9/22/08 09:36 pm - ...ike pic update...I didn't take this pic. This one was in the local paper. This was taken about 8 -12 hours before the storm hit. This monument is to the survivors of the 1900 storm and sits on the 17 foot seawall. I took this of a cute surfer heading out in front of our office on Thursday about 11am. You can see a seagull headed right for his head. Thursday afternoon & the weather station is bolted down & ready to go. I have downloaded the data because it did survive. Winds at the surface of the pool behind my house were 50 mph and we got 10 in of rain in the one day. Friday morning I found the water up about 4 feet. just to the right and attached to that pole is a dock. It survived. The top of that pole in the water is just about level with the floor of my house... to get into the pool which is the deck to the left it has to come up about 9 feet more. It did and then some. The red line is as close to true as the height of the lake/ storm surge for this house. Thats about 15 feet above normal tide, and about 6 inches into the house. The lake & my pool have the same water for now. Fence is gone. weather station turned, but survived. the waves even moved the glass in the fire pit. Those bamboo boxes floated to where they sit. The shine is water & you can see the beginnings of mold or mildew in the cracks by the stereo. little bits of stuff floated around in areas. That catbox was in another room entirely. AND my cat is fine, healthy, well fed, lots of water & none too happy to see me. So we topped off her water & left her to her 2nd floor palace. Here is a good shot of the waterline at my front door...and mold already starting. debrisline in my front yard. This This is now at M&D's house. To give you an idea of the power of the storm. His black caddy was facing the other way and all the way up the driveway...it is still filled with water. You can see the waterline on mom's Thunderbird. The tire is clean where there was water. This car had less than 15,000 miles on it. It was also in a very high garage. JUST enough water to total it. but we don't complain. The 2 homes next to the Huddlestons burned to the ground as well. Nothing left but brick chimneys...you never see that because there is always a fire department...not during a hurricane. This is M&D's home AbFab. It's a vacation rental. They own this one & the one next door. Of the 6 houses on this side of this street, theirs were 2 of the 3 that did NOT burn down. The surge that went through here was about 8-9 feet and violent. Everything seen here used to be enclosed as rooms. There were 3 garages and an entryway. AbFab as it used to look under the link. Watch your step. Oh, there is a handrail...ok. The amount of sheer force to remove this is amazing. Everything is insured thank goodness. That's Dad's boat 3/4ths under water there at their house Honu Hale. It's downstairs is gone as well. looking through walls Here is what is left of my brother's boat. To the far left you can see that the motor has been crushed. The boat was forced up 12 feet into the deck above. He and dad have decided to get one boat, rather than replace 2 and share it & keep it at Dad's house in town on the lake. There was a wall with double doors here where the stairs are. looking through the downstairs rooms of Honu Hale....ALL gone. The upstairs of these homes, where the main living areas are seem fine. The plumbing & electrics & gas services are shot or gone & Ac's are falling off, but the furniture & such survived. driving down the highway west to east. HUGE amounts of sand had to be moved to find FM 3005. It's eerie. my favorite pier to take pics of. mostly gone. That building will have to come down...it's gonna fall. The pier is cut into a million pieces. I didn't post everything I had. I am upbeat and in full planning mode. Dad is busy finding out which car he wants next. The Tbird is the only hard hit. He & my brother Todd are already deciding on features for the boat. The downstairs of both rental homes will likely just get cleaned up & left open like so many other homes already are. Wednesday we have crews starting ripping out & throwing away. FEMA has called & told me & M&D that we can has housing now. But there are no hotels near us. It's all good...We get tetnus & HepA vaccines tomorrow to start anew... |
9/23/08 03:14 am (UTC) -
inbadcompany
While I'm guessing I won't be seeing you, I'm glad things aren't as bad as I've been imagining them! That AbFab house thing hurt my head a little, though...
9/23/08 03:58 am (UTC) -
dr_kipper
I predict that by Thursday night, my house will be concrete & studs, waiting for the insurance adjuster.
Then it's new Ac's, new generator...I am gonna raise the generator & AC slabs by about 1 foot. gotta choose new flooring and so much more. I may go with a different paint scheme...I may lose the kitchen & bath cabinets as well.
AbFab is where my parents used to live. It was their dream home until Dad's stroke made them move into town. After that it went on the market for sale & is rented as a vacation rental. It's a construction project now & daddy LOVES those!
9/24/08 05:13 pm (UTC) -
prissyamc - darn...
I hated seeing ABFAB!!! Sarah was crying. Your dad is all fired up about the redoin' I am sure. How's JK. I know that she must be a total wreck!!! I'm just so thankful that you all are safe. I know that I lost my Tbird (although Sarah is claiming it was hers, like whatever!!!) and I know that there is a lot of work to be done to fix it all, but at least my family is safe!!! I'm so grateful that you got out of dodge before it hit. Anyways, I love you bunches. I will talk to you again really soon.
Ang
9/23/08 04:36 am (UTC) -
lakeguy
9/23/08 04:38 am (UTC) -
rminct
I hope the rebuild goes smoothly and I know you'll make the place even prettier than it was.
9/23/08 05:42 am (UTC) -
davidross
9/23/08 03:01 pm (UTC) -
dr_kipper
One family around the corner from me got 14 inches of water. They are acting like their world is coming to an end. Their home is no worse of then mine & they have Multiple MILLIONS of dollars. They "expect" to be out of their home for 3 years. Their millions can't buy them peace from losing things or get them resiliency. I would trade them for the world.
I know that there is alot from FEMA help for personal & local infrastructure.
9/23/08 06:39 am (UTC) -
czarrie
9/23/08 03:14 pm (UTC) -
thisisdavid
9/23/08 03:51 pm (UTC) -
dr_kipper
9/23/08 04:26 pm (UTC) -
thisisdavid
9/23/08 04:38 pm (UTC) -
dr_kipper