Hurricanes for 2006

[Smiling JOe]

BR: What a great quote on your website. Hah! Thanks for the offer. I keep frequent fliers in my account so that I can fly down after a hurricane to check on things. I was able to do that after Ivan and 2 others (can't remember the names).

No one answered my question about how someone would get to SoWal if the bridges were down. Anyone have any ideas? Better of flying into Valparaiso or Panama City. I really these may seem like dumb questions for those of you very familiar with the area, but I just don't have a sense of the roads/bridges/routes. I always just get to the cottage and think only of the porch, pool, beach, restaurants, family and friends, etc.

Well, if you have a boat north of the Bay, you could launch on Black Creek River and drive over to Magnolia Beach s/d, and walk about 3.7 miles to Grayton Beach.

 

[Paula]

Well, if you have a boat north of the Bay, you could launch on Black Creek River and drive over to Magnolia Beach s/d, and walk about 3.7 miles to Grayton Beach.

Thanks. Any other routes or suggestions for getting to our places on 30A? I'm quite the planner and like to plan for worst case scenarios. Frankly, there are many people on this board who would rise to the occasion should it become necessary. The more ideas we give people who want to help after a hurricane, the better off (and safer) everyone will be. Ideally, we won't have to use the plans, but it's good to have them. Officials will do what they can do in a crisis, but individuals and groups are better off being ready to take action as well.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Thanks. Any other routes or suggestions for getting to our places on 30A? I'm quite the planner and like to plan for worst case scenarios. Frankly, there are many people on this board who would rise to the occasion should it become necessary. The more ideas we give people who want to help after a hurricane, the better off (and safer) everyone will be. Ideally, we won't have to use the plans, but it's good to have them. Officials will do what they can do in a crisis, but individuals and groups are better off being ready to take action as well.

There are many potential routes by water to get to SoWal. You could even put a boat in West Bay (PCB) and shoot up the Intercoastal, take a left turn on Peach creek and get out at Hwy 98, but your boat had best be small.

 

[Paula]

There are many potential routes by water to get to SoWal. You could even put a boat in West Bay (PCB) and shoot up the Intercoastal, take a left turn on Peach creek and get out at Hwy 98, but your boat had best be small.

Sounds like I'll need to get out a good map when I'm down there and work through the different routes with someone who lives locally. Maybe I'll learn to fish and get to know the different waterways.

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

If you don't have too many windows, you might want to consider getting accordian style hurricane shutters installed on your house. They are easy to close and lock and there is no storage required. We had these installed on our 3 story beach house a year ago and we're very glad we did. They can be expensive, but they paid for themselves after a couple of hurricanes. It was physically impossible for us to board up the top 2 stories of our house and had to hire someone to do it for Ivan. Expensive to put plywood boards up, expensive to get them down. Never again.

Need to check with your HOA regarding allowable types of shutters. We just approved a metal roll down shutter on am home at Seacrest Beach because it was only on the front door and pretty well hidden from the street when rolled up. All the others had to be wood so double check.

 

[Paula]

Need to check with your HOA regarding allowable types of shutters. We just approved a metal roll down shutter on am home at Seacrest Beach because it was only on the front door and pretty well hidden from the street when rolled up. All the others had to be wood so double check.

Thanks, Cork. I know our community must approve all shutters and I'm not sure the metal ones will be allowed. Don't know if I'd really do shutters anyway. We'll see how the next few hurricane seasons go and how hard it is to find someone to put up plywood when we need it.

 

[yippie]

Thanks. Any other routes or suggestions for getting to our places on 30A? I'm quite the planner and like to plan for worst case scenarios. Frankly, there are many people on this board who would rise to the occasion should it become necessary. The more ideas we give people who want to help after a hurricane, the better off (and safer) everyone will be. Ideally, we won't have to use the plans, but it's good to have them. Officials will do what they can do in a crisis, but individuals and groups are better off being ready to take action as well.

The Mid-Bay Bridge into Destin usually opens fairly quickly. Also the Phillips Inlet Bridge into Inlet Beach.

However, Walton County is famous for closing part of the beach roads after hurricanes until the access the damage, and they are "guarded" by the Sheriff's office. The only people allowded through are owners, so be ready to prove you are the owner of a home. Maybe a few utility bills, tax bill, bring something that can link your name as an owner or you will be turned away.

 

[Beach Runner]

What I worry about is getting *out* of there before the storm. For obvious reasons, we like to wait as long as possible before boarding up. After boarding up for Katrina, we had decided to stay. But then we heard that all bridges were closing soon because the winds were getting close to 40 mph and that there would be no way out. So, as exhausted as we were from just finishing the laborious task of boarding up, we decided to leave. We didn't want to get trapped.

Is it true that there is no way out of SoWal by car when the winds get to 40 MPH because all bridges are closed and there's no route that doesn't involve a bridge?

 

[Smiling JOe]

What I worry about is getting *out* of there before the storm. For obvious reasons, we like to wait as long as possible before boarding up. After boarding up for Katrina, we had decided to stay. But then we heard that all bridges were closing soon because the winds were getting close to 40 mph and that there would be no way out. So, as exhausted as we were from just finishing the laborious task of boarding up, we decided to leave. We didn't want to get trapped.

Is it true that there is no way out of SoWal by car when the winds get to 40 MPH because all bridges are closed and there's no route that doesn't involve a bridge?

Walton Co bridges close when sustained winds reach 40mph, and believe me, you do not want to be on the bridge or causeway when the wind is blowing that strong. It is like going through a car wash which has a strong blow dryer, except you will be swerving all over the place. I think the midbay bridge closes when winds reach 50mph, but you will have much traffic to fight through, so by the time you reach it, it may be closed due to higher wind speeds -- a gamble that I, personally, would not take. The best thing to do in order to avoid traffic, gas lines, running out of gas, getting trapped, etc, is to evacuate prior to the mandetory evacuations.

 

[Paula]

Thanks about the reminder to bring copies of some bills. We are indeed property owners and would want to assess damage asap.

Also, the precautions about staying off windy bridges makes a lot of sense. We have a long bridge in upper Michigan and every few years someone driving by car is blown off. One person/car was never found again.