Hurricane Michael

[Justin Scott]

It was a year ago this month, that we were all enjoying the hospitality of Craig and Deb and all the volunteers of Fort Walton Yacht Club and the Gulf Viper Fleets at our NA Championship in Fort Walton.

They are being battered by Hurricane Michael, the strongest Hurricane to hit the mainland in 14 years.  The Hurricane is making landfall close by and the outlook is not good.

Our thoughts and prayers to our friends in the Panhandle

[Darren Gilbert]

I hope everyone stays safe!

Any concerns about NE champs this weekend?  I see by Friday Micheal is projected to be up the East Coast?

[Justin Scott]

I am no weather guru but the forecasters are well aware of Michael.
The forecast for Darien is for :
1) Temperatures to drop to around 60.....so bring some warm gear
2) Winds 10-15 on Saturday and 7-10 on Sunday.

I am glad that Craig and Debs enjoyed their vacation in Fiji last February.

The worry is that FWYC is awfully low lying. Its basically built on a sand spit. The forecast for Destin was 9 foot waves. We are really crossing our fingers and hoping the club is sufficiently up the bay and has some kind of shelter to survive. 

This is not their first rodeo when it comes to storms but this looks like a tough one.

[Peter Beardsley]

I hope everyone stays safe!

Any concerns about NE champs this weekend?  I see by Friday Micheal is projected to be up the East Coast?

No issues wind-wise at NEs this weekend, but the 70-80 degree temperatures we've had through October will disappear as Justin notes.  It may even be cooler than 60, TBD, certainly while rigging and derigging.  Definitely keeping fingers crossed for everyone in the Gulf - we have Vipers in Panama City too, and the video I saw from there was pretty wild. 

[Justin Scott]

https://www.facebook.com/fox5dc/videos/vb.49727872493/235738560630715/?type=2&theater

[Craig Wilusz]

Hi, everyone.  Thanks for the kind note in Snake Bytes, and thanks for all those who check in with us during Hurricane Michael.  Deb and I made it out okay, along with the rest of the Fort Walton Beach area.  Fort Walton got really really really lucky.  Just a short 15 minute drive down the road in Destin, the winds blew on average 20mph more than in Fort Walton.  As you went east it only began to get worse.  Our friends in Panama City really took a hit, and we are just beginning to get reports from our fellow sailors out of that area only an hours drive down the road.

Deb and I prepped it seems a day ahead of every one else.  We got the Viper 640, Viper 830, two Sunfishes, Zim 15, and Weta up at the house Monday morning.  This enabled us to leave our 23 foot RIB available on the trailer to help out if needed.  Tuesday found Fort Walton Yacht Club calling for mandatory evac of the docks and dry storage area.  By noon Tuesday, Craig was called in to run the Club scat bot to move up to a dozen vessels ranging in size from 26 feet to over 40 feet out of their docks for various reasons ranging from no motors, no rudders, no steerage systems that worked, some engines only ran in forward,,, etc, a real mess. Some boats we towed out had little, and in once case, no anchoring system, much less storm anchor kit.  We anchored one Ericsson 27, with no motor or rudder, with two 8lb mushroom anchors and a lunch hook.  It stayed on the spot we set them on if you can believe that.  Deborah put our 23 RIB in the water and began taxiing people to and from the boats  and the docks during the evac.  We ended up setting three boats up after dark finishing around 830pm Tuesday night.

  Brian Harrison took in three or four Vipers from dry storage and set them up in his front yard.  I don't know where the two Club owned Vipers are, but they are safe.  Quite a few of the Viper sailors ended up helping with other peoples boats throughout the day. 

  Fort Walton shut down after that through Wednesday with Waffle Houses open (always a good sign) and a Cash Advance America open in case you wanted a high interest rate loan.  The Okaloosa County Sherriff's Office was outstanding in communication via the radio and facebook.

  The club docks suffered minor damage and the Fort Walton YC is back open today and boats are beginning to come back into dry storage and wet slips.  We are beginning to plan on what to do with the vessels that need assistance while waiting for the winds to subside some more. 

So for those of you that are in Hurricane Zones, be sure to review your club storm plan carefully and I suggest a complete and full practice run to see weaknesses and areas that need improvement.  Be sure to go through your business storm plan and home storm plan to do the same. Don't second guess nature and act early then be reactive late.  Mother Nature will win every time. 

Pic of Deb driving our RIB as taxi boat (She did real good and I think only drank one beer during the exercise)

[Craig Wilusz]

Vid from Wednesday at FWYC docks:

https://www.facebook.com/FortWaltonYachtClub/videos/557313594704430/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARBTwxdnr7J3YE_-AOCyGiA-vjCt-tvNJxsyubbMGVG_ncPwvtSL97xVz-OU3zAHVB2CLe8EiDlQbRzs

[Justin Scott]

Pic of Deb driving our RIB as taxi boat (She did real good and I think only drank one beer during the exercise)

Debs, One beer? I find that hard to believe! With a hurricane on the way?

Great description. I felt like I was there. Glad you all made out okay and that your sense of humor remains intact.

Were there any GYA clubs in harms way?  Have you heard any more from the clubs to the East of you?

[Craig Wilusz]

Clubs to the east are:
Saint Andrews Bay YC : http://www.stabyc.com/
They have two club owned Vipers

Apalachee Bay YC : https://www.abyconline.org/
They do don't have any Vipers

[Craig Wilusz]

NOAA imagery post Michael link:
https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/michael/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1QY4Z9Pv-MjXuH2dd4a6MINXLbgz7V5vd-eEOc4HtOhY3PFfjgHwpB5KU#7/30.137/-85.599

[Craig Wilusz]

NOAA imagery of Saint Andrews Bay Yacht Club:

https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/michael/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1QY4Z9Pv-MjXuH2dd4a6MINXLbgz7V5vd-eEOc4HtOhY3PFfjgHwpB5KU#19/30.14270/-85.64834

[Craig Wilusz]

Here is a link from our local paper with a photo spread:
https://www.nwfdailynews.com/photogallery/DA/20181017/NEWS/101709983/PH/1

The best and worse has just only begun.  Armed looting (knives and now firearms) is becoming more and more common place in the more damaged area.  One city alone is reporting an average of nine looters arrested per day, in that city alone.  We are getting reports from fellow boaters in the area of lloter coming onto thier property and having to be chased away by pistols or shotguns.  One occasion has had to fend of looters from his property twice in one day with a shotgun.  The GoFundMe scams are already taking place.  Facebook scams of people asking for help, with people showng up to assist or with supplies only to be robbed, etc etc. 

Some really good things are happening too.  Law enforcement personnel from all over is showing up to assist.  The power companies are  doing their best to get people up on power.  Verizon is providing three months free service to people in the area and offering 40% off phone chargers.  Fort Walton YC is offering to assist St. Andrews Bay YC in any way, but communications are scarce bewtween the two clubs, probably because management and members are t StABYC have their hand full with thier own homes and businesses.

It really is bad over there.

Craig

[Peter Beardsley]

Here is the note I saw about St. Andrews Bay YC on Facebook from the Sunfish class:

Dear Members,
I pray everyone made it through Hurricane Michael. I have heard stories of some of our members and staff that had major damage and stories of total devastation. This storm will forever change the lives of some of our members and staff. The club sustained damage to the sailing center, the docks, 26 boats, and some damage to the club itself. We do not have a time table on re-opening at this point. Right now the focus is on our displaced staff and members in need of help. We will be hiring a tree service company to clear the trees, brush, and debris damaged by the storm. We have about 40 employees that will be without jobs. I will be taking donations at the club for our staff members.I know a lot of our members consider the staff like family and any little bit will help them. Please continue to pray for members and staff that were affected. We are requesting that members not come to the club to look around as there is still a lot of liability issues up there. We are here to help and will have food set up, but the grounds and the club will be off limits to everyone except staff. Thank you for supporting your club and we look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Questions or concerns, please e-mail General Manager Don Walton at XXXXXXX.