Update from North Carolina

The following was received from Bob, K4RLC on September 4:

Our beach house at Windy Hill (now part of North Myrtle Beach) had minor flooding, debris washed in the yard and one tree toppled. Bobby and I dug it out, and propped it up, and maybe it will survive. Locals weren't very much concerned abt Ernesto, but they've seen lots worse here. We had 4 feet of water under the house (it's up 8 feet on stanchions) after Hurricane Hugo. Beautiful, fall-like weekend at the beach.

bc

-Thanks to all for your support and concern, while I was deployed again with the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services. In reaction to Katrina last year, the Red Cross wanted to set up inland shelters for evacuation and to pre-deploy services and be ready to immediately move into a disaster area. This is admirable, but nature doesn’t always cooperate, and weather/hurricane forecasting is maybe more art than science. Early on, Ernesto was predicted to be a major hurricane, and to hit the gulf coast, right on the first anniversary of Katrina. 38,000 families still live in FEMA small trailers along the coast, very much in harm's way.

-So, I completed a whirlwind (pun intended) trip of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Florida, chasing Ernesto. However, it was psychologically nice to return to Gulfport-Biloxi-Bay St Louis –Waveland, and get closure from last year. There is still so much devastation and so much rebuilding to be done. Fortunately, most of the debris has been removed. The folks there were palpably anxious about another hurricane, especially one predicted to be strong and hit on the first anniversary of Katrina!

-Quite a trip – RDU to Memphis to Gulfport. On to Hattiesburg, but called halfway there, and told to go to Orlando. Orlando, via Atlanta. In Orlando, given a rental car and told to transport folks to Fort Lauderdale. Stayed in Ft Lauderdale a few days in a shelter (Challenger Elementary School - school dedicated to the Challenger Space Shuttle Crew, especially the teacher who died on that mission). As storm was heading for North Carolina, was sent back home to Raleigh. Not exactly a vacation.

-If you’re around here, you know we didn’t receive much damage. Leaving for our beach cottage this pm, as North Myrtle got 70 mph winds and 7 inches of rain. Always good to go to the beach.

-Thanks again for your best wishes. Hopefully that’s it for storms, but hurricane season doesn’t peak til Sept 9^th.

Take care,

Bob