Psssssssssssssssst Tropical Storm Erika

[cwydro]

15. Lol, we had the canoe out...right by the front door (stairs were covered with water),

and I was placing the cats in the canoe.

The dogs were already in because they loved going paddling with me.

Meanwhile, across the street. Most of my neighbors had broken into the only two story house on the street. (This was in the Florida Keys).

They were waving and hollering for us to come up.

The water came up to my waist in the house, which was about 3 feet off the ground. As we decided what to do, we saw the water level go down. It was a huge relief. But the worst was yet to come after it receded.

We were lucky in many ways, the surge came after the winds and storm had passed. But it was damn scary. Our previous surge experience was in Hurricane Georges...that surge came at the height of the storm and scared us all to pieces. Roofs flying off and porches just peeling away.

And then the sea...

My favorite quote from the old movie Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart:

Ralphie: Hey Curly, what all happens in a hurricane?

Curly: The wind blows so hard the ocean gets up on its hind legs and walks right across the land.

I'm here to tell you that is one true statement.