Hurricane Irene, East Coast Watch Thread

[Megabyte]

Think I made my decision...

We have a storm that was supposed to come in this evening that is predicted to dump a LOT of rain on us.
As I was buttoning up the boat this morning, I spoke with one of the marina workers who told me their phone has not stopped ringing and they are not accepting any more boats.
The sailboat to my stbd side was being pulled, but after surveying the area, recounting past storms, and looking at the facts, I'm staying put.

The preliminary storm we are getting now (yes, it is early) will soak us pretty good making the ground soft.
The marina storage yards and properties have a LOT of big trees. Big trees + soft ground + wind = trouble.
I have ridden out three tropical storms and countless nor-easters, and I've discovered my boat really doesn't pull on her lines as you might think she would.

Still, after the present storm event has passed, I'll be going back down tomorrow and doubling lines, and putting all of my fenders out... just in case.
Once I'm done tomorrow, I'll shoot some photos.

These are from today. Note the trees.

 

[Megabyte]

I like this interactive hurricane tracker: http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/tracker

Very nice Dale!

 

[Megabyte]

Caught a lull in the rain, so I went down to put some fenders out.
Don't trust the sailboat on my port side, but the one on my stbd was pulled this morning.
Only thing to worry about there is the piling.

 

[sparky]

We hauled our 16' Research Skiff, our 20' SeaCraft, and the 2520 this morning. Dry land is safer than in the water. Its never "How much do I trust MY mooring", rather "How much do I trust EVERYONE ELSE'S mooring." The part of Woods Hole Harbor, where we keep the 2520, is safe in a hurricane, but there's a ton of boats that end up in that corner when their moorings break.... so we decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and hauled out.

I'm going to be cutting down a few trees today, as well as getting my wife to work cutting plywood to board up a few key windows that have trees nearby. Patio furniture is going into the shed, and I filled 2x 55 gallon bait barrels (after cleaning them) with water, and added half a cup of bleach to each one. Thats for washing and flushing toilets. All window-AC units are coming out today, and all storm windows are coming down.

:sigh: First Hurricane on the Cape since I moved here, and the first major storm since I bought my house. I'm not regretting my decision to buy a place thats 1.5 miles from the ocean, and is at 81' base grade elevation.

 

[TimC2520]

I'm hauling tomorrow at 1pm. Taking her inland about 10 miles and blocked in my parent's driveway.
My only worry then are trees. She'll be right under a GIANT white oak tree which will be just a few feet
off the port side. Port side will be the south facing so I'm thinking IF the strongest winds are East,
NE and then NW and the tree comes down, it should fall away from the boat. It's my only option for
storage at this point so I just have to cross my fingers.

 

[gw204]

Kev,

I would take those riggers down and stick 'em in the basement. If that sailboat goes down and leans towards 'ol Porky, she could get her mast caught in them.

 

[Megabyte]

I would take those riggers down and stick 'em in the basement. If that sailboat goes down and leans towards 'ol Porky, she could get her mast caught in them.

Yea, was gonna do that today but the rain picked up again.
It'll get done tomorrow.

 

[Parker]

Looks like my girl will be riding out the storm in her slip. I am in a lagoon which is fairly protected. I doubled all my lines today, pulled the riggers off and lowered the antennas. We shall see.

 

[bean]

I pulled mine wed hope all make it O.K.

" Bean"

 

[ultrasport]

Pulled my boat today. Im on mooring didnt want other boats get loose and play bumper boats. Also was worried I may drag my mooring if winds get real bad. She needs a good hull cleaning anyway. Already looking forward to fishing next week.

 

[Parker23]

Pulled mine today.

 

[bbay_parker]

Taking mine out too. Think it's gonna hit the NJ Shore pretty bad and don't want to take any chances. Best of luck to everyone out there.

Here are some links that might be helpful if you haven't already found them on your own.

Boat US Hurricane Center

http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/

Boat US Hurricane Boater's Guide

http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/assets/pdf/swhurr_prep_guide.pdf

 

[windknotnc]

I had thought I would just leave my 22 Jones Brothers skiff in Emerald Isle but with the track now moving very close to my house and 100+ mph winds, I may take off tomorrow and go get it. Sadly we are supposed to have 50-80 mph wind at home.

 

[Megabyte]

National Weather Service National Hurricane Center Public Advisory

______________________________________________

000
WTNT34 KNHC 261445
TCPAT4

BULLETIN
HURRICANE IRENE ADVISORY NUMBER 25
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
1100 AM EDT FRI AUG 26 2011

...OUTER RAIN BANDS OF LARGE HURRICANE IRENE NEARING THE COAST OF
THE CAROLINAS....


SUMMARY OF 1100 AM EDT...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...30.7N 77.3W
ABOUT 330 MI...530 KM SSW OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH...165 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 360 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...946 MB...27.93 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS ADVISORY...

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAS DISCONTINUED ALL WARNINGS.

THE HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED NORTHWARD IN THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY TO DRUM POINT.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* LITTLE RIVER INLET NORTH CAROLINA NORTHWARD TO SANDY HOOK NEW
JERSEY...INCLUDING THE PAMLICO...ALBEMARLE...AND CURRITUCK
SOUNDS...DELAWARE BAY...AND CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF DRUM POINT.

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF SANDY HOOK TO THE MOUTH OF THE MERRIMACK RIVER
MASSACHUSETTS...INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY...LONG ISLAND...LONG ISLAND
SOUND...BLOCK ISLAND...BOSTON...MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA TO LITTLE RIVER INLET
* CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT NORTHWARD AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED
36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE
PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS
BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE
WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR
DANGEROUS.

WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED NORTHWARD INTO NEW
ENGLAND THIS AFTERNOON. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN NORTHEASTERN UNITED
STATES AND SOUTHEASTERN CANADA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
IRENE.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY
YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 1100 AM EDT...1500 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 30.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.3 WEST. IRENE IS
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/H...AND THIS MOTION
IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE
NORTH-NORTHEAST SHOULD BEGIN BY SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...
THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE WILL PASS WELL OFF THE COAST OF GEORGIA
TODAY...APPROACH THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT...AND PASS
NEAR OR OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST SATURDAY. THE HURRICANE
IS FORECAST TO MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST SATURDAY
NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 105 MPH...165
KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IRENE IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS
FORECAST BEFORE IRENE REACHES THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA.

IRENE IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES...150 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290 MILES...465 KM. NOAA
BUOY 41013 LOCATED ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF SOUTHPORT
NORTH CAROLINA RECENTLY MEASURED A WIND GUST TO 47 MPH...76 KM/H.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT DATA IS 946 MB...27.93 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FIRST REACH THE
SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE WARNING AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FIRST REACH THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA
TONIGHT OR SATURDAY MORNING...AND THEN SPREAD NORTHWARD IN THE
WARNING AREA THROUGH SUNDAY.

STORM SURGE...AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER
LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 6 TO 11 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN THE
HURRICANE WARNING AREA IN NORTH CAROLINA...INCLUDING THE ALBEMARLE
AND PAMLICO SOUNDS. STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH
AS 4 TO 8 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL OVER SOUTHERN POTIONS OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY...INCLUDING TRIBUTARIES...AND THE EASTERN SHORE OF
THE DELMARVA PENINSULA. STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS
MUCH AS 3 TO 6 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE JERSEY SHORE.
NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE...
DESTRUCTIVE...AND LIFE-THREATENING WAVES.

RAINFALL...IRENE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF
6 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES...FROM
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES
INTO NEW ENGLAND THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. THESE RAINS COULD
CAUSE WIDESPREAD FLOODING AND LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS.

SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IRENE ARE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE
COAST OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. THESE SWELLS WILL CAUSE
LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...200 PM EDT.
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...500 PM EDT.

$$
FORECASTER BROWN

 

[Megabyte]

 

[Megabyte]

 

[miky2884]

PREPARATIONS WILL BE GETTING UNDERWAY HERE IN ct THIS AFTERNOON, IM RIDING OUT THE STORM IN THE WATER, HOWEVER I GOT OTHER PROBLEMS MY HOUSE AND SURROUNDING FAMILY MEMBERS HOUSES ARE LOCATED RIGHT ON LIS. WE WILL BE BOARDING UP ETC STARTING THIS AFTERNOON, THIS REALLY SUCKS DIDNT NEED THIS

 

[macomber]

Good luck and be carefull out there everyone.
We just got issued Hurricaine Warning in our area. Dont think this one is going to fizzle out.

 

[Megabyte]

Just got back from the boat. The marina has already killed power and shut off water to all docks.
Glad that I already topped off my batteries!

Outriggers have been removed. Lines doubled. Cabin sealed. Dock items removed. Antenna and anchor light lowered. Photos taken for insurance purposes...
I think we're ready. :wink:

 

[macomber]

Boat in my side yard next to garage. Do you think I should take down all the Lamiglass/canvas or leave it on tight?