Hang in there Phil and company. All of our coastal friends should take special care and seek shelter on high ground!

How's Ron doing in Charleston?

 

Yes, hang in down there, Everyone! I've been trying to get my aunt's house in Kinston to settlement for the past two weeks. Several things came up, but I thought we would make it this week. But NO...now we have Ophelia to deal with. No insurance policies being written until she decides to move on. Maybe Fri??? I see the forecast is for up to 15 inches of rain in Eastern NC. Good luck!!

 

Doing ok down here. The worst is past and headed up towards Phil.

We topped out with 35 knot winds here and its still blowing 27 knots but forecast to decrease during the day.

For you landlubbers, that's 40mph and 31mph We sailors would call the maximum wind Force 8 or a Gale. We describe these conditions as "generally impedes progress." My current conditions are Force 6 verging on Force 7 or a Strong Breeze to a Near Gale. Sailors would say anything from "umbrellas used with difficulty" to "inconvenience felt."

The port was closed last night because it was blowing a Gale at the jetties and the Pilot boat couldn't get pilots onboard incoming vessels. There's been a lot of incoming traffic this morning as they've started bringing them in. The port is still in "Condition X-Ray" which means that large vessels have to activate their heavy weather plan and notify the Coast Guard 6 hours before any movement. They've been radioing their condition every two hours during the night.

Right now a 50 foot powerboat is being pulled away from the jetties. He got pushed up into the shallows by the wind and can't power away himself. He's got an anchor out and looks ok now. Some excited radio traffic for a while there.

We never got much rain out of this and just enough breeze to rock the wine in my glass. Hope you come out as well, My Bad!

 

Glad your inconvenience has been minimal.

I think I can see you in this image. Give us a wave (no pun intended).

 

Update in Jville, not much really going on, the western side of the storm is the worst it seems like. We have light rain 29mph winds with 35mph gusts......Of course this hits on my days off.

 

Update: 1630 hours.

All 911 radio communications are down.

One school fire alarm has been activated and the fire department can't respond due to high winds. Fate unknown. Numerous other fires reported.

The generator at one of the shelters is down. 95 people with no air conditioning.

An epeliptic is having seizures in another shelter.

Three elderly women in a midrise apartment building had their windows blown out. Can't get them to a shelter yet.

Two 40 foot boats and a 60 foot boat have sunk at Sneads Ferry. Extensive damage to coastal structures.

Severe flooding South of Wilmy. Major highways are blocked.

40,500 customers without power.

Winds are still 68 mph sustained.
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My shift will end in 30 minutes. Its doubtful I'll be able to get home. No power, no AC, and MyBride's irritable.

Welcome to my world.

 

I am sorry to hear about all the trouble the storm is causing in Wilmy. I have been thinking about it all day while working here at the fire department. So far it has only been breezy and a little drizzle. For some unknown reason the power is out at the gas station and we can't fuel our trucks. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you at the coast.

 

Sorry to hear she's causing so much trouble. My only coastal asset is a boat and I tend to forget just how much havoc even a Category One can cause with trees, power lines, houses, etc.

Hang in there. By the way, why are you doing such a good thing when you're so mean to all of us???

 

^Me too. Hang in there. Hurricanes suck!

 

Phil, keep up the good work. Hope everything is okay for you guys...