Hurricane Sandy hype? (not)

[jleonard]

Some boats are in - its a toss-up as to which way to go - float up and over the pilings (came within 2' during Irene) or float around the yard. Good luck to all in her path.

Marcy K
A 34 Paumanok
Pilots Point, Westbrook CT

IMO you are much better off out of the water. Here's to staying put!

[RobS]

If the marina can't get you on high enough ground being pulled sure don't help much. Leaving plugs out and opening seacocks/strainers is a nice theory, I'd rather have a foot of water in the bilge than float away, but with these winds if that water is gonna be smacking the side of the boat she's off the blocks regardless.

When I was up at American Wharf in Norwich for the first time I took note as to what a great hurricane hole the place is. Especially with shuttle service to the casinos! Anyone know of any boater's who ran up there?

[hetek]

You won't believe it but I took my Albin 27FC for a ride this morning! In a 35 knot wind!

It wasn't a pleasure ride. I motored her over to the travelift, but had to take the long way around to get a good angle of attack against the wind. Didn't hit anything so that's good. A bit hairy trying to dock in a 35 knot cross wind!

She's on the hard now (finally!) but the last time I checked I saw the first surge kissing her keel. The water is already over the bulkheads and across the highway. The road's closed.

Hope the high tide tonight is gentle on us. Good luck everyone.

- Jon B.

[RobS]

what lift? POE?

[RobS]

Just cracked open another Magic Hat in my AOG koozie wishing I was drinking aboard on a fine summer day...

[hetek]

Albertson's has a travelift and 2 forklifts. All 3 were getting a workout. They didn't just pull the boats in the marina. They were pulling boats that were coming in from off-site and it seemed that there was a never ending line of them.

Wind was hard out of the east, which would have been too difficult to try to pull straight in from where my dock is. One of the workers said their trick was to pull out of the marina, turn around in the cove and then come back in, bow into the wind. Then spring line into the travelift slip. Worked like a charm, but I can't say I want to do that again! Half a dozen guys holding her in place until the lift caught her and I still had to use the bow thruster to keep her centered in the slip.

Wanted to check on her last night after work but my neighborhood was an island. If I left I wouldn't be able to get back home. Barely able to get home in the first place and there was still 3 hours 'til high tide.

[jcollins]

Happy to report all is well in Baltimore. Only lost power for about 2 minutes. No damage to home. Have not checked the boat yet but will call the marina this morning. It seems that those on the eastern shore of Maryland and in the North East had it much worse.
I truly hope all is o.k.

[Serenity]

Being on Long Island, the winds were awesome. Serenity rode it out in our marina and came through unscathed. As they say, rode hard and put away wet. We had water over 2 foot deep in our parking lot and boats were floating well over the bulkhead

[Marcy K]

We came through unscathed also - not sure how when I viewed the cottages and homes that were within walking distance away and missing their fronts - LIS sides - or had big holes from parts of seawalls coming through! What a mess. Did see a meadow vole swimming very fast in and out of slips looking for dry ground - there wasn't any. May the winter be kind to all!

Marcy K
A 34 Paumanok
Westbrook CT

[loubennett]

Annapolis faired quite well in the storm. Not much damage or even power outages. In my community all of the boats were fine and the surge we got today stayed below the dock. We were lucky. My thoughts go out to you up North who suffered the brunt of the storm. I hope everyone is safe. Property damage can be fixed, even though the loss of an Albin would be a shame. By the way, can anyone explain to me how to "hunker down"? Those people on TV keep telling me to do it, but they never explain how.

[hetek]

?

...By the way, can anyone explain to me how to "hunker down"? Those people on TV keep telling me to do it, but they never explain how.

It's easy! Just do the opposite of what you do when you "hunker up".

And what the heck is a "hunker" anyway?

Happy to report "Bunkie" made it through unscathed. I though for sure she was going to float off her stands. Last time I saw her before the "big one" I was standing in knee-deep water inspecting half submerged stands. Glad that's over.

- Jon B.

[hetek]

Pulled some photos out of my cell phone:

Still 3 hours to go 'til the morning high tide:

P82A0057.JPG

Flooded highway. Bunkie is furthest to the right:

P82A0059.JPG

My aftermath inspector wearing her "prison stripe" dress. It is what all the boat inspectors are wearing nowadays...

P82A0060.JPG

[hetek]

News reports really show the extent of the damage done. Unbelieveable!

For those that ply the Peconic Bay, a brief update... An AOG members' hangout, Pepi's restaurant, is gone. His deck is now where his dining room was. He's not sure what he is going to do now. Downtown Greenport was a river, as were many waterfront towns in the path of Sandy. The docks are all heaved and askew. The little white lighthouse on Paradise Point is no more. Rubble, now.

I consider myself extremely lucky. The only thing I'm without now is TV but I get plenty of that at work (because that's my job). I can live without power, cable, phone... Even without a boat. But without a house? Unimaginable. I really feel for those that lost it all.

[Serenity]

Now we have snow after Sandy after abused us. . Are we having locusts this weekend?

[gerygarcia]

South shore of Long Island didn't do so well but our 28 came through unscathed.


We tied across the canal. If we hauled up like we did during Irene we would of suffered a loss I believe.



Our house fared better than most of our neighbors as we did not get water on our main floor.
Three more inches we would of been tearing drywall out and tossing out furniture.
Our basement was completely overtaken by the storm surge and we lost some personal stuff, washer and dryer, boiler, hot water heater etc. Will have to replace our fence as well.

Hope others here did okay.
Our whole area is a disaster zone. We hope to return to our house as soon as it is safe.

Take care and hope a speedy recovery to those who suffered any losses.

Sincerely,

Gery