The First Caribbean Hurricane of 2010

[Cowboy Sailer]

We are in Corpus Christi, Texas. It appeared that hurricane Alex was going to make landfall about 200 miles south of us. We decided to just stay put here in Corpus Christi. I bought new dock lines and an additional fender. We are on a floating dock with piers 16 ft above mean sea level. The sea wall protecting downtown is 14 ft above msl! I guess that downtown Corpus Christ will act like a big relief basin for us. The sea wall is one border of the downtown marina.

The storm surge has come up about two and a half feet above our normal high tide according to our depth indicator. The winds have been only about 25 to 30 knots for the past two days.

The boat feel fairly steady. Brewing coffee went off just like regular this morning. Every so often the boat shudders and of course we are heeling from the wind which is abeam but I slept well last night.

They are predicting that the hurricane will come ashore in one or two hours and then rapidly weaken. It has rained some but not a lot. We still have shore power and cell phone service. I will move the car to higher ground if the water level comes up another foot.

[DeepFrz]

Good luck, be safe and please keep us posted.

[ude123]

Hey Cowboy, Good luck to you down the coast. It's 18-20 steady and gusting to 30-35 here in Kemah. We are sitting high in the marina, easy walk on the ramp to the dock(pretty much level). Probably about 2-3 above high tide(about a foot below top of bulkhead). Not much rain here either. Keep your fingers crossed that this is not only the first but the last of the season.

[marc2012]

In cypermort la,other than rain no effect.marc

[maxingout]

We are lucky the first hurriciane of the season is not category 5. All hell would break loose in the Gulf with the oil being dispersed all over the coastline. Hopefully no oil will head your way during this storm.

[DeepFrz]

How did you make out down there Cowboy. Anything interesting to report?

[Cowboy Sailer]

Already the second storm has come ashore! It was much closer but much smaller. We got lots of rain but about the same storm surge and a little higher winds.
My meter read 30 with a gust to 38 while I was watching.
The first tar balls appeared yesterday.