Waiting for Charley
 

For those in other parts of the world, Florida is looking at a big hurricane to hit the west coast. Being on the east coast, I shouldn't have to worry too much. But there our board members that live near the projected path of a level 4 hurricane.

If you live on the west coast, WHY ARE YOU READING THE BOARDS?!? STOW YOUR GEAR AND HANG ON! Seriously... Take care and let us know how you are making out.

Reporting from Orlando... well, I survived! Charley hit Orlando pretty much right on, with our only protection being that we were far enough inland to have it break apart just a bit.

However, powerlines are out everywhere, solid oak trees are snapped like twigs everywhere you go, all mixed up in the powerlines... Luckily running water is in great shape.

My folks live just outside downtown near the Millennia Mall (rich fancypants mall) and they seem to have gotten their electricity and even cable back (Figures - there's a Tiffany's in there). So, of course, I'm over at their place right now.

As far as my home, luckily even though homes and cars had 500lb oak trees all over them to the left and right of me, my place (and my Mini Cooper) was completely unscathed. Electricity is out though, and has been since yesterday evening.

Down the road from me is the Orlando Executive Airport, which is a cessna/small engine airport, and there are cessnas strewn about like toys - some smashed, some just hanging out upside down. I took a few pictures with a film cam, but it'll be a while before I get them developed.

All in all, it could have been much worse, but tell that to the many people who got it much worse than myself.

Oh, and my DVX100A is unscathed. PHEW!

Glad to hear you survived, and came out ok. It swerved away from us, and the outer bands were pretty worn down. I'm wondering how the guys in Clearwater made out.

I don't think Clearwater/Tampa got it bad at all... at least I haven't heard much about them on the news. All the news stations are focused around Punta Gorda - the worst hit of us all.

I watched it from up here in the DC Metro area. Fortunately my house in in Boca. Missed it entirely.

I think it was following you! Glad to hear you made it ok.

Keith, it certainly did last year. I moved into my apartment in Arlington on Sep 13th, a few days later the hurricane hit.
then I watched the projected path of Charley and it was Deja Vu all over again.:) Thankfully it dispersed.

Wahooo... just got electricity back. Took almost 5 days - but I'm not complaining - I was expecting it to be out until Saturday night.

Whenever I think I have even the smallest amount of hardship I just remember there's a war going on (which is easily forgotten here in the U.S., ironically) and I realize my issues are tiny.

Tampa, St Pete. and Clearwater go missed altogether. The eastern edge of Hillsborough county got some of the winds and rain but nothing too severe. It was very strange, at 8 p.m. that evening (when Charley was projected to be hitting us) my wife and I were outside watching a sunset. It wasn't even windy and no rain at all. Charley just slid right by Pinellas county.

I survived!!!! I'm here on Ft. Myers Beach and I was just allowed to come back home today! Everything is crazy around here. Lots of homes and buildings destroyed. Nobody was allowed on the island for a long time so we were getting pretty pissed about that but me and my family are okay. We've just been waiting to get back on the island and check out our home but its fine and we have power how so everything is good. The town council is getting sued pretty bad right now for the way they have treated us, not letting us get to our homes on the island and not helping the residents who stayed on the island during the storm. We also have a bad problem with military right now. They have been shooting protestors the past few days which is pretty rediculous (what happened to free speech?!). The other day I figured I would go out and see if I can get some video when I heard there were protestors at the foot of the bridge who wanted to be allowed on the island to check on their homes. Just as I got there, a soldier shot one of the protestors with a taser and then they all pulled out there guns and said they were going to shoot anyone who didnt shut up and leave. So needless to say I didnt get any protest footage. Things are still crazy around here. Lots of chaos and destruction, and living for a week without power and running water sucks.