Warning about the hurricane started last week when it was someplace thousands of miles away someplace off the Azores, even south of them. But for some reason they had it correct. The darn thing came at us like it was laser guided. Well ball parking it anyway.
Sunday I climbed Slievenamon in what amounted to a tropical cloud. I trial ran my breathable waterproofs something that seemed like a good idea at the car but was soon wetter inside them than the water outside.
Anyhoo's visibility was about 50 feet, a very dangerous limit for those that don't know a walk, and there was some up that really needed a guide. But beyond the personal sauna inside an envelope of tropical air it was a glorious walk.
Monday arrived, and with it the predictions of doom. The storm had decided to skirt along the west coast like a pool ball along a baize cushion about 200 miles from me to the eye of the thing and so the line from about 2 to 5 on a clock. But since I'm about 60 miles from the coast and behind the mountain I missed the tail of the thing but caught the front edge big time for the wind was curving around the mountain.
Still, I had little bother early and was wondering if the storm had gone out to sea. I'd been out with the dog about 11;30 for a short walk when I realised the wind was picking up and when I got home the electric was gone. Soon after I heard a crack and looked out to see part of my chestnut tree had sloughed off. Down onto a canvas covered shed I have and sideswiped the pole with the satellite dishes on its way.
All in all the pass was 5 hours for me. Others had it worse, far worse. A guy dies while out cutting a tree off a road when another tree came down atop him. A woman was killed outright when she stopped her car, and the passenger hadn't a scratch on her.
And of course we had the usual gobshites out testing their mettle against the elements. In Galway (Salthill 53.257371, -9.091776) you had a guy swimming.
Sunday I climbed Slievenamon in what amounted to a tropical cloud. I trial ran my breathable waterproofs something that seemed like a good idea at the car but was soon wetter inside them than the water outside.
Anyhoo's visibility was about 50 feet, a very dangerous limit for those that don't know a walk, and there was some up that really needed a guide. But beyond the personal sauna inside an envelope of tropical air it was a glorious walk.
Monday arrived, and with it the predictions of doom. The storm had decided to skirt along the west coast like a pool ball along a baize cushion about 200 miles from me to the eye of the thing and so the line from about 2 to 5 on a clock. But since I'm about 60 miles from the coast and behind the mountain I missed the tail of the thing but caught the front edge big time for the wind was curving around the mountain.
Still, I had little bother early and was wondering if the storm had gone out to sea. I'd been out with the dog about 11;30 for a short walk when I realised the wind was picking up and when I got home the electric was gone. Soon after I heard a crack and looked out to see part of my chestnut tree had sloughed off. Down onto a canvas covered shed I have and sideswiped the pole with the satellite dishes on its way.
All in all the pass was 5 hours for me. Others had it worse, far worse. A guy dies while out cutting a tree off a road when another tree came down atop him. A woman was killed outright when she stopped her car, and the passenger hadn't a scratch on her.
And of course we had the usual gobshites out testing their mettle against the elements. In Galway (Salthill 53.257371, -9.091776) you had a guy swimming.
That's just crazy! He sure didn't stay in that water long. People who do that...well I guess they have a good story as long as they survive. I don't have the wherewithal for that. I'm glad you faired alright. The way things have been going with hurricanes this year, sheesh! Were you nearby during the one 30 years ago?
ReplyDeleteI was in London for the one 30 years ago. And I made a bit of money out of it.
DeleteThe thing is that diving platform is not sheltered. If you plug in the numbers to google maps you'll see where it is. You see the waves aren't proper waves but Atlantic swell and the water can shift and swirl taking him down and out, never to be seen again. He was simply lucky.
Ohh I remained inside. But Jessy loved it when out for the walks and was proper pissed off when the usual time for the evening walk came and went with her stuck inside.
Did I tell you I've discovered I can eat a tiny amount of sheep's cheese. Roquefort, to be exact, a past love of my life truth be told. But the new bit is when I leave a bit for Jessy. The little brat loved the stuff. Now I don't give her much, I'm not that type of dog owner, but she will eat the cheese before an offcut of beef.
Good to hear that you survived the ordeal. I experienced a hurricane once while in the Philippines and swore that would be the last time voluntarily anyway. Shame to hear about your Chestnut tree. I love chestnut trees but these days they are quite rare to find around here. Hopefully there is enough of it standing to live on for awhile.
ReplyDeleteYes, they aren't nice at all. And those tempests they get in the Caribbean and the Far East are truly bad. What we had was bad but only because we don't get them often. At least if we had them every year the dangerous stuff would be culled out rapidly.
DeleteGlad to hear it went okay for you. I hate that about the tree, but overall it could have been so much worse.
ReplyDeleteAs for idiots like that man.... well, they're just idiots. (and I have trouble mustering up great sympathy if things don't go well)
Yes, I was a bit sad about the tree. And the thing was I'd intended to pollard it back last winter. And I had removed some, but because it was in full leaf when the storm hit it was more in danger.
DeleteThe car is usually under it too, but I'd parked it away from trees and slates.