Playadise is saved again......

mrsy · 09-02-2004

Frances hitting the US.....all those on the east coast.....hang on to your hats!

JoanieBlon · 09-02-2004

Yep...second Class 4 hurricane to hit Florida in less than a month. Last time THAT happened was in 1950 and those were only Class 3 hurricanes and Florida didn't have the population and buildings it has now.

Francis is truly a MONSTER storm...with hurricane winds extending outward 80 miles from the eye! Charlie, by comparison, "only" had hurricane winds extending 25 miles from the eye, yet caused extreme damage in a wide swath....

Basically the entire state of Florida will be encompased by this storm, with flooding and high winds predicted for the whole peninsula. It appears now (although this could change at anytime) that the highly populated areas around Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach will take the direct hit. The southeastern counties are under an evacuation notice and I find myself wondering where the people are going as "inland" is basically nothing but the Everglades - a "sea of grass". Guess they are headed to Orlando? That's where Francis is headed too. Predictions are for Class 2 hurricane winds extending to Tampa and beyond as the storm pushes inland. {{sigh}}

My husband and I went out last evening for a bit of "Playa Dreamin'" and had mojitos, shrimp-mango-avocado salsa with plantain chips and ahi with fresh coconut ceviche in a beautiful waters edge setting overlooking Tampa Bay.... a bit of an escape from our storm worries, although our conversation did turn to what would happen to the building we were at in a hurricane....and where we could move to that has weather like Tampa, but fewer storm problems.

Today and tomorrow we will try to "batten down the hatches".... and hope that Florida doesn't get too much damage from Francis...

TAPPY · 09-02-2004

Hope you all are safe, high and dry JB....praying the storm will lessen some as it gets closer to landfall...it looks like a really bad one.

**denisea** · 09-02-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoanieBlon

Francis is truly a MONSTER storm...with hurricane winds extending outward 80 miles from the eye! Charlie, by comparison, "only" had hurricane winds extending 25 miles from the eye, yet caused extreme damage in a wide swath....

Basically the entire state of Florida will be encompased by this storm, with flooding and high winds predicted for the whole peninsula. It appears now (although this could change at anytime) that the highly populated areas around Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach will take the direct hit.

Be safe Joanie. I'm keeping a close eye on this one myself as I have many relatives that live in West Palm Beach and the surrounding area. Praying that Francis has a change in course and moves out to sea.

Doris · 09-02-2004

Joanie, where did you and your husband go to eat and have mojitos? I also had mojitos last night at the Samba room, yum yum! Looking foward to Margaritas at Vallartas on the 11th. That is if it is still standing!

JoanieBlon · 09-02-2004

We went to Bahama Breeze on Courtney Campbell...we were out on the deck and just got fisnished when the WIND from the T-Storms about blew us away! Woo-hoo!!

The mojitos were pretty good and the food too....first time we ever went there. No mojitos at Vallartas, but they do make decent margaritas.

Beachnutt · 09-02-2004

Take care Joanie. You could battan down the hatches and head for Playa. Or back to New Orleans for another candle lighting. It worked for Earle.

Fernanda · 09-02-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doris

Joanie, where did you and your husband go to eat and have mojitos? I also had mojitos last night at the Samba room, yum yum! Looking foward to Margaritas at Vallartas on the 11th. That is if it is still standing!

yeap!! same thing , I was wondering where... sounds delicious!!.... see you on the 11th!!!

JoanieBlon · 09-02-2004

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar lob out in the Atlantic Ocean and making two basic meteorological points.

(1) There is no need to panic.
(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one". Based on insurance industry experience, it is recommended that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.
STEP 2: Put these supplies into your car.
STEP 3: Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida.

We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and
(2) It is located in Wisconsin

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss.

SHUTTERS: Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, there are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap.

Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be probably be December.

Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

Hurricane-Proof windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska.

HURRICANE PROOFING YOUR PROPERTY: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc... You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

EVACUATION ROUTE: If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area). The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

HURRICANE SUPPLIES: If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM. In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

* 23 flashlights; at least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes off, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.

* Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for, but it's traditional, so GET some!)

* A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)

* A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through Andrew; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.) (Note: There are MORE alligators in Florida than people! 4 gators to 1 person!)

* $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man having no discernible teeth.

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck, and remember: It's great living in Paradise.

Entilzha · 09-02-2004

Since this comes from someone who is about to get hit by hurricane/tropical storm No 3, I can ROTFL

Well the only (and only) good thing about the new tracking is that, for once this season, the people in the Carolinas won't get another foot of rain.

Denisea, send us a pic if you see anyone loading pairs of animals into a big boat

supercat · 09-02-2004

Take care JoanieBlon. Living in the middle of Canada we only have to worry if it will dump a foot of snow on us before the crops are in .... which will probably be the case this year.

BTW ... I think the bleach is to sterilize water for drinking purposes .... it works .... takes awful , but have used it on long range canoe trips. If I were you i'd stick to the mojitoes.

Good luck.

TAPPY · 09-02-2004

You forgot one Joanie:

When the eye of the Hurricane is over your house you go jump in your car and drive around neighborhood/town (gawking) and look at all the damage - then hurry back home before the 2nd part of the storm hits....and of course there is some fool who will also think this is a prime time to go surfing !!!!

Be safe Joanie and all of the other PlayaInfo folks who live in Florida ....looks like the whole state of Florida is going to evacuate !!!

Softy57 · 09-02-2004

This is a sceeeery storm, & I have lots of friends with homes & loved ones on the east coast of Fla.As we did with Doris a week or so ago,lets all put our prayers together for all those that we know & love on the east coast of Fla. & beyond.While I know that prayer won't stop the course of the storm,I also know we can pray for the safety of our friends/loved ones. So lets get on it...shall we?
Let the sun shine.

supercat · 09-02-2004

Am I wrong or is there another storm building in the Atlantic (East of South America)that appears to be tracking south of Frances ... keep your fingers crossed that this doesn't track south of Cuba into the Yucatan.

dane · 09-03-2004

Sitting here in Fort Lauderdale, the night before Frances may strike, come here to "escape" the doom and gloom around here -- and I find this thread. too funny.

09-02-2004	#1 (permalink)
mrsy beachaholic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: at the beach Posts: 305	Playadise is saved again...... Frances hitting the US.....all those on the east coast.....hang on to your hats!

09-02-2004	#2 (permalink)
JoanieBlon añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 2,305	We Feel Like Sitting Ducks Here...... Yep...second Class 4 hurricane to hit Florida in less than a month. Last time THAT happened was in 1950 and those were only Class 3 hurricanes and Florida didn't have the population and buildings it has now. Francis is truly a MONSTER storm...with hurricane winds extending outward 80 miles from the eye! Charlie, by comparison, "only" had hurricane winds extending 25 miles from the eye, yet caused extreme damage in a wide swath.... Basically the entire state of Florida will be encompased by this storm, with flooding and high winds predicted for the whole peninsula. It appears now (although this could change at anytime) that the highly populated areas around Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach will take the direct hit. The southeastern counties are under an evacuation notice and I find myself wondering where the people are going as "inland" is basically nothing but the Everglades - a "sea of grass". Guess they are headed to Orlando? That's where Francis is headed too. Predictions are for Class 2 hurricane winds extending to Tampa and beyond as the storm pushes inland. {{sigh}} My husband and I went out last evening for a bit of "Playa Dreamin'" and had mojitos, shrimp-mango-avocado salsa with plantain chips and ahi with fresh coconut ceviche in a beautiful waters edge setting overlooking Tampa Bay.... a bit of an escape from our storm worries, although our conversation did turn to what would happen to the building we were at in a hurricane....and where we could move to that has weather like Tampa, but fewer storm problems. Today and tomorrow we will try to "batten down the hatches".... and hope that Florida doesn't get too much damage from Francis...

09-02-2004	#6 (permalink)
JoanieBlon añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 2,305	Mojitos We went to Bahama Breeze on Courtney Campbell...we were out on the deck and just got fisnished when the WIND from the T-Storms about blew us away! Woo-hoo!! The mojitos were pretty good and the food too....first time we ever went there. No mojitos at Vallartas, but they do make decent margaritas. Last edited by JoanieBlon; 09-02-2004 at 11:23 AM.. Reason: typo

09-02-2004	#9 (permalink)
JoanieBlon añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 2,305	Hurricane Season-Sometimes It Helps to Laugh..... HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar lob out in the Atlantic Ocean and making two basic meteorological points. (1) There is no need to panic. (2) We could all be killed. Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one". Based on insurance industry experience, it is recommended that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan: STEP 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days. STEP 2: Put these supplies into your car. STEP 3: Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween. Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida. We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items: HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements: (1) It is reasonably well-built, and (2) It is located in Wisconsin Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. SHUTTERS: Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, there are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages: Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be probably be December. Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them. Hurricane-Proof windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska. HURRICANE PROOFING YOUR PROPERTY: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc... You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles. EVACUATION ROUTE: If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area). The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely. HURRICANE SUPPLIES: If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM. In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies: * 23 flashlights; at least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes off, to be the wrong size for the flashlights. * Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for, but it's traditional, so GET some!) * A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.) * A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through Andrew; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.) (Note: There are MORE alligators in Florida than people! 4 gators to 1 person!) * $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man having no discernible teeth. Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean. Good luck, and remember: It's great living in Paradise. __________________ VIEW OUR TRAVEL SLIDE SHOWS HERE

09-02-2004	#13 (permalink)
Softy57 añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Massachusetts,U.S.A. Posts: 1,723	God keep Ya'all Safe This is a sceeeery storm, & I have lots of friends with homes & loved ones on the east coast of Fla.As we did with Doris a week or so ago,lets all put our prayers together for all those that we know & love on the east coast of Fla. & beyond.While I know that prayer won't stop the course of the storm,I also know we can pray for the safety of our friends/loved ones. So lets get on it...shall we? Let the sun shine.

09-02-2004	#3 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,900	Hope you all are safe, high and dry JB....praying the storm will lessen some as it gets closer to landfall...it looks like a really bad one.

09-02-2004	#5 (permalink)
Doris life=playa Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jackson, MS ......for now! Posts: 512	Joanie, where did you and your husband go to eat and have mojitos? I also had mojitos last night at the Samba room, yum yum! Looking foward to Margaritas at Vallartas on the 11th. That is if it is still standing!

09-02-2004	#7 (permalink)
Beachnutt añejo Join Date: May 2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 4,092	Take care Joanie. You could battan down the hatches and head for Playa. Or back to New Orleans for another candle lighting. It worked for Earle.

09-02-2004	#10 (permalink)
Entilzha beachaholic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sherbrooke QC Posts: 289	Since this comes from someone who is about to get hit by hurricane/tropical storm No 3, I can ROTFL Well the only (and only) good thing about the new tracking is that, for once this season, the people in the Carolinas won't get another foot of rain. Denisea, send us a pic if you see anyone loading pairs of animals into a big boat

09-02-2004	#11 (permalink)
supercat into ruins Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Winnipeg MB Canada Posts: 62	Take care JoanieBlon. Living in the middle of Canada we only have to worry if it will dump a foot of snow on us before the crops are in .... which will probably be the case this year. BTW ... I think the bleach is to sterilize water for drinking purposes .... it works .... takes awful , but have used it on long range canoe trips. If I were you i'd stick to the mojitoes. Good luck.

09-02-2004	#12 (permalink)
TAPPY añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,900	You forgot one Joanie: When the eye of the Hurricane is over your house you go jump in your car and drive around neighborhood/town (gawking) and look at all the damage - then hurry back home before the 2nd part of the storm hits....and of course there is some fool who will also think this is a prime time to go surfing !!!! Be safe Joanie and all of the other PlayaInfo folks who live in Florida ....looks like the whole state of Florida is going to evacuate !!!

09-02-2004	#14 (permalink)
supercat into ruins Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Winnipeg MB Canada Posts: 62	Am I wrong or is there another storm building in the Atlantic (East of South America)that appears to be tracking south of Frances ... keep your fingers crossed that this doesn't track south of Cuba into the Yucatan.

09-03-2004	#15 (permalink)
dane into ruins Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale/ Sugarbush, VT Posts: 69	Sitting here in Fort Lauderdale, the night before Frances may strike, come here to "escape" the doom and gloom around here -- and I find this thread. too funny.

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