August 22, 1991 - Hurricanes: A Blow-by-Blow AccountCS The Suffolk Times • August 22, 1991
Hurricanes: Aglow -by -Blow Account
By Paul Stoutenburah
Hurricanes always bring back memo-
ries of past big blows, the most note-
worthy being the big one in 1938. I
was in high school then. We were all
excited about a new addition to the
school being built, that is until the
hurricane took the new roof off and
threw it across the ball field. Living the
farthest away we were the first to board
the school bus in hopes of getting us
home. Already the great elms that lined
the streets were being blown over. Later
we'd see our town bare of trees, making
the streets look naked. It was then we
realized how important trees were to
give beauty and chann to the area.
Needless to say, our bus never made
it. Rather we were stopped by falling
trees all around us. Our world had be-
come a nightmare of rain, wind and up-
rooted trees. What had made this hurri-
cane so devastating to trees was that the
ground had been saturated days before by
driving rains. Now the roots and
holding power of the trees were
diminished and they blew over by the
thousands. We hitched short rides and
walked most of the way home.
When I arrived at the road to our
house on the bay, every one of the big
trees were toppled over. My heart
pounded as I approached our house in
anticipation of what might have hap-
pened. The house was lost in a tangle of
trees that had gone down. Those were
the days when chainsaws were in their
infancy and it was here I learned to use
the bucksaw and help my dad on the
other end of the big two -man saw.
Other hurricanes have come and gone
leaving faint memories. One took the
life of my boat. It was nothing great
but for years I cherished it and took care
of it only to have it die, being pounded
to death on the dock it was tied to. It
was the only time I was away during
one of these big blows. I had taken
many fishing and hunting trips in that
little boat and once I almost lost my
life trying to get to it. It was one of
Focus on
Nature
those northeasters that boiled out of
nowhere during the winter and brought
with it enormous tides.
More than I Bargained For
I was going duck hunting in one of
my favorite spots knowing full well it
was protected to some extent from the
howling winds. I grabbed my bag of old
decoys and my Fox double - barrel shot-
gun. Then, draped in rain gear and
boots, I headed for the boat. The engine
started and I was soon putting across the
bay in a rain that blanketed the
shoreline behind me. I had a duck blind
along the beach and so headed about a
quarter of a mile to the south where I
could anchor the boat out of sight. I
lugged the bag of "stool" (duck decoys)
up the beach and set them out in front
of the blind. There was a little water in
the bottom of the blind but I paid little
attention to it. This was my kind of
weather. I can't remember if I got any
ducks or not but I do remember my
hasty retreat that day.
By now the water had risen in the
blind halfway up my boots. The strong
east wind was doing its job with a
howling rain and tide above normal.
Soon it was high enough that it touched
my seat and so it was time to retreat. I
waded out to collect my decoys, going
over the tops of my boots in the extra -
high water.
Collecting all my gear I headed for
the boat, now almost lost in the white
sheets of driving rain. The problem was
that the beach I had once walked on was
now under water and my boat in deeper
water yet. Waist deep I waded out in the
cold water of winter and hurled my bag
of wet decoys over the rail along with
the now - dripping shotgun. To get in
with boots full of water was a struggle
that drained every bit of energy out of
me. Lying on the wet deck, exhausted. I
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THE WRATH OF HURRICANES — Whether it is the hurricane of
1938, Gloria or Bob, all wield a powerful hand on man's world. Hopefully
it will give us an understanding of who's in charge.
lifted my legs to let the water out of my
boots. Thank God, the motor started and
I made my way home slowly across a
wild and windblown bay.
Hurricane Gloria a few years ago was
one that most can relate to for it seemed
to touch everyone. In the early days of
hurricanes our East End was not as
heavily populated as it is now and many
of the summer folks were gone after
Labor Day. Today they linger. Gloria
raised havoc with boaters. Many who
had not experienced a hurricane left their
boats with insufficient anchors. By then
I had learned my lesson and had taken
our SeaWind to a protected cove in front
of a good friend's house. She rode the
blow out well. Her only complaint be-
ing the leaves that blew on her.
Hurricane is Imminent
I could almost feel Hurricane Bob
coming up the coast for the hot sultry
days before it gave us a warning of
things to come. Of course, we all
tracked it on our TVs and so no one
should have been unprepared. I remem-
ber when it really started. I had previ-
ously tamed off my windmill by tether-
ing the great blades so the mill would
act just as a weather vane. It faced di-
rectly east, the storm quadrant.
Then there was that strong blast of
'
BRWFN NEW LONDON, a 8 OEM POINT, NY
SCHEDULE • 6/28/91 - 9/3/91
MONDAY- SUNDAY
DEPART OP
ORNAMENTAL select/variet
TOO AM 100 PM
varieties of
PLANTINGS perennials, herbs
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.-. GREENHOUSE and ornamental
9:00 5:00
� grasses.
10:00 6.00
NORTH ROAb (RtEJ 8)
11:00 1:00
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OPEN SUNDAY ORNAMENTAL
Perennials, Grasses, Herbs —►
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ONLY GREENHOUSE
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NURSERY:
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RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED
477 -2680
MAIN OFFICE , A= BERrSON LANE
COMPLEX: R.R.BtID6E :�
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■ f-- —t► ■
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
THE WRATH OF HURRICANES — Whether it is the hurricane of
1938, Gloria or Bob, all wield a powerful hand on man's world. Hopefully
it will give us an understanding of who's in charge.
lifted my legs to let the water out of my
boots. Thank God, the motor started and
I made my way home slowly across a
wild and windblown bay.
Hurricane Gloria a few years ago was
one that most can relate to for it seemed
to touch everyone. In the early days of
hurricanes our East End was not as
heavily populated as it is now and many
of the summer folks were gone after
Labor Day. Today they linger. Gloria
raised havoc with boaters. Many who
had not experienced a hurricane left their
boats with insufficient anchors. By then
I had learned my lesson and had taken
our SeaWind to a protected cove in front
of a good friend's house. She rode the
blow out well. Her only complaint be-
ing the leaves that blew on her.
Hurricane is Imminent
I could almost feel Hurricane Bob
coming up the coast for the hot sultry
days before it gave us a warning of
things to come. Of course, we all
tracked it on our TVs and so no one
should have been unprepared. I remem-
ber when it really started. I had previ-
ously tamed off my windmill by tether-
ing the great blades so the mill would
act just as a weather vane. It faced di-
rectly east, the storm quadrant.
Then there was that strong blast of
'
BRWFN NEW LONDON, a 8 OEM POINT, NY
SCHEDULE • 6/28/91 - 9/3/91
MONDAY- SUNDAY
DEPART OP
DEPART NL
TOO AM 100 PM
7.00 AM 3.00 PM
8.00 4:00
8..00 4:00
9:00 5:00
9:00 5:00
10:00 6.00
MOO 6:00
11:00 1:00
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12:OOPM 8.00
12:OOPM 8:00
1:00 9.00
1.00 9:00
2:00 9:45
2:00 9:45
FOR VEHICLE RESERVADONS OR INFORMATION GALL-
ON LONG IS[ANO IN CONNECKUT
516. 323.2525 203-443.5281
516. 313.2743 203-444 -0783
516. 323.2695 203-444.503
516. 323.2415 203-444-0482
RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED
IF YOU ARE TAKING A VEHICLE.
wind — with the rain that was coming
down, that should have told everyone
the stage was being set for the big
blow. Soon the wind was roaring
through the trees. Limbs, leaves and
wind filled the air. Great crashes could
be heard when limbs dropped on the
roof as the trees bent under the weight
of rain and wind. We watched the tops
of trees literally being twisted off from
the overburdened canopy. As the
moisture worked its way into the
ground, some trees lost their footing
and pulled out.
I wanted to experience it all and so
put on rain gear and walked out into the
center of the pasture. The only safe
place to be. Now I could see the great
hand of the storm lying over the trees
and drowning them with great masses of
rain. My back was to its force and I
breathed solid moisture. Apples and
peaches from my litle orchard swung
like Christmas balls only to be flung
across the yard. Leaves became stream-
lined to offer the least resistance to the
tearing wind. The swaying limbs and
branches moved into new realms, hit-
ting unfamiliar obstacles that tore the
leaves to shreds and splattered on win-
dows, houses, cars and anything in their
.way.
A robin's nest over our patio with
young was tossed to the wind. Its con-
tents I couldn't find. Ironically I saw the
parent birds with a mouthful of worms
after it was all over still looking for
those gaping mouths. Hurricanes are
weeders of our woods. It takes out the
weak and the diseased, plus a few more.
Man with all his gadgetry can track and
take pictures of its movements but can
do little to alter its direction. It rules
with a powerful hand. Our only hope of
survival with hurricanes is to try to un-
derstand them and learn how to live
with them. A lesson we should learn
not only related to hurricanes but with
the rest of the world as well.
The Suffolk Times
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