Roberto, I think we have a sailing club member named Florence. What if that is where the storm is going and not SC?
Et al, We have further developed our our options. Spent more time today prepping the house then a couple hours at the boat. We removed the pram hood and dinghy mast and boom, oars etc. pulled the spinnaker halyard, and doubles most of the lines. I also removed the spritshroud stays so the bow lines would not have them to chafe on as the water rises. Removed the sculling oar to reduce windage. Will go back tomorrow and add a couple of forward spring lines and we should be as well prepared as we can be. All lines are doubled. Only a couple secondary lines are without chafe guards—I have used at least ten. The slip is 26’ wise so with luck I can keep the boat away from the dock. As long as I can get down to the boat and slacken then later taken in the dock lines, and as long as no other boats pile on top of us, and as long as the navy’s landing craft and support boats don’t break their mooring and smash into us we
might be OK.
Some storm models are now showing the landfall a bit more to the north of Wilmington, i.e. Jacksonville NC, closer to us...not good. While at MCAS Cherry Point working on the boat today we met with the MPs and the BOQ folks. We have an option to stay on the base about 1/2 mile from the base marina where we keep the Far Reach. It’s a brick building with a metal roof. We are not keen on leaving the house but as the track has moved closer that might be the best plan. It also keeps my family together. Will know more tomorrow. The base has its own emergency response team, fire, rescue, hospital, facilities crew, etc.
Very good update tonight on Tropical Tidbits—Levi’s Blog.
https://www.tropicaltidbits.com
He reports latest modeling shows competing high pressure areas are beginning to demonstrate steering influences which may push the storm more west and even a little WSW at or just before land fall. That could be helpful to us by reducing some surge where we are and some rainfall ...but not so good for other people. We have another 24-36 hours before we have to decide what option we will implement. Obviously, those folks that plan to evacuate further west have less time to decide and probably ought to be gone already.
Our county was just put on mandatory evacuation this afternoon. But we don’t know what that means. And it’s kind of a chicken sh$t declaration to my way of thinking when just this morning they said if you are on the beach or in flood prone areas evacuate otherwise hunker down.
These government officials need to be more thoughtful when making pronouncements. It would be better if they said something like “if you are on the beach, or in flood zone A and B or have trees that can fall though your house, or you are in a mobile home, or have medical issues then we recommend you evacuate. If those situations do not apply to you then take appropriate precautions, stock up with food and water and stay abreast of the storm though your local emergency response centers. You can feel the panic as the worriers start to influence the decision makers who have decided they should cover their ass. Yes it’s a dangerous storm but more for some people than for others.
It seems foolish to put 4 million people on the road at the same time. Where will they go, where will they get fuel, where will they get lodging, how do they know the flash flood situation on the routes they are driving? Are they safer sitting in their cars in stalled traffic on an interstate in a hurricane than in their home?
For Cliff, if you go to the NHC update there are maps and models below the hurricane advisory showing projected surge areas. Those are constantly updated. That might be helpful as you decide what to do.
Best of luck to those in the path of Florence.
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