HURRICANE IRENE

We went to bed Friday night August 26 with it starting to become a bit windy but during the night a heavy northeast wind came up causing Plantation Canal to rise quickly in our back yard. We expected Irene to be a Category 2 hurricane but thankfully it ended up a Cat 1 (74-95mph) as it made landfall 7:30 AM Saturday near Cape Lookout, about 45 miles away. We lost power during the night so at daybreak I started our generator to power two refrigerators and a freezer and all lights. It remained on all day Saturday as Irene took some 12 hours to pass (very slow). We turned it off Saturday night and back on Sunday morning until power was restored Sunday evening. Suddenlink TV and Internet went out during Irene but we were able to communicate with family members using free dial-up Juno service until our CenturyLink phone went out. Suddenlink TV and Internet surprisingly was restored Sunday evening but went out again Tuesday and remained out until Friday. .

Following are a few photos taken at our home at 110 Portside Lane in River Bend. Our home was built in '84 on land built up above the flood level in the Channel Run area which is low. We've been through several hurricanes since moving here in '93 and have always become an island when the wind blows from the Northeast and Plantation Canal floods the area. Thankfully, water never reached our foundation or garage but lots of flood damage occurred to low homes along Plantation Canal.


Looking down our driveway early Saturday morning to Portside Lane. Speck of yellow in distant is our mailbox on street floating away in a few feet of water	Daybreak finally Saturday. Heavy wind gusts. Plantation Canal overflows into our backyard and vacant lot next door.	Big limb from pecan tree broke off and crashed against Sun Room but no damage	Distant roof on my dock is 8' high from normal water level so the surge rose about 7' max. Floating marina slips across the canal did very well during Irene.


Looking behind our house towards Boatswain Drive was a big lake	Our generator in a box I built behind our garage was a Generac 3500w that purred like a kitten and kept two refrigerators and a freezer working plus lights	Water coming around side yard from canal brought lots of debris	One of two "mystery rocks" that weigh 50 lbs that floated into our yard. Yes, floated, because they are porous volcanic rocks. Nobody claimed them in my email so a rock collector picked them up


Nice redwood bench that floated onto our dock and a soccer ball. Come and get it.	Pulled canoe alongside house and tied to bushes as I do every hurricane. Stored motor in garage.	Bottom mark on pecan tree is 6' canal rise while top mark is 9'. Canal rose 7' and never reached house foundation.	Cleanup completed. All is well at 110 Portside. Katia?