Hurricane Francis (was Labor Day at the Hammock)
We did spend one night at the hammock before we evacuated with Dan and Donna to GA. We spent labor day in the Okefenoke Swamp, wondering if we would be able to get home and whether there was a house to go home to.
I have never evacuated for a hurricane before and I don't believe I will again, though never say never. That was the most stressful situation I think I have ever been in. I feel that I am pretty well equipped to deal with whatever comes my way but waiting - aaaarrrrggggg. Francis was so slow to come and then just when you thought it was over the tornados move in. So I spent three days in the rain and then wound up under a tornado watch in my little renegade in an area where information was at a premium. I have always fought getting a tv in my camper but after that ordeal, there will be one for emergencies. I actually bought one in GA but the tuner died on me during the tornado watches so I have to wait for Kmart to restock before I can exchange it.
The winds on Monday were too high in the area we were staying in so we waited another day before trying to get home. On Tuesday the water was so high that alot of the roads were flooded and we got through just in time before they closed many of them and left stranded evacuees on the other side of the storm's path of destruction. Dan and Donna left a bit behind us and got redirected but did get through. Many people didn't get home until Wednesday or Thursday.
So we left on Thursday night and were gone until Tuesday late afternoon as Francis decided where she was going to go. Did I mention the waiting? She finally hit just south of us in Stuart with 105 mile an hour winds and alot of rain. The good news here is that while she was fiddle farting around, she lost alot of her power and instead of slamming us with a Cat 5, we got a Cat 2. Still formable and she certainly left her calling card, millions without power and many without homes. The sand from the storm surge filled the Port stopping the cruise and fishing industries in their tracks. There are many missing shingles in our neighborhood and the fences just don't hold up to those winds but our house came though just fine. We lost a window in the screen door and the back fence is completely down. But there is not a tree on our house and no water in the house. We had power when we got home and I was very glad that we had cleared out the fridge prior to leaving. I am hearing horror stories from people across the county that didn't and the smell of rotting food is throughout the house and the fridges are virtually ruined.
Fargo is a nice little town. The people are wonderful and made us feel at home whenever we went into town. We went in every morning to see the news and have breakfest. The campground we were headed for, a GA state campground was full but along the route Donna spotted a beat up sign offering full hookups. So we stopped and the owner reluctantly rented us a site on a day by day basis only waiting to see if he was going to have evacuate. There was one other couple there, locals there for the fishing but they left the next day as the rain began to move in. We watched the suwanee river rise from already flood levels and wondered if we would be flooded out. It rose about half way from where it was originally to our campers, whew - missed that one. Anyway, back to the campground, we want to go back under better circumstances as it was a beautiful area with lots of picnic shelters, right on the suwanee river with bamboo forests around. The owner told us we could take all the bamboo we wanted but weren't prepared to carry it so we have an excuse to go back. We also found a cool lake and some hogs next to a slaughter shed. Had never seen a slaughter shed before, kinda scary.
And now we wait to see what Ivan is going to do. They have the path way west in the Gulf but there is alot of uncertaintanty in that path. He has slowed down to only 8 miles an hour forward speed and is packing winds up to 160 miles per hour. Dozens have already died in the caribean and he is heading for Cuba and then who knows.
I have never evacuated for a hurricane before and I don't believe I will again, though never say never. That was the most stressful situation I think I have ever been in. I feel that I am pretty well equipped to deal with whatever comes my way but waiting - aaaarrrrggggg. Francis was so slow to come and then just when you thought it was over the tornados move in. So I spent three days in the rain and then wound up under a tornado watch in my little renegade in an area where information was at a premium. I have always fought getting a tv in my camper but after that ordeal, there will be one for emergencies. I actually bought one in GA but the tuner died on me during the tornado watches so I have to wait for Kmart to restock before I can exchange it.
The winds on Monday were too high in the area we were staying in so we waited another day before trying to get home. On Tuesday the water was so high that alot of the roads were flooded and we got through just in time before they closed many of them and left stranded evacuees on the other side of the storm's path of destruction. Dan and Donna left a bit behind us and got redirected but did get through. Many people didn't get home until Wednesday or Thursday.
So we left on Thursday night and were gone until Tuesday late afternoon as Francis decided where she was going to go. Did I mention the waiting? She finally hit just south of us in Stuart with 105 mile an hour winds and alot of rain. The good news here is that while she was fiddle farting around, she lost alot of her power and instead of slamming us with a Cat 5, we got a Cat 2. Still formable and she certainly left her calling card, millions without power and many without homes. The sand from the storm surge filled the Port stopping the cruise and fishing industries in their tracks. There are many missing shingles in our neighborhood and the fences just don't hold up to those winds but our house came though just fine. We lost a window in the screen door and the back fence is completely down. But there is not a tree on our house and no water in the house. We had power when we got home and I was very glad that we had cleared out the fridge prior to leaving. I am hearing horror stories from people across the county that didn't and the smell of rotting food is throughout the house and the fridges are virtually ruined.
Fargo is a nice little town. The people are wonderful and made us feel at home whenever we went into town. We went in every morning to see the news and have breakfest. The campground we were headed for, a GA state campground was full but along the route Donna spotted a beat up sign offering full hookups. So we stopped and the owner reluctantly rented us a site on a day by day basis only waiting to see if he was going to have evacuate. There was one other couple there, locals there for the fishing but they left the next day as the rain began to move in. We watched the suwanee river rise from already flood levels and wondered if we would be flooded out. It rose about half way from where it was originally to our campers, whew - missed that one. Anyway, back to the campground, we want to go back under better circumstances as it was a beautiful area with lots of picnic shelters, right on the suwanee river with bamboo forests around. The owner told us we could take all the bamboo we wanted but weren't prepared to carry it so we have an excuse to go back. We also found a cool lake and some hogs next to a slaughter shed. Had never seen a slaughter shed before, kinda scary.
And now we wait to see what Ivan is going to do. They have the path way west in the Gulf but there is alot of uncertaintanty in that path. He has slowed down to only 8 miles an hour forward speed and is packing winds up to 160 miles per hour. Dozens have already died in the caribean and he is heading for Cuba and then who knows.
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