Hurricane Katrina

[Auzzee]

I have just seen TV pix of the devastation caused on the US gulf coast by hurricane Katrina. Some badly smashed up boats...even more badly smashed up lives. Hope all our members are safe and well. Cruisers based in Darwin also live with the constant wet season threat of severe tropical cyclones and we send our best wishes. Hope someone can manage to post a report on the damage soon.

[Charlie Jones]

Having just come through that stretch on our boat this past June, and having many friends along that way, it's very hard to look at the damage pictures. We made stops to visit friends in Passcagoula Miss, Biloxi Miss, Gulfport Miss, Houma La and came through the center of New Orleans.

Gulfport has been devastated, as has Biloxi. Passcagoula reported gusts to 118 and it's located 2.5 hours drive away from where the eye came in. Still haven't heard from friends in Gulfport, which took the direct hit. Reports say that the Biloxi harbor is gone- just gone. I imagine the harbor in Gulfport has also been wiped clean since much of the waterfront has.

New Orleans has large areas (Blocks square) with water up to the roof tops of the houses, and absolutely NO way to get rid of it. The pumps are all failed. New Orleans is below sealevel and relies on huge pumps to keep it dry even from normal rains.Those pumps can keep up with rains of 1" the first hour and 1/2 " per hour there after. They have 10- 12 FEET of water in some places. Many of those neighbor hoods will be total losses- blocks of them unable to be saved. It may take weeks or even months to rid the city of water.

And yet New Orleans still dodged a bullet. The storm jogged eastward at the last minute, missing the city by some 40 or 50 miles. So the doomsday scenario for New Orleans was avoided. Had Katrina done a direct hit, we may have seen the end of New Orleans in total.

[Auzzee]

Hi Charlie, I'm glad you avoided any personal damage. I sincerely hope your friends came through unscathed and that you hear from them soon. I am sure they have the good wishes and prayers of the cruising fraternity worldwide.

[rumrunner]

Well said Auzzie... we are all " brothers " in the sailing world and our thoughts and prayers must go out to those who suffered this tradegy

rumrunner[:X][:X][:X]

[Charlie Jones]

since my first post I've heard from all but one of my friends. All ok even though some have lost parts of homes. The one I HAVEN'T heard from is (was) IN New Orleans.

Also I'm sure you are aware, since my first post, New Orleans has been devastated, not only with water but with the dregs of society running amok. This morning the Governor issued "shoot to kill " orders to the National Guard units on site. Yesterday evening a hospital was robbed, forcing the doctors to move patients away from the looting. Also I'm sure you've seen some of the idiots are firing at the helicopters trying to get people out.

Sketchy reports are filtering out. My son is a truck driver and has so far made three runs into Mobile carrying supplies. He was forced to stop because the DOT found his log book to be way over time. He left his current job and is driving for the Red Cross for the duration. He called me and said I could not believe how bad it REALLY was.

And here's a fact for you to kinda put some perspective on the damage. The news people are saying that the devastation covers some 90,000 square miles-

England, the country, is 93,000 square miles

Sobering isn't it? Gives you a real idea of the scale, and perhaps an understanding as to why relief is so difficult to achieve in a short time. Sadly, many more are going to die before this is all over.

Damn- I've had tears in my eyes more than once since Sunday.