Hurricane Matthew

[Astro]

Well it never jogged east like it was suppose to. Looks like we will get a direct hit here. The winds will be down (maybe 100mph?) but the storm surge will be epic. Maybe more flooding than Hugo(which was a cat 4 storm). The high tide today at mid day was scary high and the storm hadnt been felt. It was still 200 miles south of us. Then we never had much of a low tide today. The first tropical storm wind bands are starting to hit now. The worst will be overnight 2am to 8 am but we may have tropical force winds for a straight 24 hours. Still hoping it will jog east in time for the worst to stay offshore but not looking good for that at present. Not to worry, the Gibby is in an interior closet off the ground.

[Chris Daniels]

Well it never jogged east like it was suppose to. Looks like we will get a direct hit here. The winds will be down (maybe 100mph?) but the storm surge will be epic. Maybe more flooding than Hugo(which was a cat 4 storm). The high tide today at mid day was scary high and the storm hadnt been felt. It was still 200 miles south of us. Then we never had much of a low tide today. The first tropical storm wind bands are starting to hit now. The worst will be overnight 2am to 8 am but we may have tropical force winds for a straight 24 hours. Still hoping it will jog east in time for the worst to stay offshore but not looking good for that at present. Not to worry, the Gibby is in an interior closet off the ground.

Astro, I'm just up the road from you in Summerville and that's as close as I'd want to be. Hang tight, brother. It's going to be a bumpy ride. Stay safe!

C.

[Astro]

Starting to churn in now. When it clocks around to the north, we'll take it in the teeth. Power/internet is in and out.

Looks like Mathew is going to kiss. I wish he were a one night stand, but it looks like he wants to cuddle.

Its going to be a looong night and looong day.

[Ivan Kelsall]

We've been watching this horrific event unfolding here in the UK, & our thoughts are with all the folks in the path of this dreadful hurricane. As many of you folks in the US will know,we've had our own share of horrific weather over here,but as dreadful as it gets, it's nothing like the utter devastation that you folks experience on such a gigantic scale,
Ivan

[Astro]

Well we got lucky here. I dont think we got sustained hurricane force winds. Just gusts in the mid 75 mph range. Lots of flooding/roads under water. We may get a second storm surge but I think the kind folks just south of us took the brunt of it for us and knocked its punch down.

[dhergert]

Thank you for the updates! Like with extended family, we're hoping for the best for all of you out there... Be safe, we hope also that your homes, neighborhoods and workplaces survive this well. And we're rooting for you.

-- Don

[Tom Sanderson]

Just took a walk around the yard. It's a real mess. Lots of tree limbs and broken plants,but plants will grow back. So far I didn't see any damage to the citrus trees. I feel lucky, I expected much worse.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Other than the loss of a loved one,nothing comes close to loosing your home IMHO. Your home is the basis of most of your life. It's where you are,where you exist,& it's where everything that you do 'begins' !.
I've watch with a great sadness,people wandering amongst the wreckage of their homes after such devastating events,& their worst feeling,must be the utter impotence to actually do anything - where do you start putting things back together ?.
I can only hope that the US government agencies get their collective acts together & get help to where it's needed. For the poor peole in Haiti,who still haven't recovered from an earthquake 6 years ago,that won't be any time soon,
Ivan

[Tom Sanderson]

Power back on as of Sunday 8:30 PM. Left the house for the first time Sunday afternoon, and drove around the neighborhoods on the west side of the inter coastal waterway. Lots of trees down, some on roofs, some through roofs. Boats flipped over in yards a long way away from the shore. It's a real mess. No one is allowed to cross the bridge to the beaches unless you live there. I have a couple good friends that live there who evacuated. They are back home reporting minimal damage. I have about 2 weeks worth of yard clean up to do, My 6' wood fence around my backyard needs to be repaired in many places, my well pump lost prime and ran all night without water after the power came back on and ruined the pump, I heard that the damage estimates for St Johns County where I live is over 2 Billion so far. I know that a lot of people were worried because I didn't evacuate. I'm sorry that I put you through that worry by staying, but I was well prepared. I had plenty of supplies, and had my truck loaded ready for a last minute escape. It was a very close call and I thank the Lord for sparing me and my friends. I know that I am one of the very lucky. Many others were not.