lightning storm at anchor. Even our salty pup Zoey can’t stop shaking.

Lightning is one of the most powerful and awe-inspiring phenomena found in nature. It is created when electricity builds up in a cloud due to the movement of air particles within the cloud, which can cause a large electric current to flow between the cloud and the ground. This electric current produces a brilliant flash of light and a loud clap of thunder. Lightning can be incredibly dangerous, but it is also an amazing natural phenomenon that can be studied and enjoyed.

Another Point of View

Experiencing lightning on a boat can be a frightening and potentially dangerous experience. The risk of getting hit is very real. Lightning can also cause immense damage to electronics, even if the lightning doesn't directly strike the boat. The heat and electricity generated by the lightning can damage and disable electrical systems and other electronics on board, even if they are not directly in the path of the lightning.

These indirect effects are much more common than direct strikes because the effective radius of a lightning strike is so much larger than the small area the lightning directly strikes. A strike could indirectly damage electronics even hundreds of meters away. This damage is not always immediate or consistant, and can sometimes take time to manifest, causing a gradual decline in the performance of the equipment. Our biggest fear in lightning is losing our investment in KINDNESS’ electrical enhancements. These enhancements allow us to be self-sustained.