We traveled less than a mile when we came to more water spilling over the road. It was too deep to drive through, so basically we had no choice but to take a road away from the water. We parked near US-70, but Kevin, one of the locals, came out of his house and told us that we'd have to move further back from the water, as high tide would not be for another hour and a half.
We moved a good ways back from
US-70, and sure enough the water made it at least 150 yards past the
road. I walked up to the highway, which was now a couple of feet
deep in storm surge and still rising. Kevin claimed that his
mother's house (where he was riding out the storm) was at 14 feet in
elevation, and the water came up two feet on the side of the house.
Fortunately, the house was on four feet worth of cinderblocks.
We called some people while in the eye of the storm, after registering a pressure of 958.9 mb. The latest we had heard was that Isabel had a minimum central pressure of 956 mb, so we were very close to the center. We spent about an hour and a half in the eye... the winds went completely calm, and although the sky remained cloudy, the rain stopped for a while. It was an incredibly surreal feeling, walking around taking pictures and chatting with Kevin in the calm weather. It was completely safe to be outside, yet we knew that we'd soon be back in hurricane conditions.
Oh, by the way -- Havelock got the western eyewall, but didn't actually get into the eye. So we did the right thing by going out US-70 to try to reach the eye.
We called some people while in the eye of the storm, after registering a pressure of 958.9 mb. The latest we had heard was that Isabel had a minimum central pressure of 956 mb, so we were very close to the center. We spent about an hour and a half in the eye... the winds went completely calm, and although the sky remained cloudy, the rain stopped for a while. It was an incredibly surreal feeling, walking around taking pictures and chatting with Kevin in the calm weather. It was completely safe to be outside, yet we knew that we'd soon be back in hurricane conditions.
Oh, by the way -- Havelock got the western eyewall, but didn't actually get into the eye. So we did the right thing by going out US-70 to try to reach the eye.
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A photo taken to document that yes, we did get under 960 mb. The bars at the bottom mean the pressure was falling... gee what a surprise! |
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More documentation :-) It's quite warm and gross in the eye of a hurricane... 80 degrees with 91% humidity. I was holding the weather thingy up to show the trees in the background.... completely still. |
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A view from East St., the street we retreated to as the water rose. The stop sign is at the corner of East St. and US-70. By the way, somebody is going to have a tough time starting that red truck over there. |
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Kevin, the first of the local people that we met, and his wife check out the rising water. He came and talked to us while we were in the eye. Fortunately, the water did not rise above the cinderblocks on which the house sits. |
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Photo taken while standing in the middle of US-70. I was actually looking back toward the Sea Level Inn (i.e., where we had to run away from as the water rose.) That boat isn't supposed to be there! |
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Photo taken in the middle of US-70, but now facing west instead of east. The water rising by the "Do Not Pass" sign kept us from heading further west at around noon. Looking at the signs, I'd guess the water is at least waist deep in many areas in this picture. |
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Standing in the middle of US-70. The water was up to about my knees, and I was at about the highest point of the road. |
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The boat making its way onto the road. By the time the water started receding, the boat took up all of the eastbound lane on the highway, and part of the westbound lane. Kevin towed it away from the road, either on Thursday night or Friday morning. |
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An unfamiliar critter named a "ground bee", according to Kevin. I'd never seen one of these before. Also in the water were snakes, turtles, frogs, and a uge spider that found its way onto Kevin's boot and that looked like a tarantula. Kevin said that if you are allergic to spider bites, one of those could "send you to the promised land." YIKES!!! |
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The inside of my boot after I got done wading around in the water on US-70. No critters in there, just lots and lots of water. |
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