Still no power and all schools are closed until at least Wednesday. One of my jobs has power, so I can at least get some hot food and charge my phone. Other job still without power.
Last night it was so damn hot that I had to take a cold shower in my board shorts and then sit outside until I dried off. This sucks. I will also be out of food at the house by Monday afternoon, even with fairly strict rationing.
Running low on energy, patience and vodka. Already out of ice and fucks to give.
Still no power. I can see multiple businesses, homes and apartment complexes with power from my porch; hell, 50 yds up the street they have power! This is really starting to suck. Thankfully a cool front came through right after the storm so it has been somewhat bearable at night, but still not sleeping very well. City also decided that since they couldn't get power to the traffic lights at my intersection, they would oh so kindly put in a generator to power the light...right next to my bedroom window...the only window that opens in my bedroom at that.
At least I ate well at work tonight, had the better part of a full slab of pork spare ribs, some nachos and some fried okra. 4 stars, best meal I have had so far in this shit show.
If I dont have power when I get off work tomorrow night I am going to my parents house on the coast until I have to be back late Tuesday afternoon for work.
I have had power back for over a day now but life is still difficult. Many places are still without power and a lot of the businesses that are open are operating on a cash only basis. The destruction was pretty bad for a weak Cat 1 storm, but haven't taken a direct hit from a storm this strong in almost 31 years.
Some neighborhoods are completely cut off from the outside due to trees and power lines being down. One neighborhood lost something like 90% of its power poles; just snapped them clean in half. I live in the downtown/campus area of Tallahassee and there are still people without power due to poles and lines being severed.
I am about to go down to the Salvation Army relief center to get food; thank God someone is providing meals, crappy, canteen service meals, but free meals none-the-less. After that I am going to help some friends cook and distribute meals to the Line Workers, tree cutters, and clean up crews. Those folks have been busting their asses, some came from hundreds of miles away on a holiday weekend to help. Giving them a hot meal, some cold water and a cup of coffee is the least we can do for them.
My friends house at the beach (Alligator Point) is fine; they just can't get into it because the front and back steps were taken out by the storm. They are taking a front loader down tomorrow and using it to lift them up the back porch so they can assess the damage inside, which should be minimal, that house has survived every storm since it was built in 1947.
The worst part out of all of this is that one of my absolute favorite places on earth, the Gulf Specimens Marine Lab, may lose all of its marine life. This place is so awesome. It is an educational place but you can play with fish, starfish, sand dollars, fiddler crabs and more in its touch tanks. They also rehabilitate injured sea turtles. The problem is that rising storm surge flooded their underground saltwater reservoir tank with polluted water (fecal matter, fresh water, general pollution) and they were forced to cut the pumps out, literally, they used saws to cut the water feed lines. They also lost their educational dock where school kids were taught about the marshes, bays and bayous as well as were new specimens were unloaded. http://www.gulfspecimen.org/
It is going to take weeks and probably months to get everything back in order; too many trees down, too many homes destroyed, too much chaos. I am very grateful this was "ONLY" a weak Cat 1 storm; anything worse and Tallahassee would've been on its knees a lot longer than a week or two, it would've been months or years before things started to return to normal.
At least it turns out I know the guy who ended up on national TV running through Cascades Park with a Stormtrooper helmet on. I need to buy him a beer or shot the next time I see him. That guy is a hero.
@pigflipper said:
The worst part out of all of this is that one of my absolute favorite places on earth, the Gulf Specimens Marine Lab, may lose all of its marine life. [...] http://www.gulfspecimen.org/
Well, I am now the "friend of" a Tallahassee aquarium. #mylife
Everybody along the Forgotten Coast loves the Marine Lab; most of us first went there as school kids on a field trips. If anybody on these forums is ever in the area, it is one of the coolest, most unique things to do in this part of Florida.
1
Straight_ManGeeky, in my own wayNaples, FLIcrontian
edited September 2016
Jack Rudloe of the Gulf Specimens Marine Lab and Aquarium:
As you may have noticed we have extended the donation drive's end date. While it is great we are actually in the dock rebuilding part, we really need more donations so we don't have to completely drain our precious reserve funds. Also people ask about the donations that come in from other sources and we get about $1 here for each $1 that comes in by various other ways. (Excluding that one really big donation of $5000 we got.) We aren't at our goal yet. No donation is too small. We appreciate every penny that comes in because we know everyone has different circumstances and what appears to be a small donation may mean a big one for the person giving. And every donation, no matter how big or small tells us what we do is important. So please give and if you've already given please share. Thank You.
Straight_ManGeeky, in my own wayNaples, FLIcrontian
Jack Rudloe:
I have some very good news! Between donations here and direct donations and some excellent hustling of great deals and discounts (especially Gulf Coast Lumber in Crawfordville who gave us lumber at 50% off) we are now only.....$5000!!!!! away from the full replacement of the dock! I have changed our goal amount accordingly and you can expect a new video updating the rebuild of the dock shortly! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That last $5000 is doable I am sure! And please don't forget to share the good news.
0
colapart legend, part devil... all manBalls deepIcrontian
Aaaaaaand just like that I'll probably be at sea from this weekend through next week cause hurricane threat. Forecast for the weekend is only 2 days of rain followed by 68 and sunny on monday. Planning is gold.
I am over in Tallahassee (Panhandle/Big Bend) so we won't be getting much from the storm on its current path, which is a good thing, because any type of decent blow and our power grid would be taken out again; most of the lines are still temps as they work pole to pole to replace them. East coast of the state is pretty screwed though, this storm is way more powerful than Hermine ever was.
0
colapart legend, part devil... all manBalls deepIcrontian
Lol, hurricane put out to sea, I'm not going to sea after all.
We're all bunkered down and ready to ride this thing out over here in Orlando. The rains have been picking up steadily over the past few hours and it's still 200 miles or so away from us. It'll continue getting worse over the next 12 hours or so and should be here around 7AM or so tomorrow. Everyone keeps saying this is the worst storm they've ever seen and if it actually makes landfall down by Kennedy Space Center like it is projecting to do, it'll be the first hurricane to ever make landfall there. See you all on the other side and hopefully I'll have an uneventful night to report tomorrow.
0
BlackHawkBible music connoisseurThere's no place like 127.0.0.1Icrontian
Any estimates on wind speeds expected in your area?
I've experienced a cat. 3 hurricane head on but I was in a reinforced cement home. No idea what a cat. 4 storm would do to houses in the US.
They're saying that we should expect around 50mph but we could get gusts up to 75mph. I live about 50 miles northeast of the latest projected landfall.
I will ride out a cat 1, 2, or 3, but a 4 or 5? NOPE!
This is coming from a native Floridian. When we get scared, GET THE FUCK OUT! This storm is no joke, unlike Hermine, which was more like a really bad t-storm. I went through Kate (granted, 2 years old, don't remember), Storm of the Century (not a hurricane, but just as bad), Opal, Charlie, Katrina (even in Tallahassee, 300 miles away, we had tropical storm force winds and lost power), Francis, Jeanne, Ivan, Dennis (ok, so I was in Alaska when that hit, but we lost the beach house) and countless tropical storms, depressions and waves. When I get worried, shit is getting real.
I am worried about this storm and the complacency that has developed since Wilma (last major hurricane to hit the state). I helped bring supplies into Pensacola after Ivan; went up in a helo to help survey after the storm and the shit I saw in the bayous, nope, I can never get the sight of those bodies out of my head. Those people were never counted in the official death toll because they were homeless I went to help out a family friend in NOLA after Katrina, hardest 45 days of my life: 18 hours days helping rebuild the restaurant, then 12 hour days of cooking once we could open again followed by drinking until sleep cause all the ACs were shot (IT IS HOT ON THE GULF COAST IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER).
These storms are nothing to laugh at, they will, and have, ruined lives.
I am not a religious person, as most regulars know, but at times like this, I send up a thought to whatever is out there, to protect my family, my friends, the strangers I have never met. The power of mother nature has to be seen to be believed and I am afraid that far too many have never seen her almighty power.
lots of cholera that number will only go higher because of it. The hurricane wiped out so much of their already tenuous infrastructure. People need to start paying more attention to Haiti, it's been a fucked up place for a while.
lots of cholera that number will only go higher because of it. The hurricane wiped out so much of their already tenuous infrastructure. People need to start paying more attention to Haiti, it's been a fucked up place for a while.
Haiti has been a failed state since the earthquake. The next state to emerge from that area will be vastly different.
Hurricane has weakened and they're saying we should only get gusts of about 45 mph here in Orlando. Nothing to take lightly, but still alot better than the 75mph they were predicting when I went to bed.
Comments
That all but brings a tear to those who have been around that long!
Sweet pickles with red chilis in the jar to make them spicey
Well, it appears that you have survived. And more importantly you have not forgotten how to relate.
Update #11 - 13:35 9/2/16
Still no power and all schools are closed until at least Wednesday. One of my jobs has power, so I can at least get some hot food and charge my phone. Other job still without power.
Last night it was so damn hot that I had to take a cold shower in my board shorts and then sit outside until I dried off. This sucks. I will also be out of food at the house by Monday afternoon, even with fairly strict rationing.
Running low on energy, patience and vodka. Already out of ice and fucks to give.
Update #12 - 22:29 9/2/16
Still no power. I can see multiple businesses, homes and apartment complexes with power from my porch; hell, 50 yds up the street they have power! This is really starting to suck. Thankfully a cool front came through right after the storm so it has been somewhat bearable at night, but still not sleeping very well. City also decided that since they couldn't get power to the traffic lights at my intersection, they would oh so kindly put in a generator to power the light...right next to my bedroom window...the only window that opens in my bedroom at that.
At least I ate well at work tonight, had the better part of a full slab of pork spare ribs, some nachos and some fried okra. 4 stars, best meal I have had so far in this shit show.
If I dont have power when I get off work tomorrow night I am going to my parents house on the coast until I have to be back late Tuesday afternoon for work.
Update #13 - 06:15 9/3/16
POWER!
Woke up to power, happened about 2 hours ago, going by the flashing clock on my stove.
INTERNET!
Back to sleep now.
Update #14 - 11:41 9/5/16
I have had power back for over a day now but life is still difficult. Many places are still without power and a lot of the businesses that are open are operating on a cash only basis. The destruction was pretty bad for a weak Cat 1 storm, but haven't taken a direct hit from a storm this strong in almost 31 years.
Some neighborhoods are completely cut off from the outside due to trees and power lines being down. One neighborhood lost something like 90% of its power poles; just snapped them clean in half. I live in the downtown/campus area of Tallahassee and there are still people without power due to poles and lines being severed.
I am about to go down to the Salvation Army relief center to get food; thank God someone is providing meals, crappy, canteen service meals, but free meals none-the-less. After that I am going to help some friends cook and distribute meals to the Line Workers, tree cutters, and clean up crews. Those folks have been busting their asses, some came from hundreds of miles away on a holiday weekend to help. Giving them a hot meal, some cold water and a cup of coffee is the least we can do for them.
My friends house at the beach (Alligator Point) is fine; they just can't get into it because the front and back steps were taken out by the storm. They are taking a front loader down tomorrow and using it to lift them up the back porch so they can assess the damage inside, which should be minimal, that house has survived every storm since it was built in 1947.
The worst part out of all of this is that one of my absolute favorite places on earth, the Gulf Specimens Marine Lab, may lose all of its marine life. This place is so awesome. It is an educational place but you can play with fish, starfish, sand dollars, fiddler crabs and more in its touch tanks. They also rehabilitate injured sea turtles. The problem is that rising storm surge flooded their underground saltwater reservoir tank with polluted water (fecal matter, fresh water, general pollution) and they were forced to cut the pumps out, literally, they used saws to cut the water feed lines. They also lost their educational dock where school kids were taught about the marshes, bays and bayous as well as were new specimens were unloaded. http://www.gulfspecimen.org/
It is going to take weeks and probably months to get everything back in order; too many trees down, too many homes destroyed, too much chaos. I am very grateful this was "ONLY" a weak Cat 1 storm; anything worse and Tallahassee would've been on its knees a lot longer than a week or two, it would've been months or years before things started to return to normal.
At least it turns out I know the guy who ended up on national TV running through Cascades Park with a Stormtrooper helmet on. I need to buy him a beer or shot the next time I see him. That guy is a hero.
Well, I am now the "friend of" a Tallahassee aquarium. #mylife
Pictures from the storm posted by residents of Leon, Wakulla and Franklin counties.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138805299@N05/sets/72157670070807534
More about the aquarium: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Gulf-Specimen-s--Living-Dock--Bashed-by-Hurricane-Hermine.html?soid=1104052160223&aid=R8GADmVXOxA
via https://twitter.com/GulfSpecimen1
from Jack Rudloe on his Tilt page.
"Today's bit of good news! Gulf Coast Lumber is giving GSML a 50% discount on building materials....."*
Everybody along the Forgotten Coast loves the Marine Lab; most of us first went there as school kids on a field trips. If anybody on these forums is ever in the area, it is one of the coolest, most unique things to do in this part of Florida.
Jack Rudloe of the Gulf Specimens Marine Lab and Aquarium:
As you may have noticed we have extended the donation drive's end date. While it is great we are actually in the dock rebuilding part, we really need more donations so we don't have to completely drain our precious reserve funds. Also people ask about the donations that come in from other sources and we get about $1 here for each $1 that comes in by various other ways. (Excluding that one really big donation of $5000 we got.) We aren't at our goal yet. No donation is too small. We appreciate every penny that comes in because we know everyone has different circumstances and what appears to be a small donation may mean a big one for the person giving. And every donation, no matter how big or small tells us what we do is important. So please give and if you've already given please share. Thank You.
http://tinyurl.com/LivingDock is a link to their tilt page.
Yes, I've given.
Jack Rudloe:
I have some very good news! Between donations here and direct donations and some excellent hustling of great deals and discounts (especially Gulf Coast Lumber in Crawfordville who gave us lumber at 50% off) we are now only.....$5000!!!!! away from the full replacement of the dock! I have changed our goal amount accordingly and you can expect a new video updating the rebuild of the dock shortly! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That last $5000 is doable I am sure! And please don't forget to share the good news.
Aaaaaaand just like that I'll probably be at sea from this weekend through next week cause hurricane threat. Forecast for the weekend is only 2 days of rain followed by 68 and sunny on monday. Planning is gold.
Matthew says hi, @pigflipper
I am over in Tallahassee (Panhandle/Big Bend) so we won't be getting much from the storm on its current path, which is a good thing, because any type of decent blow and our power grid would be taken out again; most of the lines are still temps as they work pole to pole to replace them. East coast of the state is pretty screwed though, this storm is way more powerful than Hermine ever was.
Lol, hurricane put out to sea, I'm not going to sea after all.
We're all bunkered down and ready to ride this thing out over here in Orlando. The rains have been picking up steadily over the past few hours and it's still 200 miles or so away from us. It'll continue getting worse over the next 12 hours or so and should be here around 7AM or so tomorrow. Everyone keeps saying this is the worst storm they've ever seen and if it actually makes landfall down by Kennedy Space Center like it is projecting to do, it'll be the first hurricane to ever make landfall there. See you all on the other side and hopefully I'll have an uneventful night to report tomorrow.
Any estimates on wind speeds expected in your area?
I've experienced a cat. 3 hurricane head on but I was in a reinforced cement home. No idea what a cat. 4 storm would do to houses in the US.
They're saying that we should expect around 50mph but we could get gusts up to 75mph. I live about 50 miles northeast of the latest projected landfall.
They are now saying it might be a cat 5 at landfall. Hermine was bad as a cat 1, a cat 4 or 5 will wipe the coast clean.
Been raining constantly for several hours. Flooding has already started near the lakes nearby.
Sucks for the Bahamas. It's going to round back there after it hits the southeastern states.
wow.
283 killed in Haiti by Hurricane Matthew
bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37582009
I will ride out a cat 1, 2, or 3, but a 4 or 5? NOPE!
This is coming from a native Floridian. When we get scared, GET THE FUCK OUT! This storm is no joke, unlike Hermine, which was more like a really bad t-storm. I went through Kate (granted, 2 years old, don't remember), Storm of the Century (not a hurricane, but just as bad), Opal, Charlie, Katrina (even in Tallahassee, 300 miles away, we had tropical storm force winds and lost power), Francis, Jeanne, Ivan, Dennis (ok, so I was in Alaska when that hit, but we lost the beach house) and countless tropical storms, depressions and waves. When I get worried, shit is getting real.
I am worried about this storm and the complacency that has developed since Wilma (last major hurricane to hit the state). I helped bring supplies into Pensacola after Ivan; went up in a helo to help survey after the storm and the shit I saw in the bayous, nope, I can never get the sight of those bodies out of my head. Those people were never counted in the official death toll because they were homeless
I went to help out a family friend in NOLA after Katrina, hardest 45 days of my life: 18 hours days helping rebuild the restaurant, then 12 hour days of cooking once we could open again followed by drinking until sleep cause all the ACs were shot (IT IS HOT ON THE GULF COAST IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER).
These storms are nothing to laugh at, they will, and have, ruined lives.
I am not a religious person, as most regulars know, but at times like this, I send up a thought to whatever is out there, to protect my family, my friends, the strangers I have never met. The power of mother nature has to be seen to be believed and I am afraid that far too many have never seen her almighty power.
lots of cholera that number will only go higher because of it. The hurricane wiped out so much of their already tenuous infrastructure. People need to start paying more attention to Haiti, it's been a fucked up place for a while.
Haiti has been a failed state since the earthquake. The next state to emerge from that area will be vastly different.
Hurricane has weakened and they're saying we should only get gusts of about 45 mph here in Orlando. Nothing to take lightly, but still alot better than the 75mph they were predicting when I went to bed.