Grim weather warning...

So if you believe in prayer now is a good time for it... I'm sure
you've all been watching the news... here is a copy of NOAA's weather
warning for New Orleans:

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005


EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA

DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

LAZ038-040-050-056>070-MSZ080>082-290300-
ASSUMPTION-HANCOCK-HARRISON-JACKSON-LIVINGSTON-LOWER JEFFERSON-
LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-LOWER TERREBONNE-
ORLEANS-ST. CHARLES-ST. JAMES-ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-ST. TAMMANY-
TANGIPAHOA-UPPER JEFFERSON-UPPER LAFOURCHE-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-
UPPER ST. BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE-
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

Best Wishes

Goes without saying - we're up here thinking of you and your families down there, Ray. Keep safe.

//sse

To the at least one member of this site keeping a boat in New Orleans, I hope you find things reasonably intact when you get to go to check the damage. That is not meant to be sarcastic.... some boats came through Ivan relatively OK.
Keep us posted with what you find.
Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

Katrina aftermath

Katrina predictions turned out to be worse than anyone's wildest expectations. My home and outbuildings flooded but the only real damage was to the wiring in the house. Shed needed cleaning out anyway. The a/c unit which was submerged decided to work after an opportunity to dry out. What a plus! It has been very hot and there has been so much physical work to do around the yard. Anyway, what you really want to know is if my Ericson 30, Fawkes survived--she did....without damage, I am pleased to relate. Here is Fawkes, my floating dock and various smaller boats and my flooded back yard during the worst of the storm.....I hope all others on this forum fared as well. Oh, this is in Mobile, AL.... Hope the photo comes through.

Deborah Klaus said:

Katrina predictions turned out to be worse than anyone's wildest expectations......
Oh, this is in Mobile, AL.... Hope the photo comes through.

Click to expand...

Wow, Deb - I hope you guys have everyone safe there - and have gotten by with minimal damage. My mother lives in Talladega, AL, and while that's well north of you guys, everyone there knows someone down on the bay or out on the beaches.

It goes without saying that everyone in the country is stunned - both by the storm, and by the lacking response of our government. Please do post and let us know how you're fairing - and attach pictures if you can.

Take care,
//sse

Response time

You have to remember that the roads were impassable immediately after the storm. Also the city governments did have supplies for emergencies but they washed away in the storm. Airports were out of commission for many miles around the affected areas -- it took time to get there. Our airports were closed too. People who went to shelters were given a supply list of items to take with them. Those unfortunate souls in N.O. either were unaware that the storm was coming or else assumed it wouldn't be as bad as predicted. They waited too long to get out--their world fell apart around them, and it was too late. Put them in a survival mode. I can't blame our governments for an act of nature. Plus you have to use some common sense--it is not wise to be totally dependent on others.... While I am appalled by the tragic events--it's not anyone's fault. The surrounding cities (Mobile for one, Houston, Galveston, to name others) who are able, are taking the evacuees to relieve the burden in LA. Our cruise ship, Holiday, will be used to house these unfortunates for 6 months. She can hold 1800 people. There are other sites throughout the City of Mobile and its surrounding communities to assist them with housing. Also, their children will go to our schools. Don't feel too harshly toward the governments --except for Sept. 11, 2001--they have never had to deal with such a catastrophe.

Anyway, here is another photo of the flooding of my house. I had to move my truck further up the street to get away from rising waters of the bayou and snapped the picture of the front of the house and what was my driveway. Before it was over, the mailbox was all that was showing (post underwater) and my neighbor's skiff was in the water.....little house looked like an island.

Sean Engle said:

It goes without saying that everyone in the country is stunned - both by the storm, and by the lacking response of our government.

Click to expand...

It truly has been an appalling display of incompetence and callousness.

Very tragic.



-Sven

I was born and raised in New Orleans and currently have 9 members of my family living with me in Florida while they wait to get back to their homes in the N. O. area. Based on what they know from years of dealing with the incompetent local and state governments, the "our government" you should be refering to is local. We still have two brothers in the area and they tell a much different story than CNN, etc.

Ray Rhode
S/Y Journey
E35-III, #189

Deborah - good job protecting the boat, you must have done things right. I am curious exactly where you were, it looks like you had a well protected site. I used to live in Pensacola, and flew over Mobile Bay all the time, and assume you are up one of the bayous off the bay. If you look back a year in this Gulf Coast section you will see some pictures of Ivan damage under 'Come to sunny Florida'.

As for New Orleans, in my trips there, despite all the drinking and mayhem, it was generally good natured, the only trouble I ever saw was started by the police. Someone had stumbled onto their car in a drunken walk down Bourbon st., they got out, stormed up behind him and laid him out without a word said - he had no idea what hit him. They then walked away, I went to give first aid, but the police turned around and laid me out with a blow from behind I never saw coming. The next thing I knew I was being carried away by friends. So I will believe anything about the local authorities.

My unit got tasked to give assistance for the rescue operations last thursday, it must be the most horrific scene on American soil since the civil war. A very effective force is there now, of the kind few countries could provide. Why they left us twiddling our thumbs for three days I have no idea, except that I have yet to see the government (both administrations, to stay apolitical) do anything remotely quickly.

Once again, my best wishes to all involved (SimpleMonkey, are you OK?)

Gareth

Hurricane Katrina

My house is on Robinson Bayou which is part of Dog River. Yes. It is protected from all directions except north. I was in the South Pacific last year when Ivan came through--my catboat was holed when she sank on a stump but the CP 19 did fine. Did not have the Ericson 30 until 2 weeks ago. The blue larger thing floating around in the photo I posted is the catboat. The other blue thing is a Sailfish. Anyway, I was lucky.

Zissou survives in New Orleans!

Gareth...and others,
Just logging in to report that we are all well and evacuated to Baton Rouge.
I went back to NO on Sunday to check the house and it is dry...thank god. We made our way to the harbor to see the burned out remains of the once glorious Southern Yacht Club...and fully expected to find Zissou (E35-2) fully destroyed.
Much to our surprise, the vessel is still in her slip!!! Amongst hundreds, if not thousands, of boats in the harbor all strewn on the tops of piers and in heaps on the shore...Zissou remains steadfast. I have no earthly idea what protected her, but I am thankful....I would credit my spring line skills, but, as you know Gareth, I have only owned her for a couple of months! Unfortunately, a 40ft sloop proped on the pier prevented a view greater than one within 20 yards or so...so I am still unsure of what damage does exist...but she is floating! When internet access permits at my new, makeshift office, I will post the morbid photos from both the Municipal Yacht Harbor and South Shore Harbor...
Thanks for your concern...
David

I guess it may be a while before you get closer to the boat, but that is good news. I hope the damage inside is nothing too major.
I am sure the pictures are spectacular.
Gareth