Hurricane Joaquin -- just FYI

Yes, heading north and picking up a lot of speed over the last 24hrs. It's now moving at 26 mph, where 24hrs ago is was 3mph.

As BandB says, Bermuda is now the big question, and how quickly the storm will die down as the water gets colder moving north. But right now it's one whopping storm.

50+ knot gusts here in Charleston just now and a sailboat just blew by that broke off a mooring. Sailed right down between two rows of docked boats and only touched two while missing 12 or more before many mate and I caught it by the bow while standing on another boats swim platform and swung right into the only open space on the dock. Didn't even hit the dock. Perfect docking with no one on board and only a 4' bow line to hold on to! LOL

Capt.Bill11 said:

50+ knot gusts here in Charleston just now and a sailboat just blew by that broke off a mooring. Sailed right down between two rows of docked boats and only touched two while missing 12 or more before many mate and I caught it by the bow while standing on another boats swim platform and swung right into the only open space on the dock. Didn't even hit the dock. Perfect docking with no one on board and only a 4' bow line to hold on too! LOL

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So, are you planning on enjoying another 3 days or so there? We're in Charlotte at the moment but original plans were to leave Myrtle Beach on Monday. We're thinking Wednesday now. Perhaps move to Georgetown Tuesday afternoon.

They need to give a name to the storm flooding this area. Make it an honorary hurricane of something.

I was hoping to be on the move by Monday. But....

From what I hear they've got access to downtown Charleston blocked off due to the floading. Glad I'm on something that is designed to be floating from the get go.

Capt.Bill11 said:

I was hoping to be on the move by Monday. But....

From what I hear they've got access to downtown Charleston blocked off due to the floading. Glad I'm on something that is designed to be floating from the get go.

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Here's the scary part. Charleston is expected to get another 8" or so over the next three days. 2" tonight, 5" tomorrow and tomorrow night, Half an inch on Monday. Myrtle Beach only 5" more.

BandB said:

Here's the scary part. Charleston is expected to get another 8" or so over the next three days. 2" tonight, 5" tomorrow and tomorrow night, Half an inch on Monday. Myrtle Beach only 5" more.

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Yeah, the sewers are overwhelmed already from what I've heard. I was going to take a walk towards town but lacking waders I'm thinking I'll just stay on the boat.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Yeah, the sewers are overwhelmed already from what I've heard. I was going to take a walk towards town but lacking waders I'm thinking I'll just stay on the boat.

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Ironic that the driest place in town is the boat.

Greetings,
Looks like a possible shift to the west ...

Charleston streets all closed. Georgetown county roads all closed. Myrtle Beach expecting 7 inches more rain today.

Nice graphic RT. Looks like a garden hose spraying on SC. I'm next here in NC. Grr. My place is a swamp already.

BandB said:

Charleston streets all closed. Georgetown county roads all closed. Myrtle Beach expecting 7 inches more rain today.

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There is traffic flowing over the bridge today and I can some cars moving around town. But I don't think much is open.

Apparently the owner of the sailboat that broke loose has no insurance on it.

Capt.Bill11 said:

There is traffic flowing over the bridge today and I can some cars moving around town. But I don't think much is open.

Apparently the owner of the sailboat that broke loose has no insurance on it.

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Not surprising that he has no insurance. Some marinas do not check well enough. Think the sailboat has enough value to cover the damages?

I think many of the main streets are flowing ok, just any streets off them. Of course with more rain on the way, hard to predict.

BandB said:

Not surprising that he has no insurance. Some marinas do not check well enough. Think the sailboat has enough value to cover the damages?

I think many of the main streets are flowing ok, just any streets off them. Of course with more rain on the way, hard to predict.

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Luckily I don't think the damage it caused was to bad. But I would think in the very worst case the sale of the sailboat would cover it if necessary.

I believe the sailboat was on a mooring or at anchor when it broke loose. So the marina was only indirectly involved as the target.

Rainfall as of now with 7-8" or so still to come.

Charleston 14-16". Myrtle Beach 8-10". Boone Hall Plantation 24". Calabash NC 11". Inland, Columbia 11" and other areas 8-18".

Capt.Bill11 said:

Not found yet from what can find.


Sea Star's El Faro

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There was a reported ping from their EPIRB but it went silent right after. CG now reporting finding wreckage and life rings from the ship - still in the area of Crooked Island.

Why did missing El Faro sail straight INTO Hurricane Joaquin? | Daily Mail Online
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GOLDEN TRIANGLE WEATHER PAGE
for constant updates. This is the single best website I've found.

The good news is Joaquin has diminished to a Cat 2 before reaching Bermuda.

The bad news is the East Coast flooding is only getting worse.

Joaquin appears to no longer be a threat to land. Appears from the other storm one more day of rain today while water from creeks and rivers still rising especially with broken dams.

Still minimal information available about parts of the Bahamas and other island nations, while the damages in SC won't be fully known for a while. Myrtle Beach and Wilmington getting 2" more today before it stops. Some areas have gotten over 20". It's amazing to think that this area was bracing for Joaquin, got a reprieve from it, and then got this from the unnamed storm.

As much as we'd like to get to our family and friends in Myrtle Beach and to our boat, we're staying in Charlotte at least one more day. Not going to add to the problems. Seems the only ones not impacted by this storm are those in their boats. They have just been stuck due to sea conditions.

BandB said:

Joaquin appears to no longer be a threat to land. Appears from the other storm one more day of rain today while water from creeks and rivers still rising .

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More rain here today, but we are just north of the worst hitting SC and southern NC. The NE winds have crammed the water up the Pamlico....
A shot from this morning shows our dock overwashed, but everything riding just fine... Ironically, supposed to be sunny and beautiful from Wednesday on...

Underway about 10 miles off of Bailey Island SC right now. Following seas 4-6+. Winds 20-25. Not to bad a ride and it's supposed to get better the farther south we go.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Underway about 10 miles off of Bailey Island SC right now. Following seas 4-6+. Winds 20-25. Not to bad a ride and it's supposed to get better the farther south we go.

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Well, you got away sooner than we did. If we had been at the boat, we would have headed out. We're headed to Myrtle Beach. We found a route open all the way. There are many hundreds of closed roads in SC. We should be there in about an hour. We will probably leave tomorrow. I don't know if others have seen the shots on CNN and other news reports, but this storm caused incredible damage and more may come as all the water in Columbia eventually goes to the low country.

Just received this email from a friend.

"....here is the link to Jim’s pics from last week on CI. Really hard to look at, but reality is better than apprehension. We’ll all get there together, but it’s gonna take all of us! Forward the link as you see fit".

https://crookedislandjoaquin2015.shutterfly.com/pictures#n_5