Thread: Hurricane Party ... Anyone?

Have you ever stayed directly on the beach/water-front during a hurricane?

No but close. During hurricane Charley our house is about 2 miles inland from the gulf. Off our shore is Sanibel Captiva and the center was a direct hit moving north also over pine island as a cat 4. It was wicked

Not really. Not oceanfront, but vloser tan I would want to be today.

The home I grew up in was a whole 9 blocks from the ocean. We never evacuated. But, I do remember that during Dora, a young English Teacher, who lived only two blocks from the beach evacuated TO our house. We had a party of sorts. We were right in the midst of the 'action' for a landfalling Cat 3

I have a couple of stories from that storm . . .

Sue & Sheila, both of your experiences were too close for me! Had to have been scary!

We live about 100 miles from the coast but get inland ones from time to time and those that have turned back into tropical depressions. STILL, they are no fun to go through!
Also, we've always either had or have friends and family with beach houses so well know what hurricanes can do and have done to these places!

Remember, weather information wasn't as good 30 years ago as it is now. Once, we were right on the beach at with group of friends (someone's parents beach house) and did experience a Cat 1. It was suppose to have been be a tropical depression hitting well north of us ... BUT took a turn and increased in strenght. Probably, as scared as I've ever been!

Those are the ones that stink LuLu. They are predicted to go elsewhere and suddenly take a turn. Many are too complacent now then they were and look at the track. If not going to them they do not prepare. BIG MISTAKE. Always be ready if you are anywhere near the entire cone. Charley was supposed to go to Tampa, all equipment and supplies were there waiting. Didn't make it. The cape looked like blue tarp city. Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda took a direct hit.

Nope, but when I was a kid we weathered several hurricanes in Jacksonville and were only about 20 miles inland. All I remember was several days of heavy rain and losing power.

My BIL and his family were down in Lake Jackson on the coast of Texas when Ike hit. The hunkered up in the hotel where my BIL was the assistant manager since they had a generator and kept power.

Originally Posted by sue miller

Those are the ones that stink LuLu. They are predicted to go elsewhere and suddenly take a turn. Many are too complacent now then they were and look at the track. If not going to them they do not prepare. BIG MISTAKE. Always be ready if you are anywhere near the entire cone. Charley was supposed to go to Tampa, all equipment and supplies were there waiting. Didn't make it. The cape looked like blue tarp city. Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda took a direct hit.

Who doesn't remember that forecast for Hurricane Charley that was supposed to go into Tampa, then changed it's mind and spanked you guys really good. I remember the nasty wind and rain that evening during rush hour, wow!!

LuLu, never been on the coast when a hurricane made landfall and wouldn't want to be either. My first encounter with hurricanes was when I moved to Florida. In Trinidad, we don't get them. Our sister Island, Tobago has taken a few wicked blows from hurricanes, most recently, hurricane Ivan.

What folks buy from the grocery when a hurricane/tropical storm is coming seems dumb to me. Always, the bread, milk, and eggs are the first to go! What are they planning to do ... make French toast?

Sort of understand the bread ... but the milk and eggs are just two more things to try to keep chilled when the electricity goes!

More needed are cans and jars of things that can be eaten at room temperature. Also, tins of things to go on crackers. It's amazing what can be bought in cans! Did you know potato salad can be bought in cans?

Most know to buy lots of bottled water ... and other beverages ... but fail to fill tubs with water in case the plumbing is cut off.

We always, always did the tub-filling routime. HOWEVER, I recently did some thinking abou that, and decided to stop doing it, especially if we are likely to get hit by the right front quadrant of the storm.
Why?
Because, that's the part of the storm that is most likely to spawn tornado activity. Out bathtub just might need to be used as a safe place in the event of a tornado outbreak...

Thoughts, anyone?

I agree if the tub used is on a higher floor, or the one bathroom will be used as a safe room. No windows. In that case we buy 2 new trash barrels, we do every year. Fill both with water, one clean, cooking on grill, wet washcloths to kool off, or what won't be reused, and the other for dirty water. Flushing toilets, rinsing anything. You can also fill top loading washing machines with water, or spare sinks if you have them.