to everyone everywhere in Florida during the next few days and Hurricane Charley.
Having been in Sarasota during 3 hurricanes and Orlando for 2 or 3 I can imagine what it's like there now.
Hope everyone stays safe and well and not too much damage is done.
7 weeks today I'll be in Sarasota - hope to find everywhere as perfect as normal, especially Siesta Key and the wonderful sand on Siesta Beach.
Julie
Julie
Hi Julie
So what was it like during the hurricanes and how long were the after effects? Were you evacuated? Also when was this?
Sorry about all the questions but we fly out there soon!!
Polly
We were down during Andrew and staying in a hotel.
They had all guests clear out of the rooms and sleep in the ballrooms. The hotel was also a evacuation center. Dan and I wish we had taken a Camcorder. There were hundreds of people sleeping in the ballroom. Everyone was friendly, having a great time, and just meeting new people. One of the smaller ballrooms were for locals with pets! That was funny to see all these puppies/dogs all sleeping together! One poor lady was staying in the bathroom as her dog was misbehaving.
Since we were in the ballroom in the middle of the hotel with no windows-we had no clue of Andrew's strength until the next morning when Dan and I walked around to see -luckily where we were, there wasn't a lot of huge damage- the poor trees suffered the most.
Karen
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-551.aspx
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by PollyA
Hi Julie
So what was it like during the hurricanes and how long were the after effects? Were you evacuated? Also when was this?
Sorry about all the questions but we fly out there soon!!
Polly
[/quote]
First one in Sarasota was Opal - can't remember exactly when that was.
By the time we got to Publix to do some emergency shopping there was nothing left!!! We ended up with crisps and cadbury's chocolate....
We didn't get evacuated, we were just off the evacuation route but we spent 3 full days in the villa. Seeing as how I was suffering the worst pain of my life having chipped my cocycx bone a few days earlier I was taking super strength pain killers and did sleep for long periods of the storm. Weather was perfect again 3 days after the hurricane but Siesta, Longboat and St. Armands were closed throughout our stay and most of the sand from Siesta was on the US41 and in the Gulf Gate shopping mall.
Second one in Sarasota was Georges - which fortunately didn't hit directly - but was still quite an experience. Again shops sold out of food, water etc and most places closed and boarded up. That only really lasted a day and when it was known it wasn't going to be as bad as first thought most places re-opened. Strong winds and rain for a few days was the worst we got.
But we survived and it hasn't put us off Florida at all....
[msncool]
Julie
Julie
The thing I hate about the weather news over here.....is that they make everything seem like the end of the world as we know it........but its not most of the time.......but it makes you take no notice after a while........we have high winds on the Cape most of Oct/Nov.......and we would run around packing things away every time.........and it was never that bad.......but you can count on it that the day you leave everything outside........thats the day the winds top 55 miles an hour.......and everything flies around the garden.......I know they need to get the point across to people who think bad weather is just a joke......nothing to worry about.......but we need honest news.......so we can believe what they say and act on the info...scarying people works for a while........but in the long run.....its dangerous......
people get used to the news being wrong.......and stay at home the next time......you read the papers and people stay in their homes because they now believe its never as bad as they get told..........but one day it will be........I think its a lose lose thing for the weather people......no matter what they do its wrong.....so better to be safe and get every one worked up into doing something.......
Polly, a hurricane is something that can't quite be described. I've been in several hurricanes but fortunately missed Andrew. Andrew had winds so powerful that it pulled steel rebar from concrete in some buildings. I remember seeing people's houses in Homestead/Cutler Ridge area in which every single blade of grass had been blown off the front lawns. The sound of the storm is a terrible roar that goes on for hours.
There are so many new residents of Florida and tourists that simply have no idea of how dangerous these storms can be. Many years ago, I was in south Florida when Hurricane David threatened the Miami area and I well remember the look of concern and fear of the natives who were filling the airports and roads to get out of the storm's way. Unfortunately people just forget too easily about these things.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Seminole
Polly, a hurricane is something that can't quite be described. I've been in several hurricanes but fortunately missed Andrew. Andrew had winds so powerful that it pulled steel rebar from concrete in some buildings. I remember seeing people's houses in Homestead/Cutler Ridge area in which every single blade of grass had been blown off the front lawns. The sound of the storm is a terrible roar that goes on for hours.
There are so many new residents of Florida and tourists that simply have no idea of how dangerous these storms can be. Many years ago, I was in south Florida when Hurricane David threatened the Miami area and I well remember the look of concern and fear of the natives who were filling the airports and roads to get out of the storm's way. Unfortunately people just forget too easily about these things.
[/quote]
I've nearly always lived by the sea.......in some cases its only been a block away ......sometimes the winds are so high on the Cape....our huge pine trees seem to near enough touch the ground........we sit out northeasters...where people end up with a boat in their garden......and peoples hot tubs take to sea and end up down the coast......still working sometimes.......you learn a great respect for the sea......and the high winds......I'd be the first off the Cape if something like Charley were heading our way.....the northeasters are bed enough.....
Here is what I thought about a hurricane: When I lived in NY we had a big blow, they banned anyone from using the roads on the expected arrival day. Since we (the five of us)had never experience a hurricane, it was kind of exciting. We tracked it by watching the TV as it tracked up the eastern seaboard. 1st , when it was due to reach us we went to the basement; massive noise as the wind blew through the trees, then the rain hitting the house with great force so very noisy and not some thing to be out in. 2nd we had the epicentre track across us; no wind or rain, blue sky and very calm. 3rd this was followed by part two as the trailing edge hit; more of the same. The whole event lasted the best part of the day, when we finally were told went we could go out side we found trees down the roads blocked, and in our yard we had branches buried a couple of feet into the ground; basically carnage on a grand scale. Took about a week for us to get the electricity back on, some areas that were hit badly (Long Island) took the better part of 5 weeks to get full electricity. I didn’t get the front/back yard cleared for weeks.
As a comparison, I live on the South Coast (UK) and slept through the big blow we had a few years back; even with all the trees that came down then it was nowhere near the real thing.
So if your near it stay in doors; make sure you have drinking water to last a day or just take the advise of the TV; I think they try not to get you killed so never say never.
[msnwink]
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