Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Irma

Yeah, hurricane history this year, fo'sho!

Yep; and Jose is right behind.

Saw a news report the other day that suggested we are returning to statistical norms. 12 years without a major hurricane(Cat 3, 111mph winds) making landfall in the US......previous longest period of time(8 years) was almost 150 years ago.

The average is ~ 2 years.

Could be a rough ride for a few years.

It could come right up the pipe...hopefully it will kick out and not do that.

Hope all in the potential path stay safe. It keeps looking worse, not better.

I don't know where you got that information, but it is totally twisted.

And maybe I just dreamed where I was last October when I had to evacuate NC. I guess that last year's hurricane that hit the East Coast didn't count since it only did $1.5 BILLION of damage, and it only killed 48 people. The confirmed deaths included 12 in Florida, five in South Carolina, three in Georgia, 26 in North Carolina, and two in Virginia.

See: Hurricane Mathew

I highlighted for emphasis hurricane strength at landfall on US soil. That is what the article that Zep and I are referring to is talking about. Mathew did indeed cause a lot of destruction and heartache but it was only a Cat 1 when it hit South Carolina.

This storm is a monster. The four strongest structures on Antigua are destroyed according to the French minister. That is not good for the shanty's that people live in there.

I do really like to see how fast Trump is acting in mobilizing aid and help. Maybe its not as well known that the previous administrations acted as quick, but seems to be very quick to act. I think Bush took to long with Catrina if I remember correct. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers Don.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the eye wall stays off the the coast of Florida. My step sister lives in Ft. Lauderdale and plans to ride this one out.

I saw some storm footage that claimed to be from St. Maarten.

If it was real, it was brutality rising.

I just talked to a cousin in Key West. She is staying. She has worked for a high-end resort for about the last 35 years. She says she is safe for a Category 4. (I didn't ask where her new Honda car was.)

Earlier in the day I talked to her brother in west Houston. He made it through OK -- but only by one city block. He says that he only lost power for about an hour while he was asleep. He said his biggest issues now are the winds and all of the trash that is drying out and blowing around from all the homes that are being gutted. He said that there is so much trash that the contracted services can't keep up with it.

I'm sure glad we had a family reunion a few weeks ago.

Stay safe.

Vertex is in Pompano Beach, Fl., on the East Coast of Florida.......

It has been very hard for people to get gas and water all week. I gave up on getting ethanol free gas for my Genny after trying for three days and just got regular which took two days because the stations keep running out, I had to make several trips. They have been refilling on the regular but the tanks are quickly drained. I am blessed to have a free flowing artesian well so drinking water is not an issue for me. My lot is pretty high for my area so I am only worried about wind. I am solid block with brick so my roof is my only concern. From the direction the wind should be blowing I don't really have any tree that would reach the house if toppled. so here is to hoping things don't get scary in the NE Florida area.

If you need to use ethanol fuel add some sea foam fuel additive. I use this product in all my small engines and they fire when I need them to.

Cheers Don.

DonoBBD,

IIRC, Bush acted quickly on Katrina but FEMA(and other Federa and state agencies) was woefully short on resources and planning to handle such a immense undertaking because it never expected such a catastrophe. I "think" that the better responses seen for Harvey and (hopefully) Irma are a direct result of the shortfalls in Katrina.
Dan

Any body heard from Bobby? I can't remember where in Florida he is. Whopper of a storm, and then Jose may come on Irmas' heels.

CMM, I thought about him as well. The current path looks rough for sure.

I hope all are well down there, or have gotten out safely.

The new European model out this afternoon has Irma making landfall on the east coast of FL. Right now it is still a guessing game on where it will turn north.

I'm east central, trying to figure out if we join with relatives in Tampa or stay put....Probably decide tomorrow afternoon or evening as the models consolidate on path and category.
I'll be happy if my roof isn't floating in the pond (and I am alive to know that.)

blue_green_spark,

It sounds like you are just a bit south of my brother in Palm Coast. He works in Daytona. They have tentative plans to evacuate.

Be safe!

Ya gotta think like a pond owner. The floating roof would sure be good structure for your FHM to spawn under. Seriously, stay safe.

No rooms available here In my area hotels for the weekend do to people arrive from evacuation I guess.

Straight ahead!!!

God speed!

sounds like a freight train outside my windows, dozens of tornados indicated in the area and about 16 hrs to go. I expect about a foot of rain in total (max).
Question: My 1/4 acre pond is about 1 acre already, LOL. I just stocked it. This pond is just a groundwater pond (no dam). Do fingerlings tend to venture over the banks and get trapped in pools as the pond recedes?

They can but most will be ok if the fall rate is slow.

How's everyone doing?

My entire wood stick house is vibrating. The sounds are unbelievable. Feeder bands off the Atlantic are powering the storm and going right through here. Think turbulence on a rough flight, but sitting on your couch. Perhaps in about two hours the worse of the wind will be over. Luckily my house is on stilts because my neighbor texted and said his pool is in his living room. This is a nightmare.

BlueGreenSpark,
Did you make it through the night? How's the weather this morning? I hope you and your fam are all well and you house survived
Dan

expecting wind in the mid 30 mph range today with higher gust. also 3-5 inches of rain. i lowered my pond about 6". having the extra pipe with the valve on the dry side of the dam is so helpful.
not a piece of bread on the shelves for miles around here. everything is closed. we are in the direct path of if, but it should be slowing down before it gets here. we will see.

Wow, what a night. Just kept coming and coming...dozens of tornado warnings. Lost roof tiles, patio lost its screens, downed trees everywhere, no power, but I am grateful. The pond extends under my house pilings and I saw a few tilapia swimming under the house !!!

A good friend of my Sister lives north of Tampa and she never lost power at her place. No damage at all. She was in a mandatory evacuation zone too. She was very lucky.

It has been about three crazy weeks, on top of lots of other things, including becoming great grandparents two weeks ago.

We had a Grymala cousin's family reunion, where 11 of the 13 of us made it to my cousin's farm in Northern WI.

After we returned home from the reunion, cousin Patrick, who lives in Houston got a little rain and wind. He is like a lucky Polish/Native American leprechaun. He somehow stayed high and dry, yet everything within blocks around him was flooded. During the whole episode, he only lost power for about an hour, and he slept through it.

His sister, my Cousin Suzi, has worked for a large resort in the Keys for about the last 35 years. She wasn't quite as lucky. She was supposed to stay in place, but was then told to evacuate mid-last week. It took a lot of Face Book coordinating to find gasoline and a hotel for her. She ended up in Orlando. She got back as far as Homestead early this morning.

We have many friends who retired to the Florida gulf side, especially south of the Tampa/St. Pete area, and up to the Orlando area. No power as of this evening for anybody, but they are doing OK. Lots of friends in the Jacksonville and Charleston, SC area too. Also, no power as of this evening All have made it alive so far.

Our beach home in SE North Carolina escaped this one.

What a tragic mess.

some extra water and downed branches , faired pretty well on my property.

Bobby? how did you and your pond fare?