HERE COMES IRENE!

[rdcvsmith]

CT reporting in:

All is fine with the Coconut T., just a little wind driven rain through the hatch here as well.

Can't say the same for most of the trees and power lines in the state! Looks like I'm out of power here at home for at least a WEEK, this is truly NOT FUN.

Internet only through 3G for a while, sketchy at that.

Must sail tomorrow to clear the mind

Ray

[Shawn]

I have been told Serenity is fine though I have not been down there yet.

Power went out on Sunday and is still down. Estimates for up to a week to get the lights back on as about 85% of the city is dark. 

We are in good shape though. About 4 years back I bought a 5000 watt generator and wired in a transfer switch. I am cycling that to keep the fridge happy and to fire the furnace for showers. Till now it had maybe an hour if real use on it. Up around 28 hours now, using about 5 gallons a day.

I have a couple of Aladdin mantle lamps for light and wired in a couple of Bebi boat leds bulbs to 9v batteries for night lights for the kids.  Cooking on an Origo stove....... Making popcorn in a pot.... Really roughing it.

Shawn

[Bob23]

   Iv'e done the same thing. Had my electrcian wire a small gererator sub panel into the house, I plug my Honda 3500watt in and can power the well, fridge, some lights and recepticals and the coffee maker. Never have had a chance to use it yet.
   Like Joni Mitchell sang all those years ago; "Don't you know it seems to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone."
bob23

[Shawn]

Bob,

Power came back a few hours ago. Really I was getting into sync with the loss of power and just running the generator as needed. With all the lights out it made the nights very quiet and peaceful.

When the day comes you need the generator you will be glad you did the work. It along the with the other preparations let us really take the power outage in stride.

Shawn

[rdcvsmith]

Ok, I'm into DAY SIX with no power . . . . . my life has become somewhat routine.

No job this week (school district that I teach at postponed the start of school until at least Tuesday after Labor Day.

Morning routine:
*Wake up & breakfast
*Heat water on the camp stove and do the dishes from the night before
*Go the neighbors house with buckets, fill buckets from their pool and come back and ready toilets for another day.

Afternoon routine:
*Go sailing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH_1oDGP9Oo

Evening routine:
*Listen to Yankees/Red Sox with radio in my lap, sitting in the dark.
*Go to Bed

.... OK, the sailing part in the middle of the day is never bad (out with daughter today .... tells you how bored she is without power, she is hanging out with "dad"!)  See Youtube link above for short clip from todays sail, gave me something to do on my iPad while listening to my Red Sox lose tonight!

Lots of Utility Crews in town today, power should be back on tomorrow.

-Ray

[Bob23]

Great video clip. Some of the most meaningful times with my kids have been sailing. Hope your power comes on soon. While Irene spared the Jersey Shore, she sure wreaked havoc many places elsewhere.
Bob23

[jthatcher]

hey there.. great video clip.    on her 16th birthday, earlier this summer,  my step daughter took the helm for the first time.   most kids would rather be behind the wheel of a car on that day, but she seemed pretty thrilled to take control of a 23 foot sailboat instead.   

so you guys got an extra week off from school!   it sounds like you are making good use of that time     we started a day late, but today is our fourth day back, and i guess that I am back in the groove.   we are going to go down to jersey to check on the boat on sunday, but it looks like my sailing season is about over..  keep sharing the videos!   jt

[rdcvsmith]

Power / Electricity / Cable / High Speed Internet . . . . .all on in the middle of the night.

Life is good

Ray

[MKBLK]

Hey all you Jersey guys,

Sorry you took a walloping from Irene, but from your reports your boats seemed to hold up well. Hopefully everyone will have power by the weekend. Although I live in Levittown, PA (a trailer sailor am I), many of us lost power for a few days. I was lucky with power being down for just under 24 hours. Invested in a 3250 watt gen a couple of years ago; really has paid off. Provides enough power for my needs and some for my neighbors for their fridges and freezers.

On a happier note: I'll be making my first real sail in my CP16 Saturday in Barnegat. Be launching from "Up the Creek" marina and trying to keep up with my friend's 33' sloop "Aquila". Hopefully, I'll meet up with some of you guys on the bay if you're not still recovering from Irene's wrath.

Marty K.

Just spent the day on Barnegat Bay... WOW! More in the Lounge!