Friday, September 5, 2008

Hurricane Hannah on its way!


Not good, not good at all. Hurricane Hannah is making its way up the east coast and we're in the projected path. If you look at this picture, at the very top of the projected path taken this morning at 5 a.m., we're THERE. The thing is, and the reason why I worry so, is because I live on an island and the last time we had a teenie weenie northeaster, it flooded the yard, took out half the street and flooded houses along Main, as well as closed down the causeway.

It's Friday, almost noon, the sun is shining and the only indication it's coming is a slight pickup of wind with ominous clouds moving in. If I were on the mainland, I wouldn't be as scared, but once they close down the causeway, that's it baby, you're here for the ride.

Back in '33, they had a horrible tropical storm blow through here enough to name it "The Storm of '33." Horrible. There was a write-up in the Eastern Shore News last week and it was the first time I really studied the storm and realized how vulnerable this island is.

According to the newspaper article, the whole island was flooded out, people died, houses got uprooted and ended up in other peoples' yards. I have no idea how the ponies and the other wildlife that don't have wings survived.

My daughter got up at 7 and started clearing away what could blow away off the carport. We just slipped out and bought a couple of flashlights, batteries and a couple of cinder blocks to raise the filled-to-the-brim freezer downstairs on the lower level. We took the trash to the dumpsters and tied down the trash cans. Bought dog food, water, bread and of course, Pepsi.

There's just so much more to be done. I don't know what to expect. I'm scared.

To look out the window, you would think it was the perfect end-of-summer day. The calm before the storm? Wind is picking up slightly and it hasn't even made landfall yet.

I'll keep you informed. I'm thinking we're not going to get anything major until tonight or tomorrow morning, but the thing is and this is why I'm worried. Once they close the causeway off, you're going nowhere and HAVE to ride it out. How did all these locals survive? Did they go? Did they stay? Another reason I should have made more of an effort to meet my neighbors!

I do know one old guy a couple of condos down and another old guy a couple of condos down on the opposite end, but that's it. The one old guy pulled his boat in and anchored it to something in the back.

Melissa is right now helping her father come get his boat and take it back home off the island. I hope it goes okay...they're supposed to be here any minute so I better get off here. I'll keep you informed as the hours pass.


5 comments:

  1. You might take a hike down & talk to one or both of those two guys. How about checking with the local newspaper office, or some other business that has been there long enough to have gone through one or more of these things? I know that as an RVer I would want to head out away from the ocean but RVs are light weight and portable so don't take well to strong winds. A fixed condo would be a lot more secure. When was the building built? It has probably gone through one or more in it's history.

    I will be interested in hearing how things progress there for you. You can be a hurricane blogger.

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  2. we are a bit worried here too. I have to work at the mall tomorrow from 2-11 pm and the hubby is working on the other side of town..
    can we move to momtana or somewhere that is surrounded by land?
    Stay safe

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  3. Dick, lol, a hurricane blogger! That I can do. It's calm right now. We had a lot of rain go through about a couple of hours ago, but right now it just has a "tropical" feel to the air and the wind is blowing a little. They say tomorrow will be a whole 'nuther story.

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  4. LOL, Patty, Montana sounds great right now! Stay safe, my friend.

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