Hurricane Irene

[Fr. Frank]

Just thinking of how many hurricanes (not counting mere Tropical Storms) I've lived through in my life. It was more than I thought, but then, I was born and raised in South Florida.
I've lived through 28 total hurricanes, (and the last one in '05 because my tow vehicle broke down and I couldn't evacuate my camper and SeaCraft out of the Keys, and decided to ride it out. That was stupid.)

• 1959 - Judith
• 1962 - Alma
• 1964 - Cleo
• 1965 - Betsy
• 1966 - Inez, Alma
• 1968 - Abby, Brenda, Dolly
• 1971 - Beth
• 1972 - Dawn
• 1976 - Belle (rode that one out at sea in a square-rigger)
• 1979 - David
• 1981 - Dennis
• 1983 - Barry
• 1985 - Bob, Gloria
• 1987 - Floyd
• 1989 - Hugo (in the Bahamas)
• 1994 - Gordon
• 1995 - Erin
• 1996 - Bertha (in the Bahamas)
• 2000 - Gordon
• 2001 - Gabrielle (actually only TS winds hit us)
• 2004 - Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne (lived off my 15kw diesel generator for 8 days after Frances, I powered my house and two neighbors, including central AC)
• 2005 - Dennis (in a 23' travel trailer in the Keys, pulled between two buildings with no clearance to the buildings)

Hurricane "Experts" say you need supplies to be self-sufficient for 72 hours during and after a hurricane.
They're wrong!

Be prepared to be on your own for 7-10 days, including food, water, power, medicines, batteries, and fuel. Have extra of everything so as to help your neighbors.

[Bushwacker]

Been wondering how the folks in the Abaco's fared, as the eye went right over them when it was a Cat 3! My daughter sent me this link to a good video taken at Hopetown on Elbow Cay.

The island folks have learned to be very self sufficient, and some of those 100-150 year old wooden houses are built just like their boats - SOLID! Sounds like Hopetown didn't have too much damage; haven't heard anything yet from Man O'War or Green Turtle Cays, but their places are built as well as Hopetown, if not better!

[eggsuckindog]

Denny doesn't sound like much, tree's and power and thats about it and they have generators. I can't imagine it wasn't worse but apparenty not - Sundowners on Green turtle lost some deck and docks but were open on the weekend with generator. Some of the big Banyons bit the dust though

[Caymanboy]

Justin reports: BEC has restored power to most of the island! There are a few houses with individual problems, overhead lines and so on, that are still out. BEC has moved on to MOW and will return after they have done what they can for the majority of people. It is a fantastic effort on their part. Land phones & DSL seem to still be out. Will probably take some work by BATELCO to sort things out. Work continues on the road in White Sound. It is still not passable. Rained most of today.. good for washing off the salt.
That was posted in the HopeTown Fire rescue page. I saw alot of pics from Elbow, it wasn't bad, saw some pics from Treasure, tree's down and such, haven't seen anything from GT, but heard they had some minor stuff. Nipper's and Pete's are just fine!!