Storm alert

What would you do if you're on an extended cruise on the ICW far from home and a hurricane is approaching? I'm not sure asking the locals where the best hurricane holes are is going to help. You can almost bank on the fact that the best places are going to be taken. Most marinas will have no room either.

timjet said:

What would you do if you're on an extended cruise on the ICW far from home and a hurricane is approaching? I'm not sure asking the locals where the best hurricane holes are is going to help. You can almost bank on the fact that the best places are going to be taken. Most marinas will have no room either.

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Actually...for Sandy...the best Hurricane hole south of Atlantic City on the coast was empty...I was the only "transient" with thousands of feet of bulkhead available....

Only a fraction of boaters know how to properly deal with something like a hurricane. Many of them own trailerable boats or larger boats that can get a long distance out of the way quickly.

Then there's the pull it and store it on land...but if you are a transient...by the time you get to many marinas..you might be so far down the list as to not make it out of the water in time. Also...too many marinas right along the coast really aren't set up for much more than very mild Cat Is or tropical storms. The boat spacing with no tie downs is a recipe for disaster that the insurance companies are really only beginning to address with them.

Me...I would go to Google earth and see what's available in the timeframe I have. Move too early and the storm never comes your way and it's a waste of time. Move too late and bad things can happen. The trick is to be able to get some place in 24 or so hours and have enough time to set up and yes the "well known" or "classic" holes are all taken in places known for hurricane strikes. Places like NJ, Georgia or the Chesapeake just don't see enough so it does depend where you are.

I look for places that will allow me to float higher (at least 10 feet), yet be set below terrain or tall immovable objects and have any open fetch (of probable wind directions) of no more than 1/10 mile or so.

If none of those areas are available within 50 miles or so for my 6 knot boat...I would start moving more than 24 hrs out in the direction of lesser probable hit until I had at least 2 decent areas to get to in the final 24 hrs.

Timjet

Isn't a hurricane season long distance cruise for non locals a bit risky? Why do it?

sunchaser said:

Timjet

Isn't a hurricane season long distance cruise for non locals a bit risky? Why do it?

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Statistically probably not.....
However he's done it so why rub it in?
Bill

sunchaser said:

Timjet

Isn't a hurricane season long distance cruise for non locals a bit risky? Why do it?

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Yes.
But no fronts to deal with which can be frequent in the winter months and quite challenging.

I completed the Great Loop with a side trip to the Bahamas in April. As a life long west coast guy these storms offer a steep learning curve for me.

I'm currently at Atlantic Yacht Basin, a good hurricane hole behind the Great Bridge Lock and likely out of Arthur's track.

I will be cruising the Chesapeake this summer so I may have the chance to learn even more. I really appreciate the wisdom/advice given here.

Arch

The 11 AM forecast from the National Hurricane Center now predicts that Arthur will hit Category 2 strength at its closest approach to the coast (which I guess is about at Wilmington -- not sure).

sunchaser said:

Timjet

Isn't a hurricane season long distance cruise for non locals a bit risky? Why do it?

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That's why my wife convinced me to do our cruise in the spring, not the fall. No chance of hurricanes.

We were nearing Belhaven, NC and our first two choices of marinas would not take any boats. One would not even answer the phone.

So we're in the River Forest boatyard, not the marina. It's on a sheltered creek and they're going to tie us to both sides tonight. They charge extra for storm dockage. A lot extra. I should have stayed in Norfolk.

rwidman said:

That's why my wife convinced me to do our cruise in the spring, not the fall. No chance of hurricanes.

We were nearing Belhaven, NC and our first two choices of marinas would not take any boats. One would not even answer the phone.

So we're in the River Forest boatyard, not the marina. It's on a sheltered creek and they're going to tie us to both sides tonight. They charge extra for storm dockage. A lot extra. I should have stayed in Norfolk.

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Ron good luck to you and your wife. This named storm came on quickly.
Bill

timjet said:

What would you do if you're on an extended cruise on the ICW far from home and a hurricane is approaching? I'm not sure asking the locals where the best hurricane holes are is going to help. You can almost bank on the fact that the best places are going to be taken. Most marinas will have no room either.

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Given that you usually have a minimum 24 hour notice, a deep narrow river is easy to find. Hunker down, break out the board games.

Ben said:

7. Boat stacks adjacent to slip. Loose items risk. Also hate to have a Carolina Skiff blown off a rack into my boat.

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Wife picked up car from regular marina, said that skiffs and Grady Whites still on top rack. As we upgrade to Cat-2. Sure am glad I moved boat.

Billylll said:

Ron good luck to you and your wife. This named storm came on quickly.
Bill

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Thanks Bill.

rwidman said:

That's why my wife convinced me to do our cruise in the spring, not the fall. No chance of hurricanes.

We were nearing Belhaven, NC and our first two choices of marinas would not take any boats. One would not even answer the phone.

So we're in the River Forest boatyard, not the marina. It's on a sheltered creek and they're going to tie us to both sides tonight. They charge extra for storm dockage. A lot extra. I should have stayed in Norfolk.

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Best to you, Ron.

Geeze, Ron! Hope you can stay in touch through the weather. A heck of a time to be caught in the Carolinas, but hopefully your wise selection will make it less of an ordeal.

Pretty wild day here in North Myrtle Beach.

Getting slammed with on/off torrential rain, but not that much wind, yet. Occasional strong blast but nothing steady, yet. Arthur's eye is about 90 miles east of us.

It's days like this when you find out how dry your boat is (or isn’t). KJ

Morning sky. The quiet before the storm.

Really getting slammed now, very strong winds! KJ

On and off torrential rain here in Wilmington. Finding micro leaks in the boat cabin top, so it is a process of discovery... The wind is not bad. It looks to be about 15 to 20 kn.

Ben said:

On and off torrential rain here in Wilmington. Finding micro leaks in the boat cabin top, so it is a process of discovery... The wind is not bad. It looks to be about 15 to 20 kn.

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The silver lining in the dark cloud, huh? Finding leaks.

I suspect the wind is a tad more than 15 to 20 knots by now -- sure am glad you moved that boat up the river. The idea of a Carolina Skiff sailing through the air and crashing down on top is scary! And very much a possibility, too, if they left them in the stacks. Gonna be a lot of people tomorrow wishing that they had done the same as you did, more than likely. And a passing thought for Ski -- fingers tightly crossed for him.

I'm behind the shop building with four lines to the dock, two lines to concrete hurricane ties and two heavy lines across the canal to a large tree.

It hasn't started raining here yet and not much wind back here but it was pretty windy on the other side of the peninsula a couple hours ago.

All I can do now is wait it out. I might have to adjust the lines if the water rises high enough and of course it will be raining and dark.

rwidman said:

All I can do now is wait it out. I might have to adjust the lines if the water rises high enough and of course it will be raining and dark.

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Fun City! Adjusting lines in the dark/wind/rain is some fun, but it is not a lot of fun! Gonna be a long night for you, Ron. May be the time for the English Navy's remedy for sailors (a good shot of rum)! Good luck, and hope you check in tomorrow and say that all is well.

Sounds like you are snugged in pretty good, Ron. Are you on Pantego Creek?

Best to you. We will be checking in to see how you are doing.

Moonstruck said:

Sounds like you are snugged in pretty good, Ron. Are you on Pantego Creek?.

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We are at The River Forest boat yard on the other side of a peninsula from their marina. On my Garmin chart it looks like Tooleys Creek. The owner rode over there with me and I'll have to use my bread crumb track to get back out.

jwnall said:

Fun City! Adjusting lines in the dark/wind/rain is some fun, but it is not a lot of fun! Gonna be a long night for you, Ron. May be the time for the English Navy's remedy for sailors (a good shot of rum)! Good luck, and hope you check in tomorrow and say that all is well.

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I would really like that shot of rum (or scotch, my drink of choice). Unfortunately, it appears that I crammed my lifetime allotment of alcohol into less than my lifetime and have been ordered by my doctors never to drink again.

A couple of people have suggested that I find new doctors but I can live without it.

rwidman said:

I would really like that shot of rum (or scotch, my drink of choice). Unfortunately, it appears that I crammed my lifetime allotment of alcohol into less than my lifetime and have been ordered by my doctors never to drink again.

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Yeah, my doctor worries about my liver. So I am well familiar with the issue. I've tried non-alcoholic stuff, and it just does not do it. Have tried yoga meditation, and that doesn't do it either. So . . . a joke for you, while you sit there waiting. Guy goes to the doctor. Says "Doctor, I want to live for a long, long time." Doctor says, "OK, quit drinking." Guy says "Will that make me live for a long, long time?" Doctor says, "No, but it sure as hell will feel like it!"

jwnall said:

The silver lining in the dark cloud, huh? Finding leaks.

I suspect the wind is a tad more than 15 to 20 knots by now -- sure am glad you moved that boat up the river. The idea of a Carolina Skiff sailing through the air and crashing down on top is scary! And very much a possibility, too, if they left them in the stacks. Gonna be a lot of people tomorrow wishing that they had done the same as you did, more than likely. And a passing thought for Ski -- fingers tightly crossed for him.

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Up some river at water level the winds might be pretty low...my hurricane hole for the northerly component winds of Sandy was near dead calm.....hardly ripples on the water.

Above the terrain and tree tops...it was steady over 60 gusting higher according to Atlantic City Airport only a few miles away.

Ron- the creek behind RF boatyard should be a good place to hide. Been there before. Just be mindful that the wind driven tide there can swing a lot. Not a surge like you get on the coast, but the water can really move.

Not too bad on the wrightsville beach coast, eye just to the SE. Everything riding ok for now.

jwnall said:

Yeah, my doctor worries about my liver. So I am well familiar with the issue. I've tried non-alcoholic stuff, and it just does not do it. Have tried yoga meditation, and that doesn't do it either. So . . . a joke for you, while you sit there waiting. Guy goes to the doctor. Says "Doctor, I want to live for a long, long time." Doctor says, "OK, quit drinking." Guy says "Will that make me live for a long, long time?" Doctor says, "No, but it sure as hell will feel like it!"

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True story:

After over a week in the hospital for pancreatitis, being fed by tubes, and being told that I was an alcoholic, the doctor comes in, looks at my chart and says "You're getting better, I think we can start you on clear liquids."

Smart ass Ron, without even hesitating says "You mean like Vodka and Gin?"

Well, the doctor turned on his heels, walked out the door and came back with two more doctors who proceeded to lecture me on the evils of alcohol. Doctors have no sense of humor.

Boat all battened down. I live in the middle of Wilmington about 5 miles from the river. Not bad. Wind and rain but not dangerous. Checking boat later tonight.

Ben- Pay mind to the "backside" of the storm, the west winds can be stronger than the E and NE we are getting now.

rwidman said:

True story:

After over a week in the hospital for pancreatitis, being fed by tubes, and being told that I was an alcoholic, the doctor comes in, looks at my chart and says "You're getting better, I think we can start you on clear liquids."

Smart ass Ron, without even hesitating says "You mean like Vodka and Gin?"

Well, the doctor turned on his heels, walked out the door and came back with two more doctors who proceeded to lecture me on the evils of alcohol. Doctors have no sense of humor.

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Now that's news I can use.
Thanks