Caterina has been harbor master at Porto Salina for nineteen years, which means she has raised the wrong flag exactly once, on a Tuesday in 2014, and she has never quite forgiven herself. Today the anemometer reads thirty-five — gusty, not dangerous.
The rule is simple, and it goes in order. If the wind is above forty, the red flag goes up, no boats out. If it's above twenty, the yellow flag — small craft stay in. Otherwise, the green flag. She'll ? the wind and let the conditions sort themselves out.