Thread: Tropical Storm Fay

Thanks Mike. All along the coast here is Florida, there are Evacuation Route signs posted, which have an arrow. They're intended to show folks where to drive when these storms come ashore. Well, they all point to where I live, so I feel pretty safe.

I predicted this storm's arrival at the beginning of last week (sailors know weather better then the boneheads on TV). It had all the classic signs, a Caribbean low to suck it over, a weakening Bermudian high that wouldn't "suck it's top off" (upper atmosphere sheering winds) and a Mexican low that was moving east to feed it and steer it over Florida. It's a pattern I've seen many times.

With the lack of concern I have, for this less then impressive storm, the other half (the one that must be obeyed) is just the opposite. She made me purchase $4,500 of ballistic window film (keeps the windows from being breached if something hits them) a few years ago. I've been toiling around the yard today, covering things up, tying things down, moving things indoors, etc. It's mostly just an exercise to permit my getting sex for the remainder of the month, as this storm isn't worth getting worried about. I do appreciate the concerns though. I'll let you know when a real storm shows up.

Yeah, Paul (PAR) should be able to sail through with flying colours in his location. But hurricanes can gain strength if they scoot into open water. We still give them lots of respect in Florida. I've been moving and/or ballasting some of my outdoor gear, mostly because it needed organizing anyway.

I've never used the spare tyre in my truck, but I'll be checking the pressure,just in case.

Joe

Sorry Joe,
Wasn't forgetting you but figured you would be far enough north and west to dodge it.
What was the worst storm you have experienced?

Mike

Originally Posted by m2c1Iw

Sorry Joe,
Wasn't forgetting you but figured you would be far enough north and west to dodge it.
What was the worst storm you have experienced?

Mike

No sweat, Mike. And most recent predictions are that it's running out of steam.

Worst ever? Hmmm. Two that come to mind: Hurricane "Hazel" in 1956 came through Northern Virginia (my home at the time), and I could almost swear I saw a tree leaning sideways. And (forget the name) in late 1967 flew up the Rio Grande when I was stationed at Fort Hood TX; busted a dam or two in Mexico, and flooded much of south Texas. I was leader of a small team within a big task force to assist with relief efforts. Lotsa war stories from that, but the most significant was driving my Army truck through about a mile of deep water over an almost invisible roadway. I had a comrade looking out the window at the bow wave to try to keep the exhaust pipe in shallower water, and another on the roof for better visibility of the roadway centre line. Stalled once, but managed to restart. I was prepared to proceed on the starter motor if necessary, and recharge the battery from a generator in the trailer when/if (had very long cables IIRC).

Thanks for your concern,
Joe

I've been aboard ship and small craft during 6 different hurricanes, so I have a healthy respect for them, but this one isn't much of a storm.

The latest tracks look like the Bermudian high will push it back ashore, in your neck of the woods, Joe. Batten down brother, it's currently stationary and building strength. By morning it'll punch through our skinny state, gain more energy, then hang a left around Gainesville. You're likely too far west to get much more then rain, but if the Midwestern low, stalls in the mountains, then it could "suck" west, right at you.

It was raining off and on all day, so I couldn't use epoxy. I spent the day sharpening blades and chisels. I debated taking out the 23' sloop for some heavy air work, but was too tired and couldn't dig up willing crew (sissies).

During Hugo, I sailed twice, once in a 25'er sloop and then again on a wind surfer. I was breaking world speed records that day, but no one was around to record my spectacular speeds (and equally as notable crashes).

Originally Posted by PAR

couldn't dig up willing crew (sissies).

I tend to get a bit nervous too at anything over 40kts and Joe no walking the dog for the next couple of days.

Mike

I'm a few weeks into building a little ketch for a guy that lives about two hours south of me. He got 20" of rain on Wednesday!

Originally Posted by PAR

I'm a few weeks into building a little ketch for a guy that lives about two hours south of me. He got 20" of rain on Wednesday!

That's about the average annual rainfall for Adelaide & surrounds.
Most of SA gets less.

Originally Posted by joe greiner

Worst ever? Hmmm. Two that come to mind: Hurricane "Hazel" in 1956 came through Northern Virginia (my home at the time), and I could almost swear I saw a tree leaning sideways.

That'd be the one in Wizard of Oz?

I've just seen a news report. PAR, if you'd gone into mass producing cheap, ply row boats, I reckon you'd make a killing

Hope all the forum members came through the thing without too much trouble. The flooding is a concern though it's really hard to tell from the sort of news reporting we get here (and I was watching SBS which is one of the better mobs).

Newsflash: Respected boat designer by the name of Paul spotted tacking a 40 footer up Main Street. Observers report him screaming something incomprehensible in what sounded like an Aussie accent

Richard

Originally Posted by prozac

That'd be the one in Wizard of Oz?

Nope. Hazel was real. The one in 1967 might have been called "Hugo" now that I've pondered.

Up to 27 inches reported on some rain gauges, and 40 hours aggregate without electricity in my neighbourhood for the past weekend; here and elsewhere mostly due to trees falling out of saturated ground, with another day or two to repair remote circuits. Lots of cleaning up to do, and maybe collect some roadside orphan timber. Or maybe not.

First draft of a saga was getting too long and cute for posting, and may not be fixable.

Cheers,
Joe

What really sucks the most about it all is the last few days of nice sunshine we've had, which has made my lawn grown an additional 6".

For what it's worth, I framed up the deck to a new build in the shop, during the worst of it last week.