Time Flies

30 Sep 20: My how time flies when you're having fun. September was going to be slow with small boats as I had some real work to tend to with the day job, but Hurricane Sally showed up mid September and changed that. We got storm surge that damaged 2 boats, stripped the decking off of the pier, removed a few pilings and relocated some hardscape and landscaping outside. House stayed dry and garage got a little water. So first half of September was spent prepping for seasonal storms before I got tied down by work, the second half has been consumed by debris cleanup from the storm, mostly other folks' debris that washed ashore at the casa.

Rising water, the boats in the Sunfish Shack could deal with, it was when the breakers started that the boats started taking damage. Meanwhile someone's dock floated by with their picnic table. We saw WAVE break loose and decided to act, we were not going to let WAVE float away. We went out and moved the Penobscot, 4 Sunfish, 1 Super Sailfish and 2 kayaks to higher ground, set up a ferry chain where I would cut a boat loose and float it to Skipper, then she'd float it to our son up in the front yard. WAVE was first, her bow was damaged, she was mostly submerged and making a break for it around the corner of the house, but we caught her and got her to the Carriage House. Photo below is of the conditions after the boat rescue, WAVE will need some fiberglass work as well as PHOENIX.

PHOENIX's damage was not as severe, but significant. The rest of the Fleet got through the storm, our boats WILLOW and CYANE had been pulled from their lifts about a week prior and rested comfortably on their trailers.

SCOUT hung out with WINNIE and ZIP, had we had more timely and accurate information on the surge intensity this space would have been full of Sunfish and kayaks. 

SMEDLEY napped out front as well.

ONKAHYE was safe in her garage spot and the rest of the Fleet, PHOENIX, MADISON, CHIP, TRACKER, SACAGAWEA and CLARK held a meeting by the front porch.

Skipper scored a new 5x10 Carry On trailer from Lowes out of the deal to help with pier restoration and we used it to rescue a 1978 AMF Sunfish fro a debris pile down the street. She has a lot of stern damage, right now she may merge with WAVE to become WAVE v2.0 but plans may change on that.

Skipper also scored a John Deere E130 lawn tractor with V Twin 22hp motor and an 8Y convertible cart/wheelbarrow, it has come in handy for yard cleanup.

The most significant save besides WAVE was ONKAHYE's old floorboards that Capn Jack made back in the 80s, we recovered them from the neighbor's debris pile. They were being used for a utility deck for a boat trailer conversion, and now will be reassigned plant watching duties on the back porch. The 3 tons of driveway gravel they hauled a bag at a time, a few weeks back, played a big role in having nice firm surfaces to move cars and boats around before and during the storm. 

The pier was stripped of most of its decking during the surge, not unexpected, and had a visitor in the way of 3 pilings and 2 joists from the dock next door. We slowly released the pilings and floated them to the beach.

The Dynamic Dollies are Piling Transport Rated now, we tied the piling to the dolly handle and then the line up to Skipper's John Deere named WILEY COYOTE, Skipper pulled while I steered the dolly. 

There was a tattered Ensign rescue a few days after the storm, the bay was still angry but we needed to lower the storm flag and raise a new one. SCOUT was enlisted for that endeavor, she carried out the tools and a ladder, with Skipper as Master and Commander. Bay was whitecapping but we got the flags swapped out. SCOUT also helped move debris to the lot next door to be loaded onto a trailer.

Dollies got some more work as well.

Paradise tax, we'll get everything stitched back together.