Ian has passed, and here, at least on this side of the island, was a non-event. Despite the hysterical voices of TV talking heads and the cover-their-ass pronouncements by public officials, and despite the storm having wreaked havoc in Florida, I did not expect much of Ian and got even less. That is not a complaint, but I did think the experience would be more interesting.
Rain began last night about 11 pm and continued at a steady, but far from torrential pace until the past hour. I woke several times as I usually do and was surprised not to hear much wind. There never was much wind on this side of the island. The airport weather station has shown sustained wind in the 25-30 mph range, with gusts in the 40-45 mph range. I estimate that Skull Creek has seen wind mostly around 20 knots, which is 23 mph, with rare gusts to around 30 knots/34 mph. So we didn't even have a gale. Outside our windows the live oaks and Spanish moss are in motion, but not frenzied motion. What we've had is a rainy day.
Above you see the most recent European model GRIB showing the situation when I began typing at 1:18 PM Eastern time. The eye is just ashore east of Charleston. It passed Hilton Head about 10:30 this morning about 70 miles out to sea.
You can also see why in the Northern Hemisphere it is better to be on the west side of a hurricane.
The second photo is the view out our bedroom window when I began writing.
It may be of interest to know that the water did not leak out of the bathtub. I let it out an hour ago. I still have ten gallons in the jerry cans. A tree could still come down and take out a power line, but Ian is pretty much history.
Also, Audrey, of Audrey's Armanda, passed on though Kent that washing machines hold water. I had never thought of that, but our washing machine holds a lot of water and if faced with a future major storm I will turn it on and fill it, too.
A tiny squirrel just scurried down one of the live oaks. I wonder how long he had been up there, and if he went up for the free carnival ride.
2 comments:
A different Ian experience: https://www.facebook.com/USCGStationOregonInlet/
Not sure why a coastal cruiser was outside the barrier islands during a tropical storm warning.
But boy, what a solid boat, and what competent, impressive boat handling by two CG 47 foot MLBs, and impressive that the boaters knew to call for help before attempting the inlet. Not the first to do that.
Ernie, I, too, do not know why they were out there. I also do not know why they called for help. Raise the tiniest amount of jib and head offshore. I have written to friends that I could have survived Ian in GANNET given sea room. Of the skill and competence of the Coast Guard, some of them, maybe most, are very, very good.
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