Hurricane Helene

Thursday, September 26th;  Hurricane Helene

Major flooding out on the barrier islands from a historic storm surge.

"It may seem irrational to see some people stay with their homes to defend them, but consider coming home to a damaged house that an insurance company may never compensate you for."  Jeff VanderMeer, NYT, September 27, 2024.

Finding the couches not in their right place, a refrigerator overturned, the beds and furniture, the books, the family's photo albums all scattered about, all had been floating around the home the night before. Returning home, finding all those belongings now quietly resting, but well soaked, was at the least, bizarre and disturbing.

One of a few items that was actually meant to float, I found perfectly upright the following morning. 

 

Interesting photo, incoming surge. 

 

 

Riding the hurricane out by myself became an intense wind-filled night, spent mostly holding a flashlight in hand while swimming in near chest-deep water. 

By early evening, a four to five foot high Gulf surge with heavy winds had lifted our outside deck and threw it up against the house trapping the outside exist thru the living room's sliding glass doors. By 8:00 pm a whirling, dark brackish water had run it's course through-out the home's interior. Somehow, prompted by someone's concerned social media post, a neighbor from down the street of much higher ground, luckily came by kayak - and yelling out my name, rescued me.

 

 

Downtown; Hotel Voco.  (Evening of the following day).

Below; some of my wife's jewelry, my old Stetson, and our dog Lolly's reaching paw, from my attempt at retrieving some small carry-able items after that first return back home. Many more days of retrievables to come. Thirty more years worth.