GP2K5 Surfing Short Story - Ophelia Made Me Cancel!
by Craig Kemnitz (Chicago)
Thu Sep 1, 2005 - Katrina and NC Gas Shortage?
I have heard some horror stories about gasoline and some are bogus, but
I am wondering the state of gas availability in NC and southern
Virginia. I imagine delivery to the Island could be spotty.
Here (Chicago) gas is now ~$4.00 per gallon and expected to climb. And
it is up $.75 since the end of the hurricane. There are also spot
shortages.
I also read some airports are running out of jet fuel, 10 could close temporarily, including Atlanta.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2005-08-31-katrina-jetfuel-usat_x.htm
Heard anything? I will research it further. We want hurricane swell,
not lasting negative efects from previous ones to affect the trip!
Rod replies on Sept 2nd:
We'll go to Frisco if we need to because of conditions... but instead
of driving back and forth and consuming mass quantities of gas, we
shall dine a Bubba's and consume mass quantities of beer, and make our
own gas!
People are panicking in Baltimore today. My wife reports long lines and
empty gas stations, fueled by a rumor the governor was going to shut
down all gas stations starting at 4pm and through Labor Day (he's a
republican and that IS a socialist democrat's holiday!). We aren't
going anywhere this weekend and I will ride the train next week to work.
RickM replies,
"Read House Rule #7. :)"
Sept 8, 2005: Opelia
Will
this come up the coast right to Hatteras Island and ruin our trip,
i.e., Isabel? (Hurricanes are supposed to stay away, but be close
enough to produce good swell!)
Fri Sep 9, 2005,
Re: [GP] Re: 3 'Canes with 2 Days to Go
So we should be "ready" for another evacuation? If the thing gets too close it will wreck wave quality.
Sat, Sept 10, 2005
Latest Track of Ophelia
According to reports, Ophelia will come ashore in SC on Monday. By
Thursday the track I saw puts it on top of Norfolk. I fly out on
Thursday from Norfolk. I won't cancel the trip unless absolutely
necessary. But that looks like a possibility now. I wish this thing
would go south or straight east.
Mon, Sept 12, 2005
Because of the approaching Ophelia I am cancelling
the trip down. It makes no sense to come down just to be evacuated and
the Weather Channel confirms it this AM. My cab will be here in 1/3
hour to the airport, But troops are being ordered to the east part of
the Carolinas. All the best for a safe journey.
Wed Sep 14, 2005, What I had versus what I missed....
Alright. I wussed out. You guys go into these hurricane things with
some experience behind your respective belts. The only memory I had of
near-contact with a hurricane was the 1,000 + mile drive (each way)
with kids and wife in tow, then turning around 36 hours later to leave,
only having bodyboarded VAS conditions. Isabel sucked.
At 4AM on Monday I was not sufficiently convinced that I would not get
burned again. So I wussed out. BUT, Rod says I have credit towards next
year AND I have a ticket to Norfolk FULLY paid, as long as I use it
within one year.
I am very happy for all of you that you scored!!
But don't think I sat around watching the weather channel for very long...
because the weather channel showed a massive low pressure system
approaching. And with it, we had BIG south winds with 90F + temps.
I drove up to the mid section of the Lake here. We had 2-4 ft perfect
offshores and I surfed all day yesterday up in Sheboygan. It looked
like a mini version of those pics from your photo sessions, nice lefts,
followed by Blatz in the parking lot.
I just got home this morning after the tornadoes blew through up there
and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands and blew down trees.
That system up here is why Ophelia stalled.
Anyway, glad you all had a great time.
And posting to alt.surfing: At 4AM Monday I checked
the cost of a last minute west coast flight. It was over $600, that is
for me prohibitive. My next ocean trip will have to wait until next
month. I thought for sure GP would be VAS, but apparenly I was wrong.
So, making the best out of the situation and seeing a very big low
blowing in off of the great plains, the NOAA forecasts were for 35 mph
over Lake Michigan, 90F and sunny. It took Monday night for the system
to advance and kick up some waves.
I raced up to Sheboygan, got a motel room and got up early. So the SSW
kicked up some nice waist high waves, nice little lefts, and the west
component took it offshore at a spot we call the Elbow. The air
temp was glorious, but the water temp dropped to about 50F right there.
Strong west winds do that on the west side of the Lake causing
upwelling from a deep part of the Lake. I was wearing just a shorty, so
it was a little chilly.
The surf was small but very good until about noon and from there it
died as the wests became stronger and blew the waves back. Only two
others were out. The party continued in the parking lot with free beer
from the Blatz crew (no cell phone toss yesterday).
Finally at sundown, massive thunderheads appeared and we had gales with
wind speeds to 76 mph, the winds shifted from the north. The sheets of
rain and lightening quickly dispersed the party. 70,000 people in the
area lost lights and trees blew down, so this system must bave been a
midget cousin of Ophelia! Actually this system is what made Opelia
"linger" as it did.
I am back in Chicago now, and the passing system should kick up some small waves by morning down at the south end, on norths.
Sheboygan was no GP or Hatteras, but I have to do a presentation tomorrow and CANNOT
afford to be stuck in Norfolk, as might have happened had I gone down.
.
|
Empty Lake Surf Peak
|
|
