I hope everyone in the path of this storm is safe. It will going through the heart of American quail country later today. No telling how many old Live Oaks and Long Leaf Pines will get destroyed.

I was born in Panama City. I have a lot of family in the area. Many of them live in houses that I would not want to be in during a minor hurricane much less this one. It was just announced sustained winds of 155 MPH. They refuse to leave. I am worried.

It is going to go through the Carolinas which do not need this at all. The gift that keeps on giving.

When I was in Thomasville last Spring I commented to my wife that our Live Oaks could never get this big due to the number of Hurricanes that come through Eastern NC.

That area of Southern Ga has some of the most beautiful trees on Earth.







Florence killed 50 people. I hope everyone is safe.

Headed to the farm now to pull riser boards move equipment. Then to coast to get boats out of the water. Good thing is that this storm is moving fast. Hope that no trees fall on any buildings.

Unfeeling bastard that I am have little sympathy for those too dumb to get out of the way when they've been warned in plenty of time. It's going to be a major storm.

I wish everyone well. But, can't help those that won't pay attention and help themselves.

George

Prayers for all those affected by these storms.

George, I don't see it as a case of being unfeeling but a case of simply viewing the situation differently.

I am the first to get ready to vacate a spot if there is a possibility of a tornado coming anywhere close and I won't live somewhere that my home will get flooded out.

It is just a difference in attitudes.

It was a pretty rough ride for those who stayed. The area of impact is a largely rural area with lots of dirt roads and two lane roads. Many of these roads are impassable because of the number of trees down. One family friend is married to a highway patrolman. He cannot report for duty because of all the downed trees.

The storm intensified quickly and unexpectedly shortly before landfall. What was just another storm at one point became a monster pretty quickly. This posed a real dilemma for those who may have realized that they needed to leave given the new intensity. The roads do not facilitate mass evacuation of people. The closest interstate highway is about 50 miles away. There are no other major highways that do not have constant stops. The last thing they needed was to get stuck in a car as this thing hit.

Personally, I was most worried about an aunt who is in her mid 70’s. She lives in a 100 plus year old house. I would not call it sturdy. She did leave and go to their church which is rock solid. There is a tree in her yard that was fully mature when I was a kid over 50 years ago. The tree was blown over but not on the house. It remains to be seen what other damage there might be.

Windows were blown out in the hospital I was born in.

Not a good day. Only 2 dead thus far.

Sounds like some areas didn't do too bad, others really caught hell. I spent a month at East Point, fished at Apalachicola and quite a few various areas. Paper said they were nailed hard. Lots of buildings that had been there forever were wiped out. From what I could see while there, quite a few buildings did look like they'd been there forever.

Highway across the river is on a berm/fill and not much over 5 feet above high tide. Wouldn't take much of a wave to breach it. Some boats were on the roadway. Lot of flooding at Apalach. Whole lot of that area is mostly swamp, or lake with lot's of small coves and marina's full of boats. storm like that, no doubt would blow lots of 'em "away". Tie off points on boats are a WISH and Hope mostly, not many will hold much.

I was amazed at just the two lane hiways thru much of Fla. I drove from Ga. to East Point then on west thru the whole distance out the far west end of the panhandle. All on just that two lane hiway. Until then I'd always figured Panama City was a big doings. It's likely I didn't see much of it as I just drove thru fairly slow looking. No matter where I am, I enjoy Looking at everything I can.

Larry, hope they all came thru ok.

George