Day 00 – Hurricane Sandy Comes Calling
There is only so much time each day to do what we must. I love doing the blogs from our workshops, but in the interest of taking less of my time (and yours), I am going to make them shorter and perhaps more frequent. Time will tell.
We returned to the Outer Banks today. Hurricane Sandy is lurking offshore, wreaking havoc with wind and sea. The winds aren’t too bad yet, and there is no talk of evacuation. According to the weather reports, the highest ones will happen off Virginia Beach in another day or so. Tomorrow is supposed to be our worst day, but wild and wooly weather can make for some dramatic photographs.
Today, we visited some favorite piers. It’s a good place to be when the winds are a steady 30, with gusts, of course, much higher. The piers will be closed tomorrow at noon. One was already closed this afternoon. It’s a pity, as I would be out on them. They can afford some safety from the sea, as long as the waters stay well below the level of the pier. Today, the occasional wave would almost reach the pier deck, then spray great clouds of scud. Those of us out there stayed to windward or in the lee of the fishing shelters. Tomorrow, it is good that the piers will not be accessible, much as I might wish to be there. With higher winds, the higher waves will, I suspect, crash over the piers. Better to enjoy the safety of the shore.
After all, our participants arrive tomorrow!
Next: The First Day of the Workshop
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Remember bad weather makes great photographic opportunities.
For sure! Arnie and I remember our first workshop here many years ago. The weather forecast was putrid … rain, rain, and more rain.
One of our participants asked, “What are we going to do if it rains?”
“What do you mean, ‘What are we going to do if it rains?'” I responded.
“Well, if it rains, what are we going to do,” he asked hopefully, as though I had not understood him the first time.
“I don’t know about you,” I said, “but I’m going to go photograph. Are you going to tell me that if you go on that once-in-a-life-time trip, and it rains, you aren’t going to want to bring back memories?”
Everyone laughed, and they made some great photographs that week.
Be safe you crazy kids!
Thanks, Nikki, but we will not take chances. The storm track is offshore, so we are not getting the brunt of Hurricane Sandy’s fury, just the residual effects – rain and winds of 36 mph with gusts up to 52, according to the local instruments. The roads are not flooded, and as we look out our room at the First Colony Inn, we can still see the yellow line on the beach road. All is well! Offshore, however, the doppler radar shows 90 mph winds east of us this afternoon, increasing to 100 off Virginia Beach and the DelMarVa Peninsula by tomorrow afternoon, stronger for longer than anticipated yesterday afternoon. Philly is supposed to also get the brunt of it as Sandy heads on to the Harrisburg area. Of course, that changes hour by hour at Sandy’s whim.
Take care,
TBC and Arnie