Hurricane Sandy looks like a Dandy

[Dan Kelly]

Watching CNN's Ali Velshi, he is reporting from some intersection in A.C. or O.C on Jersey Shore.  The highway there where he is standing looks like he is trying to stand in the middle of the Snake River in Jackson Hole!  I'm waiting to see a dorsal fin and a great white take his leg off!  

Like this?

[RJ_Daley]

Dan, neat find.  You can Google for an image to suggest just about anything these days.  Heck, I found one that might just depict what a NYC-BC guy confession to a N.J.- ND guy,  might look like: 

[Howard Riefs]

Any word how Atlantic City Country Club fared?

[Jason Walker]

Howard-

No word on ACCC.

However-- I'm disappointed to report that as of this afternoon, Tavistock CC in Haddonfield, NJ lost, by my count after walking the course today, only three trees. 

In a year where we intend to take down several hundred.

Was really hoping for some Green Committee budget relief from Sandy! 

[Mike_Trenham]

In a year where we intend to take down several hundred.

You may need to wait until spring now, if you are using an outside tree service to deforest the course

[Jason Walker]

In a year where we intend to take down several hundred.

You may need to wait until spring now, if you are using an outside tree service to deforest the course

Mike-
Agreed, but we'll see.  Most of the work is slated for in-house, and the reality is we won't get to every tree we'd like to this year.  I was only half-joking about trying to find a silver lining for this storm. 

I'm still shocked at the lack of damage here.  You've been to Haddonfield--hard to believe the tree damage was as minimal as it was.  It was no different than a bad summer thunderstorm.  But go 30-40 miles north or west, totally different story.

[jeffwarne]

All good here-got power back last night
Incredibly lucky -minimal damage-dock, well (currently drawing saltwater ), and lawn.
It barely rained here and watched the surge under a full moon.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts and messages

Understand I am 6 hours driving time from where the eye hit and probably 150-200 miles as the crow flies, and live on one of the most protected coves between the North and south fork so I had no direct waves or winds coming at me and still watched the water rise way beyond record levels-the water was forced into the narrow back bays by the northeast winds and had nowhere to go coupled with full moon and fall tides
Others facing the wind and or wave surge weren't as lucky out here, and although the damage is unprecedented in many places out here, it pales in comparison........

My heart goes out to those in the eye and those in other the other MANY areas affected by the flooding, surge, and downed trees-It's a large area covering multiple states and with power on , I'm only now catching up on the news

I'd say officials did a great job warning people and giving them the instructions on how to prepare WELL in advance of Sandy's arrival, and also did a good job of warning people of the effects of storm surge many miles east of the actual center of the storm.
Early warning is/was key as it's hard to suddenly prepare/evacuate the # of population potentially affected
" Crying wolf" saved a lot of lives in my opinion,
I'm betting many wish they had heeded warnings and instructions.
I spoke to friend last night who spent 2 days fighting a fire in 4 feet of water-120 homes were destroyed by the fire in just that neighborhood.

Those of you who evaluate storms by wind speed, or where the storm center is, should reevaluate .
officials and media were attempting to deliver the message, but I'm sure more than a few were dissuaded from preparing/evacuating by those downplaying the storm, or calling Irene a false alarm.
Food for thought.......

[Don_Mahaffey]

Jeff,
I haven't been thru decades of storms like other gulf coast vets, but the one thing I have heard a lot is it's the surge and flooding that kill people. Sure sustained winds of 120+ like we had with Ike will cause a lot of damage, but you can hide from wind, its hard to hide from a wall of water.

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,
I haven't been thru decades of storms like other gulf coast vets, but the one thing I have heard a lot is it's the surge and flooding that kill people. Sure sustained winds of 120+ like we had with Ike will cause a lot of damage, but you can hide from wind, its hard to hide from a wall of water.

and the wind stops and doesn't breed bacteria or electrocute you
although I will say the wind saved my house(and neighborhood) because when it shifted towards the end of Sandy it stemmed the tide 2 1/2 hours before high tide peak was supposed to occur

[Patrick_Mucci]

The barrier islands in NJ were virtually decimated.

The full moon, high tide, wind and storm surge simply overwhelmed them.

[David_Tepper]

"The barrier islands in NJ were virtually decimated."

A link to a gallery of 25-30 aerial  photos from along the New Jersey coast, including one of Long Branch, where I grew up. The damage is epic.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/slideshow/Sandy-s-destruction-from-the-air-51675.php

[Mike Sweeney]

"The barrier islands in NJ were virtually decimated."

A link to a gallery of 25-30 aerial  photos from along the New Jersey coast, including one of Long Branch, where I grew up. The damage is epic.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/slideshow/Sandy-s-destruction-from-the-air-51675.php

I am not trying to minimize what happened North of the eye, but South of the eye, at least in Avalon, came through pretty well. I grew up in Avalon, New Jersey, and this is our family house for 45 years on the beach in Avalon that is now owned by my sister. The picture was taken by my brother-in-law today:



My sister knows she dodged a bullet and my brother did too as he is a block from the beach on 23rd Street in Avalon.

I saw the guy who owns the amusement pier in Seaside Heights on TV, and I think he is a Boston College guy so if anyone has a contact, please send it to me. Thanks

Avalon's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avalon-New-Jersey-The-Official-Page-of-the-Borough-of-Avalon/125693695195?ref=ts&sk=photos_stream

[David_Tepper]

Mike S. -

Looks like Avalon (and your sister & brother-in-law) was VERY lucky. I saw this interview & video report with the mayor of Belmar this morning. For starters, it looks like the entire boardwalk there was washed away.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/jersey-beach-communities-crushed-sandy-officials-vow-recover-164138169.html

DT 

[Jud_T]

Looks like Bloomberg just caved to pressure to cancel the marathon...A mistake?

[Joe Bausch]

Looks like Bloomberg just caved to pressure to cancel the marathon...A mistake?

You tell me.

[Jud_T]

Well I don't know the logistics of it all.  It seemed like if they could pull it off they could raised a lot of money and good spirits by having it, not to mention the tens of millions for the local economy which has just taken a big hit.  People in Staten Island are up in arms that there's a couple generators and police marshaling the marathon instead of helping out on the island. Power is supposed to be fully back in Manhattan tonight or tomorrow.  Tough call.  Better safe than sorry I guess, but it's not clear to me it's the right call.  My guess is that it's just too much of a logistical and political nightmare right now.  As Jeff Ross would say, "Too Soon?"

[Mark Bourgeois]

Looks like Bloomberg just caved to pressure to cancel the marathon...A mistake?

Is that what he said, that he was "caving to pressure"? I guess that's one way to describe listening to your own public safety people.

Jud, Lower Manhattan is very important economically but from a local perspective it's just a place to commute to. Meanwhile, people in Queens, Brooklyn, and SI are down on their knees and feel there is no govt presence. These people have been traumatized. They feel abandoned and lost. I'm sure people in NJ feel the same way.

When power trucks finally show up in their neighborhoods, they will be greeted like returning Roman conquerors. Food and drinks will be brought out to them and they will be worshiped. Watch and see.

There is an element of symbolism to holding and now to cancelling the marathon, yes. But leaders need to do their best to be everywhere at once in their constituencies now, not watching Kenyans break tape. Visibility gives people hope. Hope is very important. Right now one of Bloomberg's most important jobs is to help New Yorkers find their 9/11 spirit.

[Jud_T]

"While holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, it is clear that it has become the source of controversy and division"

[Mark Bourgeois]

I take it you accept his words at face value.

[Jud_T]

Mark,

Point taken.  But I would hardly characterize Manhattan below 39th Street as "just a place to commute to"...

[Mark Bourgeois]

Yes, you are right of course. It's critical to get power back on for 2 hospitals and Wall St. I just meant it's a drop in the NYC population bucket and the people who really, really need attention are in places tourists don't know, like the Rockaways.

[Mike Sweeney]

Yes, you are right of course. It's critical to get power back on for 2 hospitals and Wall St. I just meant it's a drop in the NYC population bucket and the people who really, really need attention are in places tourists don't know, like the Rockaways.

Mark,

Two hospitals are also a drop in the bucket in NYC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_New_York_City

You are way off target. My Autistic son's lawyer has an apartment in NYC, London, and a house on the Rockaways. I really do love her, but she knows how to manipulate the system for the betterment of my son. The Rockaways is home to many due to legacy, not blue collarness. My cousins have gone to Breezy Point for years. None of them are doing anything wrong but anyone with property in the Rockaways is doing just fine. 90% of the houses lost in the Rockaways will be two times as nice in one year from now. It is the home of NYC Policeman and Fireman (many Irish, but my son's lawyer is Jewish), and no one is poor. Middle class is a life style, not a government designation in the Rockaways.

Same with Avalon, NJ. Waterfront property is very very valuable in this day and age. Everyone in my family understands that these storms on a "Barrier Island" are a matter of when, not if.

New York is hosting 20,000 people tonight from nations other than the United States. My wife volunteered today at the Marathon's Expo. She was very conflicted, but I am not.

The New York Marathon IS about about Manhattan, foreign dollars, and making money. It is no different than the USGA. Both started with simple charters and they evolved to something else. Mary Whittenberg loves running for sure, but she is there to make money and she is paid very well.

Please understand that I am not saying any of the above is right, just saying that is the way it really is.

I am amazed that Bloomberg caved.

[Jud_T]

Yes, you are right of course. It's critical to get power back on for 2 hospitals and Wall St. I just meant it's a drop in the NYC population bucket and the people who really, really need attention are in places tourists don't know, like the Rockaways.

Fyi- there's close to 600,000 people without power in Manhattan, virtually all of them below 39th street.  Take your prejudices to the polls Tuesday and do your civic duty by pulling the lever for you-know-who, that is if you have power...

[Mike Sweeney]

Fyi- there's close to 600,000 people without power in Manhattan, virtually all of them below 39th street.  Take your prejudices to the polls Tuesday and do your civic duty by pulling the lever for you-know-who, that is if you have power...

Jud,

The concept that some Republican or Democrat is going to make a difference is silly. Printed in August, 2012:

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Year-after-Irene-New-Yorkers-ponder-sea-barriers-3810238.php?fb_action_ids=551204744905055&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582#page-2

Some of them stood to gain protection in an alternative design: a single, 5-mile-long barrier between Sandy Hook, N.J., and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, estimated at $5.9 billion.

Both approaches were designed to block a 25-foot storm surge but had navigational locks or other mechanisms to let water and ship traffic flow under normal conditions. Some designs featured visible walls or berms above the waterline, but one envisioned a wall that would lie flat underwater and rise into position when needed.

Advocates note that an 1821 hurricane flooded what's now Manhattan's financial district — and that experts estimate the city could face a surge as high as 25 feet and a 3 million-person evacuation if threatened by a storm as strong as a notorious 1938 hurricane that sawed through nearby Long Island. Moreover, the city projects global warming could boost sea levels by up to 4 ½ feet by the end of the century, making flooding a growing threat.

If it happens three more times, then MAYBE politicians start to think about a long term solution. $5.9 billion is alot of money even in NYC.


 

[Jud_T]

I didn't say either party would make a difference to storm preparedness.  I merely implied that it was fairly obvious which side of the bread Mark buttered based on his comments.