By October 12, they were in its path.
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## October 12: What the Storm Was
The specific conditions the Hazana encountered on October 12, 1983 are recorded in two ways: in Tami Oldham Ashcraft’s memoir and subsequent accounts, and in the meteorological record of Hurricane Raymond’s track and intensity.
By the meteorological record, Raymond was at or near peak intensity on October 11 and was maintaining extremely high winds as it tracked west on October 12. The storm’s center was at approximately 12.4°N, 121.2°W at peak intensity, moving rapidly westward. By the time the Hazana encountered it, Raymond had been a Category 4 storm for approximately 24 to 36 hours.
From Ashcraft’s account: the barometer aboard the Hazana fell below the 28-inch mark — approximately 948 hectopascals, a pressure that indicates the near-core environment of an intense hurricane. The anemometer recorded sustained winds of 60 knots, with an apparent instrument reading of 140 knots at the highest — though readings at the high end of an anemometer’s range in extreme conditions may not be precisely reliable. Waves reached approximately 40 feet, some accounts suggesting higher, their height driven by the storm’s sustained winds acting over hundreds of miles of open ocean.
The couple had tried to position the yacht to ride out the storm. Sharp sent Oldham below deck to rest and reduce her exposure. He stayed in the cockpit, tethering himself to the boat with his safety harness — standard practice for offshore work in severe conditions. The harness clipped to a jackline or strong point, theoretically keeping a person attached to the vessel even if swept off the deck.