Hurricane Irene

I was on my way "down the shore" as we call the NJ beaches here in Philadelphia tonight or tomorrow for about 10 days. With the mandatory evacuation of the island where I have a vacation home to by midnight last (Thursday) night, it looks like the earliest I can hope to go is Monday morning. That is, if I still have a house down there.

The last big one was 1962, when half the homes on the island were destroyed. As my father loves to say, factoring in the one before that was 1944, we're way past due.

Our prayers go out to the folks who are going to try to hang in there - keep safe.

Trelja,I recall the one in 62.I was living in Ventnor City
my brother was brought home in a row boat.Disaster up and down the coast line.Good luck with your property.I'm bracing for Irene here on Long Island

Hope everyone is safe, if idiots stay to ride it out then perhaps the herd will be properly thinned.
Not to wish harm but some idiots have more bravado than brains and the warnings have been clear and early.

Echoing the thoughts of others in wishing everyone well.

If you can leave the area as suggested, better safe than sorry. Remember the last big ones of this past decade.

I have family and friends on the island about 2 miles from the south shore. They're battening the hatches and some are going upstate.

Trelja, Goldeneraguy

I too recall '62. Remember watching a tree across the street being torn from the ground. When the eye arrived we went out and played in the flooded streets, one foot to eighteen inches rushing down the road to the creeks and on to the bay. Then the other side arrived, time to retreat.

Goldeneraguy

Where about on the island? Suffolk, North Babylon here.

As well our prayers for the safety and well being of all in the path.

Best,

Dave

Not everyone who'll decide to ride it out is an idiot. Some simply have no where to really evacuate to. There are shelters, but they' have their own set of issues. Did you hear about what happened at a lot of shelters in New Orleans?

I live in Stamford, CT. 2 blocks away from the ocean. Luckily our families are all in Albany, NY. We just got there, as we have a 9 month old daughter and aren't taking any chances. If we didn't have family far enough away from the worst parts, I'm not sure what we'd do to be honest.

Not everyone has this option. I'm pretty optimistic that it'll be more annoying than utterly destructive. Living without electricity for a few days can be dealt with. Hopefully people won't lose their homes, or worse, their lives.