Date: 4 October 2022. Before Hurricane Ian Arrived (part 1)

© janice142
 

Skipper and I were extremely fortunate in that Hurricane Ian turned east before it reached us. Locals here are grateful we are not dealing with the dreadful aftermath that storm wrought just 85 miles south of here. Preparing for Hurricane Ian took place over nearly a week. Some plans were executed well. Alas I did make avoidable mistakes too.
 

SEAWEED ↓ and I are based on the coast north of John's Pass in St. Petersburg, FL. Hurricane Ian made LANDFALL ↓ at Cayo Costa.

The hurricane's LANDFALL ↑ was at Cayo Costa, approximately 85 miles south of  ↑ ME.
 

Of course those of us in the region were carefully watching as the storm moved northward.

This graphic was prevalent in the local doom and gloom broadcasts:
Please note that this displays the TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND SPEED PROBABILITIES.


 

Like many I follow  Mike's Weather Page aka http://spaghettimodels.com along with Wunderground (Weather Underground)
On Mike's Weather Page the tropical storm force wind speed probabilities graphic was prominently displayed. In that section I noticed there were links for two other graphics just above the tropical winds visual. Those were for a 50-knot winds probability image, and a third for hurricane force wind probabilities. These were far less scary as they showed a smaller area of potentially catastrophic hurricane force damage.
tropic storm force wind speed probabilities	50-knot wind speed probabilities	hurricane force wind speed probabilities
Though tropical storm winds were forecast for much of Florida, the specific area with predicted hurricane winds was far smaller.

On the east coast my friend Irene decided to move her boat to a more protected anchorage. Of course with the stress of storm preparations, *Murphy's Law reared his ugly head.

*Murphy's Law: If something can go wrong, it will.
 

Folks naturally assume that lifting an anchor with a windlass will be problem-free. This is not necessarily what happens in real life.

Sometimes hauling in an anchor is a not simply pushing a button and watching the chain come up.
 

Being able to deal successfully with the unexpected is one sign of an experienced boater. Seeing a mast complete with rigging appear from the bottom is definitely not what one wishes for when planning to relocate for an impending hurricane. Fortunately, a long pier was nearby. Irene motored to the dock in order to untangle her chain from the mast.
 

If you ever wondered what you would not want to see when raising your anchor...

Boaters will come out to help when trouble occurs.

 

The good thing about chain is that it is strong. It is also a pain in
the transom to remove when wrapped three times around a mast.

Finally the chain was freed from the mast.

By the time the chain was untangled, the tide had turned. Irene opted to move to a nearby river to ride out the storm. Due to the falling tide she decided to wait until the next day to bring her boat over there. I told you about that place in the Beryl Lessons article.

In the meantime, I chose to not go to an ATM for money on Saturday. Instead I waited until Monday. This was a mistake. With the storm heading my way, a mandatory evacuation order was in place. And there was zero money in the ATMs. I checked several without success. Argh!!!

That morning I had gotten into a discussion with Baby who wanted me to immediately evacuate. As the storm was then down by Cuba, that was not going to happen. The last time I was under a mandatory evacuation notice I had a TERRIBLE experience. I am old, and I don't forget. I told you about that dreadful time in the Hurricane Irma Saga series. I do not sugar coat my experience so... well, you've been warned.
 

In the midst of all this, with my stress levels rising ever higher I was blessed. I had stopped by the post office, and there was a box for me!!!   Presents are always nice, and the items Pam sent were especially appreciated. Check out the goodies I was fortunate enough to receive...
Constant Comment is my "treat" tea. Usually I drink Lipton Bold or black, however when I want something special I turn to Constant Comment for the most part. It is delicious. I cannot wait to try the sweet and spicy tea too. Thank you Pam.	I was absolutely delighted by my new autumn dish towel. My old one has been getting dingy. It is at least ten years old, and well, this one is so bright and cheerful. →   The weather has turned. It is cooler. Fall has arrived. This is my favorite time of the year.     Sweets are always welcome.	As I decorate for the seasons with dishtowels, this gift is just perfect. I am ready for autumn now.
The timing on the box's arrival was ideal. While dealing with storm preparations which included securing a half dozen nearby boats for the hurricane, arguing with people encouraging me to Get Out, then not being able to get cash, well, I was not having a good week. I confess that I was overcome with relief and joy at that wonderful box. It was just the thing to lift my spirits. Thanks again to you Pam. You are such a thoughtful person. Thank you!!!

Preparing for Hurricane Ian was accomplished over nearly a week. The neighbors worked together to get the boats secured. Still, all of us were watching as the storm approached. Had Ian not turned east, I would have evacuated.

As Ian was not going to make landfall near here, I felt comfortable staying on the beach. High tides were forecast and my friend Anisha invited Skipper and I to stay in her second story apartment next door should the water rise. She is incredibly kind.
 

Anisha is a lovely neighbor. She has made friends with the night herons. Striker hangs out (and on) Anisha!

Striker ↑ is a juvenile night heron.

The conclusion will be posted in a couple days.  Thank you for reading.
 

Were you in an area that had to prepare for Hurricane Ian? How did it go for you?
And, have you pulled up anything unusual when you've hauled in your anchor ?
 

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