Sunscreen, sand and shade were top priorities to combat the sweltering sun during last week’s record heat wave. Gig Harbor heat records were shattered last Wednesday, when the temperature hit 102 degrees, smashing the 1958 record of 96 degrees, according to the Weather Channel. Thursday’s high hit 93 degrees, a welcome relief.
And triple-digit heat plus an abundance of water in the area brought out the masses in a series of sweaty days and sleepless nights that won’t soon be forgotten.
Horseshoe Lake was swarming with local residents Thursday seeking the cool refuge of water and shade.
The sight of children splashing in the water was accented with the sounds of deep breaths and exhales into slowly growing beach balls and water wings.
For Rachel Hayes of Lakebay, the heat wave wasn’t a big deal. She’s lived in Hawaii and has air conditioning at her house. She hadn’t been to Horseshoe Lake in 15 years but figured it was time to cool off.
Sleep came at a premium for Nicole Bothwell of Gig Harbor. Bothwell admitted that, since the hot weather began, she hadn’t been getting to bed until well past midnight. Her routine during the scorching heat has been a steady dose of sitting in front of the TV, with the one fan in her home blasting full-speed.
Bothwell also took advantage of the cooling centers at the Peninsula Library.
“It was nice in there until I had to leave,” Bothwell said.
She said the library was pretty busy, and she spent her time cooling off and surfing the Internet.
Cars lined the Purdy spit with locals of all ages trying to keep cool on Henderson Bay. Deven Ropes and four of her friends were down on the water by 11 a.m. Thursday.
With a pink inner tube slipped around her waist, Tiffany Boyd was the first of her friends to venture into the bay.
“We like it hot,” Ropes said. “There’s a lot of places around here to cool off.”
The day before, the group floated on the Green River.
Her recipe for a relaxing time during a heat wave? Air conditioning and an ample supply of popsicles.
On Fox Island, barista Alle Taylor was busy serving up cold drinks at Botra Bean. She said the coffee talk at the drive-thru has been about one thing: the weather.
“Some people are like, ‘Why are you complaining?’ ” Taylor said. “Others weren’t happy about it.”
The air-conditioned coffee stand also got Taylor thinking it might make a great place to spend the night.
“I considered sleeping here last night,” Taylor said. “It wouldn’t be so bad if it cooled off at night.”
But not everyone had a chance to cool off with a refreshing beverage or dip at a local swimming hole. For people like Dan Buchanan, a local contractor, it was all about getting work done before the heat got too intense.
“It sucks,” Buchanan said. “It’s energy-draining; worried about sun burns.”
Fashioned with a cowboy hat and an exposed torso glimmering with sweat, Buchanan said the heat’s not only getting to him but also his business.
Buchanan was supposed to pour some concrete for sidewalks on Thursday, but it was too hot. The only protection he had from the rays was a 5:15 a.m. start and the hat that shaded his face.
By the time he started work, it was already a balmy 65 degrees. Temperatures cooled off by Friday, reaching 86 degrees.
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