We did have food, we did have a weapon. But how much food, gas, and weapons are enough? Eating protein bars, peanut butter, and other crap gets old after 3 to 4 days. There's only so much you can do. We were prepared as much as possible. But it was a NIGHTMARE. I'm sleeping forever when I get back.
Glad you made it back safely. Proof that prayers work ...
Oh my Dylan! That was too close for comfort. Thank God you guys are ok! I just hate to think we might have more systems out there just waiting to develop before its all said and done. Please say it isn't so! SMH
We did have food, we did have a weapon. But how much food, gas, and weapons are enough? Eating protein bars, peanut butter, and other crap gets old after 3 to 4 days. There's only so much you can do. We were prepared as much as possible. But it was a NIGHTMARE. I'm sleeping forever when I get back.
Glad you are okay and escaped that mess. I bet the reporters out there are encountering problems like that, but are just not reporting on it.
I grabbed my 28 yr old son and we went to a condo on Pensacola Beach for 2 nights. From watching the models, I figured we can get in on some of the milder winds and still make a vacation like trip out of it. We had steady winds of about 25-30 mph and gust to 45-50mph the whole time that we were there. That is as brave as I will be in storm chasing, LOL.
Waiting to hear what 'horror story' Dylan encountered in the storm he posted about earlier.
Not going to get into detail right now. But let me put it to y'all this way.
-We left Naples around 8pm Sunday. -Took us 6 hours to get to Vero, driving in hurricane conditions. -Almost drowned in Aligator Alley. Water even got in car but we somehow got past it. Still on edge about this. -When we got to Vero, the house we stayed in was on Orchid Island, which is a Barrier Island, and required crossing a large bridge. Wind was gusting over 70mph. Metal light poles were swaying big time. -When we got across the bridge, we realized the Island was under 4 feet of storm surge, and we nearly drowned again because it was pitch black and couldn't see the water until the very last second. -On the way back across the bridge, one of the light poles fell just seconds after passing us, and could have easily killed one of us. -Now stranded at 3am with no place to stay during hurricane conditions, we had to find a place to park the car and take a nap until the water went down. -We parked in front of a Walgreens, not 5 minutes after parking, a car with 5 thugs pined us in and pulled out a gun on us. We floored it and they didn't shoot. Clearly, they were trying to rob us. -At this point we nearly paniced. It was past 3am in a town I'm unfamiliar with. It's dark. No cops in sight, and people are trying to rob us. -We finally found a place to park the car and hide. -We went back to the bridge at Low Tide around 6am, police blocked the bridge. -Police kept on lying and blocked the bridge until 4pm. -Meanwhile, there is nowhere to eat, and there is no gas to get out of Florida. -Finally had my first meal in almost 3 days that night. Was as desperate for food as I've ever been. -Couldn't leave until this morning. -Still haven't had a decent meal. -Covered in Mosquito bites.
Oh Dylan - what a nightmare! I'm so glad y'all are ok. That must have been so scary!
Not going to get into detail right now. But let me put it to y'all this way.
-We left Naples around 8pm Sunday. -Took us 6 hours to get to Vero, driving in hurricane conditions. -Almost drowned in Aligator Alley. Water even got in car but we somehow got past it. Still on edge about this. -When we got to Vero, the house we stayed in was on Orchid Island, which is a Barrier Island, and required crossing a large bridge. Wind was gusting over 70mph. Metal light poles were swaying big time. -When we got across the bridge, we realized the Island was under 4 feet of storm surge, and we nearly drowned again because it was pitch black and couldn't see the water until the very last second. -On the way back across the bridge, one of the light poles fell just seconds after passing us, and could have easily killed one of us. -Now stranded at 3am with no place to stay during hurricane conditions, we had to find a place to park the car and take a nap until the water went down. -We parked in front of a Walgreens, not 5 minutes after parking, a car with 5 thugs pined us in and pulled out a gun on us. We floored it and they didn't shoot. Clearly, they were trying to rob us. -At this point we nearly paniced. It was past 3am in a town I'm unfamiliar with. It's dark. No cops in sight, and people are trying to rob us. -We finally found a place to park the car and hide. -We went back to the bridge at Low Tide around 6am, police blocked the bridge. -Police kept on lying and blocked the bridge until 4pm. -Meanwhile, there is nowhere to eat, and there is no gas to get out of Florida. -Finally had my first meal in almost 3 days that night. Was as desperate for food as I've ever been. -Couldn't leave until this morning. -Still haven't had a decent meal. -Covered in Mosquito bites.
Oh Dylan - what a nightmare! I'm so glad y'all are ok.
L That must have been so scary!
So glad you are ok. We all should cook you a,good meal after what u have been thru.God Bless you!!
Post by HarahanTim - Now in Covington! on Sept 14, 2017 3:05:45 GMT -6
Interesting find, as shared on Facebook.
Randy Shots added 3 new photos — feeling optimistic. September 11 at 8:28am ·
Look what Irma kicked up out of the bottom of the Indian River, a dugout canoe. Florida State Dept of Historical Resources has been notified, they are sending an archeologist in the morning. It is the law to notify the DHR ( a gentle reminder, this belongs to the people of Florida, and hopefully will be preserved and exhibited in the future) Thank you all for your interest! I got to it before it was picked up by the county with all the other storm debris and placed in a landfill. I'll certainly keep everyone updated on this progress, promise. Thank you all for sharing and liking!!
Just checking in post-Irma. Despite not getting the worst of the storm, Palm Beach County lost a lot of trees, had a lot of power outages also. We lost power from Sunday morning around 4:30am until last night. We have a wooden privacy fence, and the storm snapped three of our 4x4 support beams and knocked a few panels down. Those are easily repaired (although might wait until we find out what the two new Invest systems are going to do first). We lost 6 Bird of Paradise Palm trees, and four banana trees, and had most of the leaves and small branches of our neighbor's giant tree in our pool. Again, all things that are easily cleaned up over time. We feel very very lucky to have been spared the worst of the storm.
FPL says power should be restored to the east coast by the end of this weekend, and to the west coast by the 22nd. Internet is coming up in most places too.
I hope everyone made it through the storm without too much damage!
I love stuff like that. I bet a lot of stuff will be found. Used to go hunt all the bends in the bayou after a big rain, always found a few arrow heads.
A report from a friend of a friend who rode out the storm in the Keys:
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, Sep 15, 2017 at 7:32 AM Subject: Irmageddon
this is a short blanket note to all. You do not need to write back.
We are both fine. In camping mode for real....
no electricity...generator 2 times a day, very loud, poles down everywhere.
no water, have bottled, main line leaking 4 million a day.
Little fuel around...5 gallons per person just today.
no cable...hooray
Cell service just came on...it will be sporadic.
Some looters around with "shoot to kill" orders from the police. These are thieves not hungry people since there is food and bottled water within a few miles of everyone. MPs guard subdivisions to keep property safe. Some looters even coming by boat...our neighbors have guns, we just have fallen trees to give looters.
Everything will be sporadic for weeks.
Road is open, to mile 80 for residents, no one allowed beyond that for perhaps a week. Key West residents may be allowed back in as soon as the water supply is restored to the lower Keys.
Clocked winds here 140mph big gusts into the 160 area. Eye wall went over us at 172mph, tore shutters off a double door right in front of us....door bulging out and about to give and open up....held on knob and lock set for 1 and 1/2 hour standing in a pool of sweat. Grabbed a ladder which happened to be in the room, straddled it across both doors, braced both ends on the drywall and tied the knob and lock set to the ladder with computer cords as tight as possible. 30 seconds more and more panels flew, and AT that point....we would have been blown into the hurricane 172mph winds and off the second story porch. Believe in angels, they were here and stood beside us.
Key West was mostly spared. Big Pine is mostly gone. Everything in the middle is a mix. The 7 houses on this strip, only our house survived intact less one air conditioner. Our beautiful 100 year old hardwood forest is about gone. 12 foot tidal surge hit the lower Keys and Marathon. Nothing like this HERE since 1789 or there about according to the NOAH guy.
Since everything is sporadic, will close now. Lots of clean up, need supplies, for us now car survived. FEMA, the military and the best police force ( ours) in this country are all here helping, along will NGO groups. If you leave the Keys, you can not return until everything is back to 'normal'. Grocery and other supply trucks are arriving all the time. Post office and other carriers maybe running next week.
Will write again as soon as able.
Pass on to folks you know this info:
Tune into WWUS1.com radio to listen to what is going on. These guys were on 24 a day and kept everyone here sane and informed...all the rest left town.
DO NOT try to come here, there are no services yet to handle more people.
Keep calls to anymore here short, the cell is still in the mend.
Only one death from the storm...some ass in Key West went bike riding in the storm, fell over and drown in the street.
