After reading about the Pensacola-area folks getting slammed over and over again, suddenly the New Orleans area is in the crosshairs, and it looks like it's going to be a very bad one (cat. 4, maybe 5).
Our boat is kept at a marina on the Gulf about 30 miles east. I spent the day getting her out of the water, and ran into some trailer difficulties (I'll elaborate later)... some people hanging out at the nearby yacht club generously helped me out, and one offered to let me park the boat in a lot next to his house (which is about 3 or 4 miles inland). It's not perfectly safe there, but it's a lot safer than it would be here at my house, where the hurricane is currently forecast to pass almost directly over.
Anyway, unless something drastic happens with the forecast track (I mean REALLY drastic), we're heading for Memphis early in the morning... I fear there won't be much to return to.
--Mike
Katrina inbound... looks like it's my turn
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Sloop John B
- Captain
- Posts: 871
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 2:45 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Florida 'Big Bend'. 02x Yamaha T50
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richandlori
- Admiral
- Posts: 1695
- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:08 pm
- Location: Living Aboard in Morro Bay, CA
- Contact:
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mike
- Captain
- Posts: 812
- Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2003 8:06 pm
- Location: MS Gulf Coast "Wind Dancer" 98 26X
SJB,
Many thanks for the kind offer. We headed for Memphis early this morning (wife's family lives here), and arrived a little while ago.
I've been "worried" several times in the past... this time, I am just plain scared. My home and business are almost undoubtedly going to be destroyed tomorrow... it's a strange feeling. Our house is in Slidell, which is 40 miles or so ENE of the city... it's on a bit higher ground, but the area is still flood prone, and has a plethora of big pine trees. My office is an old shotgun double house just outside the French Quarter. My partners darted in there real quick before they left town to put some things up on top of desks, but from what I'm hearing, up on desks will not be high enough (even though the building itself is elevated about 3 ft).
But, like California's earthquakes and mudslides, the NE's blizzards and ice storms, and the midwest's tornados, that's the risk you accept when you choose to live here.
--Mike
Many thanks for the kind offer. We headed for Memphis early this morning (wife's family lives here), and arrived a little while ago.
I've been "worried" several times in the past... this time, I am just plain scared. My home and business are almost undoubtedly going to be destroyed tomorrow... it's a strange feeling. Our house is in Slidell, which is 40 miles or so ENE of the city... it's on a bit higher ground, but the area is still flood prone, and has a plethora of big pine trees. My office is an old shotgun double house just outside the French Quarter. My partners darted in there real quick before they left town to put some things up on top of desks, but from what I'm hearing, up on desks will not be high enough (even though the building itself is elevated about 3 ft).
But, like California's earthquakes and mudslides, the NE's blizzards and ice storms, and the midwest's tornados, that's the risk you accept when you choose to live here.
--Mike
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Tom Root
- Captain
- Posts: 560
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 11:39 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Annville, PA. s/v-Great White, MacX4787A202,'09 Suzuki DF-50
All I can offer is my heartfelt sadness in the wake of this event that Mother Nature has dealt us!
I truly hope your worldly possesions are not totally destroyed!
I am watching CNN, and have been for hours. It is so heartbreaking, and I can only imagine what is about to transpire there. SO many people will be displaced for weeks, possibly months they say.
This Hurricane is now classified as the second worse ever to hit our shores.
In the final analysis, it is life that is important, I hope that people are wise enough to seek a safe haven....they at least have modern technology to warn them well in advance, it's up to them to make an informed decision on a sanctuary!
All the best to you and yours, and anyone in harms way! You, and most of us in this online community really drives this tragedy brewing, home!
I truly hope your worldly possesions are not totally destroyed!
I am watching CNN, and have been for hours. It is so heartbreaking, and I can only imagine what is about to transpire there. SO many people will be displaced for weeks, possibly months they say.
This Hurricane is now classified as the second worse ever to hit our shores.
In the final analysis, it is life that is important, I hope that people are wise enough to seek a safe haven....they at least have modern technology to warn them well in advance, it's up to them to make an informed decision on a sanctuary!
All the best to you and yours, and anyone in harms way! You, and most of us in this online community really drives this tragedy brewing, home!
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cbhinkel
- Deckhand
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:40 pm
- Location: Mac19 w/ Honda BF50; Escondido, CA
At this point, it looks as if Katrina is weakening alittle bit with top winds now at 160mph and the satellite imagery looking less impressive. Hopefully, this trend will continue for all of the people in its direct path.....my thoughts are with them.
Unfortunately, all of us will probably feel the indirect impact from Katrina in regards to the petroleum industry. Oil production and refining capacity has been greatly reduced in the gulf region for this storm, and the long term effects are expected to be greater than the months it took to completely recover from Ivan, which was a lesser of a hurricane.
Electronic trading has opened up with gas and oil futures skyrocketing that will be possibly felt by us at the pump within this coming week. In response to this, I've topped off all of my vehicles and gas storage containers. I hope it's not as bad as they are saying it's going to be!
Unfortunately, all of us will probably feel the indirect impact from Katrina in regards to the petroleum industry. Oil production and refining capacity has been greatly reduced in the gulf region for this storm, and the long term effects are expected to be greater than the months it took to completely recover from Ivan, which was a lesser of a hurricane.
Electronic trading has opened up with gas and oil futures skyrocketing that will be possibly felt by us at the pump within this coming week. In response to this, I've topped off all of my vehicles and gas storage containers. I hope it's not as bad as they are saying it's going to be!
Yeah, we went out and put 30 gallons of diesel in the truck and filled up all the gas containers today too, for the same reason.
I'm watching this one closely because my brother and his family are riding it out on the west side of Biloxi.
Mike, you and your family will be in our prayers tonight.
South of New Orleans, the wind and seas are high...
Station 42001 - MID GULF 180 nm South of Southwest Pass, LA.
Conditions at 42001 as of
(8:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
Station 42040 - MOBILE SOUTH 64 nm South of Dauphin Island, AL
Conditions at 42001 as of (8:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
I'm watching this one closely because my brother and his family are riding it out on the west side of Biloxi.
Mike, you and your family will be in our prayers tonight.
South of New Orleans, the wind and seas are high...
Station 42001 - MID GULF 180 nm South of Southwest Pass, LA.
Conditions at 42001 as of
(8:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
- Wind Direction (WDIR): W ( 260 deg true )
Wind Speed (WSPD): 38.9 kts
Wind Gust (GST): 46.6 kts
Wave Height (WVHT): 19.4 ft
Dominant Wave Period (DPD): 11 sec
Average Period (APD): 8.4 sec
Mean Wave Direction (MWDIR): N ( 360 deg true )
Station 42040 - MOBILE SOUTH 64 nm South of Dauphin Island, AL
Conditions at 42001 as of (8:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
- Wind Direction (WDIR): E ( 80 deg true )
Wind Speed (WSPD): 36.9 kts
Wind Gust (GST): 46.6 kts
Wave Height (WVHT): 32.2 ft
Dominant Wave Period (DPD): 14 sec
Average Period (APD): 10.0 sec
Mean Wave Direction (MWDIR): E ( 101 deg true )
Last edited by Moe on Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:30 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Station 42040 - MOBILE SOUTH 64 nm South of Dauphin Island, AL
Conditions at 42040 as of (11:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
0450 GMT on 08/29/2005:
5-6 of these monsters every minute?
Conditions at 42040 as of (11:50 pm CDT on 08/28/2005)
0450 GMT on 08/29/2005:
- Wind Direction (WDIR): ESE ( 110 deg true )
Wind Speed (WSPD): 35.0 kts
Wind Gust (GST): 56.3 kts
Wave Height (WVHT): 38.1 ft
Dominant Wave Period (DPD): 13 sec
Average Period (APD): 10.3 sec
Mean Wave Direction (MWDIR): E ( 100 deg true )
5-6 of these monsters every minute?
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mtc
- Captain
- Posts: 545
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 5:06 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Panama City Beach, Florida 05 M 'Bellaroo' 60hp Merc BF
At this time, Katrina's eye is passing over the City of New Orleans. The wind was forecast at 160 -175 mph and The Weather Channel lists it at 160.
I can't imagine. Just for comparison, I once read a test of tape - a new formula of duct tape intended for use in extreme conditions called 100 mph tape, to be exact. The testers applied the tape to the nose of a friend's Ferrari and drove the car along the autobahn to 100 mph. The tape held up very well and surpassed the test parameters. They wanted to see how much wind the tape could take and continued the test; the tape failed along the leading edge at 150 mph.
The wind in NO is 160 mph and sufficient to peel duct tape. Think about that for a moment.
Be well, be safe, and this too shall pass. The only problem is there'll be more of these monsters. The forecasters were somewhat accurate this season's opening with the prediction of five major storms. It's only the beginning of September - the month where the storms become strong and frequent. We've already had, too many. . .
Opal was in October. . .
Everytime I'm out on the water, the reason for living here is clear. Times like these when I'm on my generator I wonder. So many people will have their lives changed.
Mike, stay in touch and let us know if there's anything we can do to help. Our sister system in NO will probably take a beating and our customers will need their telecommunications to their homes and businesses. I may be over there helping them get our plant back up and operational.
Of course, we all hope that your little sailboat fares well.
Most importantly, I hope your home and livelyhood come out of this intact, or at least repairable.
Michael
I can't imagine. Just for comparison, I once read a test of tape - a new formula of duct tape intended for use in extreme conditions called 100 mph tape, to be exact. The testers applied the tape to the nose of a friend's Ferrari and drove the car along the autobahn to 100 mph. The tape held up very well and surpassed the test parameters. They wanted to see how much wind the tape could take and continued the test; the tape failed along the leading edge at 150 mph.
The wind in NO is 160 mph and sufficient to peel duct tape. Think about that for a moment.
Be well, be safe, and this too shall pass. The only problem is there'll be more of these monsters. The forecasters were somewhat accurate this season's opening with the prediction of five major storms. It's only the beginning of September - the month where the storms become strong and frequent. We've already had, too many. . .
Opal was in October. . .
Everytime I'm out on the water, the reason for living here is clear. Times like these when I'm on my generator I wonder. So many people will have their lives changed.
Mike, stay in touch and let us know if there's anything we can do to help. Our sister system in NO will probably take a beating and our customers will need their telecommunications to their homes and businesses. I may be over there helping them get our plant back up and operational.
Of course, we all hope that your little sailboat fares well.
Most importantly, I hope your home and livelyhood come out of this intact, or at least repairable.
Michael