Tornado!

We went on an architectural boat trip around Chicago last night. It is probably the best way to see the fascinating buildings of this city. The guide was witty and knowledgeable. We had been warned that we might get rained on towards the end of the hour-long tour. Little did we know what lay ahead......

Our host, Jim, received a call from his wife to say that a tornado warning for downtown Chicago had been called. We thought little of that until shortly before we docked. We could see clouds rolling in very fast over the skyscapers. Lightning in the distance. Then it began to rain. Hard. Then sirens began blaring. Tornado warning sirens. The boat slammed fairly hard into the dock, and though we had taken shelter below decks, we were ushered off the boat into the pouring rain, while thunder and lightning cracked and illuminated all around us. We ran for the cover of Navy Pier, all the time avoiding the shelter offered by the trees. It seemed quite dangerous, yet strangely it felt surreal - I thought for a moment that I had entered the set for a disaster movie. We were urged to keep away from the windows by our host, "just in case" the tornado hit. Talk about excitement.

Though soaking wet, we ended up in a very fine seafood restaurant on the Pier and enjoyed the most spectacular forked lightning display with our fish and steaks.

We were grateful that this storm didn 't hit the day before, while we were at Lollapalooza. The chaos it brought would have been very dangerous to the crowd there.

Here is the storm as it came in. I love the tour guide as she continues to talk (about Oprah!), while the rest of us begin to worry....

Comments

[Graham]

can't wait to see the video ... you did video it, didn't you :-0

[ryan]

Glad you're ok (although you missed a real opportunity to post some dramatic pictures to your blog!).

[Kenny]

Feel so cheated! It was neer like that when I visited Chicago! T'was sun all the way!

[Beat Attitude]

Sounds like the storm couldn't have rolled in fast enough given the inane commentary...

[Biz]

Did you not get any footage of the tornado?? I can just see you as one of those tornado chasers...