all about the water
Standing Strong After Matthew November 2016
Happy Thanksgiving!
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by Hurricane Matthew. This November, we are thankful for the safety of our friends and our families and for being a part of a community that stands together in the face of disaster. We are thankful to everyone who has helped our community weather the storm: our neighbors, local authorities, local businesses, and those who came from outside the area, to help us get back to normal. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, filled with laughter, love and blue skies!
Maddie Reaves investigating storm damage.
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I n the T ides 05 Editor’s Note 06 Tracking Matthew 08 Teamwork with Trey Leggett 09 Gray’s Reef with Michelle Riley 10 Did You Know? Sand Dunes 11
Status of Coastal Marinas
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Hurricane Matthew
13 Should I Stay or Should I Go? 15 The Aftermath 18 Recovery 22
The Bitter End
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Welcome Lyn McCuen!
Note: The artist feature and the next installment in our Women of the Water feature will both return soon! About the Cover: St. Simons Island Lighthouse after the storm. Standing strong. Photo by Malcolm Gorrie
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We look forward to welcoming John and Lisa Holden as contributors next month. Here’s a sample of John’s photography. Top: Cormorant Dinner Middle: Osprey - The Catch Bottom: Pelican Takeoff Photos by John Holden
Captain Tripp Lang’s Charters Staff Publisher/Editor – Amy Thurman amy@southerntidesmagazine.com Assistant Editor - Amelia Dence amelia@southerntidesmagazine.com The Bitter End Columnist - Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill jgaryhill@gmail.com Gray’s Reef Contributor - Michelle Riley michelle.riley@noaa.gov
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Contributing Columnist - Trey Leggett info@southerntidesmagazine.com Special Thanks to All who Contributed Stories and Photos, Shared Information, and Answered Questions: Jamee Barnard· Anonymous Bill · Butch Broome Malcolm Gorrie · Tim Hobson · John Holden Kenny Linton · Sherry Nicholson · Greg Moore Robinson Parker · Connie Polk · Dr. Joe Richardson Jessica Scott · Captain Matt Starling Kim Story · Jeff Trabue Many thanks to Ray Sawyer for proofing multiple pages in this issue. If you still find mistakes, the fault lies with the editor, not with Ray!
Copyright © 2015-2016 All content herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced in whole or part without express written permission. Southern Tides is a free magazine published monthly and can be found at multiple locations from St. Marys, GA, to Beaufort, SC. PO Box 30724 Wilmington Island, GA 31410 (912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com www.SouthernTidesMagazine.com Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/southern-tides-magazine Follow us on Instagram at southern_tidesmag Follow us on Twitter at Southern Tides Southern Tides Magazine is printed by Walton Press, Monroe, GA
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E ditor’s N ote
walked these lines tastefully and tactfully. We made it through a close call and I hope this Thanksgiving you all have much to be thankful for and are surrounded by those you love. In parting, I’d like to share with you a comment made by future contributors to the magazine, John and Lisa Holden, of Beaufort, SC. It struck me as so very fitting during this time. “The water may take occasionally … but it always gives back.”
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wo days after going to print with the October issue in which we did a feature on storms, news reports put Hurricane Matthew on a path for our coast. My initial thought was media exaggeration and I didn’t give much credence to it, but after checking the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) website, I had a change of heart and started getting ready. Again. We all did. In the month since Matthew, there have been moments of sadness, stress and frustration. But there have also been moments of pride in our coastal neighbors for their resilience and generosity, gratitude toward all those who came from outside the area to help us restore our communities, relief that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and thankfulness that most of us still have the people, places and things we hold most dear. There have also been moments of humor. Elaine Maley, of Sunbury Crab Company and Marina, in Midway, related one such instance to me recently. She got a phone call four days after the storm from a woman in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. The woman who called asked what Elaine’s phone number was (even though she’d just called it) and who Elaine was. After a few minutes of these rather odd questions, the woman said she’d found a sign washed up on the beach near her home in Ponte Vedra Beach. The same sign that, prior to the storm, had stood in the river near Kilkenny, directing boaters to Sunbury Crab Company. In only four days it had washed down the ICW, out to sea, and ended up that far away. Amazing! We’ve dedicate this entire issue to the storm and I have to say, it’s been the most difficult issue to put together yet. While we’ve always strived to bring you information and stories about our coastal region, this time we had to walk a fine line. Several fine lines, in fact. Several of the stories in this issue are from people who didn’t evacuate, yet we had to be careful not to imply that staying was the wiser choice. There was also the line between telling the full story, but not making it sound sensational or giving the impression that the sky fell. Many businesses rely on transient boaters and tourism and we absolutely do not want to give the impression that our coast is anything less than the beautiful, sound destination that we all know it to be. It’s also important to respect the wishes of those individuals and businesses who don’t wish to have their difficulties made public knowledge. The other challenge with this issue was trying to fit everything that was submitted. While that may seem like a good position to be in as a publisher, I can assure you, in this instance it was painful. My sincere apologies to everyone who submitted photos, information or articles that we weren’t able to include. I hope, as you read through this issue, that you feel we November 2016
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Seen in a yard in downtown Savannah - another great example of those moments of humor. Photo by Kim Story
The street leading to our house - a few trees down in the neighborhood (none on homes or vehicles, thankfully), but mostly just debris. Photo by Todd Kasper
Amy Thurman
Editor-In-Chief
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amy@southerntidesmagazine.com
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n Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. local time, Tropical Storm Matthew was 35 miles east of St. Lucia, in the Windward Islands. Wind speeds were clocked at 60 miles per hour and it was moving west at 21 miles per hour. Only 24 hours later, at 11:00 a.m. Thursday morning, the storm had been upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane and was approximately 75 miles north of Aruba, in the Leeward Antilles. In the early hours of Saturday morning, October 1, wind speeds reached 160 mph, a Category 5 hurricane, though by 5:00 a.m., wind speeds had dropped, reducing it to a Category 4. Around three hours later, it turned toward Haiti, 365 miles to the north. Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 4, as a Category 4 storm with winds clocked at 145 mph. Twelve hours later it made landfall in Cuba, still a Category 4 storm. After leaving Cuba, the storm moved northwest toward the Bahamas as a Category 3 with sustained winds between 115 and 125 mph, before again being upgraded
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to a Category 4, with 140 mph winds, near Nicholl’s Town, Bahamas, late Thursday morning. It remained a Category 4 for fourteen hours, crossing the west tip of Freeport, before winds slowed, about 45 miles east of Vero Beach, Florida, and the storm again downgraded to a Category 3. By 5:00 p.m. Friday, Matthew was 40 miles east of Jacksonville as a Category 2 storm with wind speeds of 110 mph. Around 7:00 p.m. Friday evening, Hurricane Matthew had moved up the coast to Georgia. The following are approximate times and data, as reported by Weather Underground, The Weather Channel, and NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NOAA/NHC).
Friday, October 7 8:00 p.m. 55 miles east of Cumberland Island, 110 mph 9:00 p.m. 55 miles east of St. Andrews Sound, 110 mph 10:00 p.m. 52 miles east of St. Simons Island, 110 mph 11:00 p.m. 53 miles east of Sapelo Island, 105 mph Saturday, October 8 2:00 a.m. 36 miles east of St. Catherines Island, 105 mph 3:00 a.m. 32 miles east of Ossabaw Island, 105 mph 5:00 a.m. 17 miles east of Tybee Island Pier, 105 mph 6:00 a.m. 20 miles east of Hilton Head Island, 105 mph 10:00 a.m. 30 miles east of Charleston, 85 mph (Category 1)
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Weathering the Storm Through Community Teamwork By Trey Leggett
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t was day like any other day in early fall along the southeast coast when weather forecasters announced that Hurricane Matthew would head towards coastal Georgia. Meteorologists predicted that the cyclone would impact Florida’s coastline and scrape along the coast through Georgia into South Carolina before making an uncertain right hand turn. Here in Chatham County, emergency management personnel jumped into overdrive preparing the county’s response to the impending storm. Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) has planned for an event such as this for years and the time had come to implement their strategy. They tracked the storm with great intensity in order to update county leaders on making the best decisions for the community. While tracking the storm, CEMA worked with various local entities to ensure that resources and plans were worked out in the event that an evacuation was announced. When the storm was 36 hours out, the Georgia Governor and County Manager announced an evacuation for Savannah and the barrier islands. Matthew came in and reared its ugly head in the Coastal Empire, leaving flooded streets, thousands of uprooted and downed trees, snapped power poles, and downed powerlines everywhere. Some homes were deemed total losses while some got through the storm with little or no damage. Chatham County hasn’t seen this much weather related destruction since Hurricane David in the 70’s. After the storm had passed, first responders took to the streets to assess damage, check on residents who decided to ride out the storm, and patrol neighborhoods to prevent mischievous behavior. Many streets were impassable creating an issue for emergency services attempting to respond in a timely manner. Several Chatham County Sheriff’s Deputies, armed with chainsaws instead of guns, tackled cutting trees and clearing them from roads to provide access for power crews and residents . As a whole, the community came together with the common goal of getting back to a level of normalcy. Neighbors and small communities worked to help each other with debris cleanup, checking on each other’s safety, and keeping an eye on each other’s property to ward off potential looters. It was a splendid sight to see residents come together as a community to help each other in a devastating time. A huge thank you goes out to all the first responders, the thousands of power company crews, and our community leaders for making the recovery process timely and bearable.
Email Trey: info@southerntidesmagazine.com
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liz.seniorfit@gmail.com Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, L to R, Desautel, Willoughby, Capps, Livie, and Stephens. The gentleman on the far right was a landscape business owner who lended a helping hand as well. Photo by Trey Leggett
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Effects of a Hurricane on Marine Life By Michelle Riley
Communications and Outreach Coordinator Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
H
urricanes can be catastrophic to marine creatures living under the sea when faced with hazards such as strong waves, low levels of dissolved oxygen and rapidly changing water salinity and temperature. Try to picture how tossed and turned sea creatures were during Hurricane Matthew. We know from NOAA instruments that for hours during the storm, the waves at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary were 19 feet high, which would be almost as tall as a two-story house rising above the surface of the water. “The largest seas I’ve experienced at the surface when diving at Gray’s Reef were fiveto six-foot waves,” said Sarah Fangman, superintendent of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and a certified NOAA Diver. “Under 70 feet of water, even 5-foot waves on top can totally kick me around. They can pick me up and march me right across the ocean floor. I cannot imagine what it was like when Hurricane Matthew’s 19-foot waves rolled overhead. It must have been a wild ride for the crabs, starfish, lobsters and other species that live at Gray’s Reef.” Indeed, waves that are whipped up by a hurricane’s fierce winds can smash marine life and move tons of sand that had been sitting on the seabed. Fish, sea turtles, crabs, and other animals can be pushed onto the shore during the surge and become stranded on land. During a major hurricane, sponges, corals, and sea whips in hard-bottom communities like Gray’s Reef can be sheared from their substrate and deposited in debris along the coastal shoreline. Scientists also have found that the ocean does not calm quickly, and in fact, strong currents and turbulence can exist for up to a week after a storm passes overhead. Notably, large marine animals such as sharks and dolphins seem to be minimally affected, since they can detect tiny changes in air and water pressure and dive down deeper. They also have been known to leave the area as a storm approaches. Not surprisingly, hurricanes can quickly change ocean salinity and temperature as heavy rains fall and, in some cases, freshwater flows into the ocean waters. On a normal day, the upper levels of the ocean are warmer and less salty, and deeper waters are colder and saltier. When a hurricane hits, it stirs and mixes up the water for hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean, changing the living environment for fish and other marine animals. The turbulence also lowers the amount of oxygen in the water, which can kill ocean creatures. “I can’t wait to get out there and see what the bottom of Gray’s Reef looks like,” Fangman said. “We are glad that the NOAA data buoy sustained minimal damage and is still operating. Hopefully, the reef will have withstood Hurricane Matthew with little damage. I’ve got my fingers crossed!”
Email Michelle: michelle.riley@noaa.gov Eye wall of a hurricane. Photo provided by NOAA
November 2016
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Sand dunes on our beaches can help protect inland areas during hurricanes and strong storms.
Y ou Know?
• They serve as a physical or structural barrier from heavy winds, storm surge, wave energy, and inland flooding by absorbing the impact from these forces. During storms, wave action often carves sand away from the seaward side of a dune as the dune absorbs the incoming wave energy and thereby protects the areas behind the dunes from this energy. • Dunes function as reservoirs or storage areas of sand that moves by gravity and wind to replace sand that was removed from the beach due to erosion and waves during storms. • The windward side of a dune is where sand is pushed up by the wind. The back side of a dune, away from the wind, is called the slip face and is usually the smoother side of the dune. Valleys or troughs between dunes are called slacks. • Dunes provide habitat for multiple creatures, including ghost crabs, nesting sea turtles, a variety of shore birds, and even migrating monarch butterflies. • Of the five major dune shapes (crescentic, linear, star, dome, and parabolic), the most common is the crescentic dune. It’s shaped like a crescent with the windward side being wider and a smaller slipface on the inside of the crescent. • The expansive root system of sea oats (Uniola paniculata) helps provide stability to sand dunes. This tough grass is extremely tolerant of salt, direct sun, and heat, but the brittle stalks are easily destroyed by human activity. By providing stability and added sand-holding capacity to the dune, the sea oats help the dune to increase in size and thereby enhance all of its functions. Data compiled by Amy Thurman, Edited by Dr. Joe Richardson. Photo by Amy Thurman
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Status of Coastal Marinas Several marinas sustained damage during the storms this fall but the majority have returned to full operational status. The following list is current as of print time. If a marina is not listed we were unable to make contact with them. Georgia Barbour River Yacht Club – No damage, fully operational, open to members Brunswick Landing Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Delegal Creek Marina – Major damage, call for availability Fort McAllister Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Hinckley Yacht Services – Major damage, call for availability Hogans’ Marina – No damage, fully operational, call for availability Hyatt Regency Docks – Minor damage, call for availability Isle of Hope Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Jekyll Harbor Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Jekyll Wharf Marina – Minor damage, call for availability Kilkenny Marina – Minor damage, transients welcome Landings Harbor Marina – Minor damage, call for availability Lang’s Marina – No damage, fully operational, transients welcome Morningstar at Bahia Bleu – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Morningstar at Golden Isles – Major damage, fully operational, transients welcome Sail Harbor Marina – No damage, fully operational, transients welcome Savannah Bend Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Savannah Yacht Club – Minor damage, operational, open to members St. Marys Boat Services – No damage, fully operational, boats welcome Sunbury Crab Co. & Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Thunderbolt Marine – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Two Way Fish Camp – Minor damage, fully operational, call for availability Westin Savannah Harbor Resort – Minor damage, call for availability Young’s Marina – Major damage, repairs underway, call for availability
South Carolina Broad Creek Marina – Minor damage, fully operational Dataw Marina – Major damage, closed until repairs are complete Downtown Marina (Beaufort) – No damage, fully operational, transients welcome Freeport Marina – Minor damage, call for availability Harbour Town Yacht Basin – Major damage, only open for fuel sales Hilton Head Boathouse – Minor damage, fully operational Lady’s Island Marina – Minor damage, fully operational Palmetto Bay Marina – Major damage, call for availability Palmetto Bluff Marina – Minor damage, open to members Port Royal Landing Marina – Minor damage, fully operational Shelter Cove Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, transients welcome Skull Creek Marina – Minor damage, call for availability Windmill Harbor Marina – Minor damage, fully operational, call for availability
The Georgia Marine Business Association is an organization dedicated to boating and marine related businesses in coastal Georgia. The purpose is to work together to achieve common goals, meet for networking opportunities, share information, and provide a platform for a stronger voice as a group. Call or email for membership information: (912) 484-3611 info@southerntidesmagazine.com November 2016
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Hurricane Matthew October 2016
Edited by Amy Thurman
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or many years, our little stretch of coast has been bypassed by storm after storm, and in many ways, we became complacent. Tropical Storm Hermine brushing by us on September 2, was a wake-up call for some but for others only seemed to reinforce the notion that we’re untouchable. Many people felt certain Matthew would die out or veer out to sea before it reached us, and opted to stay, but many others were concerned that our luck might have run out, and evacuated.
“Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
an incoming tide. It was really strange!” When the wind shifted directions and blew from the northwest rather than the north, things subsided a bit and the group settled in for the night. “It wasn’t that bad. The wind was about 45 to 40, sustained, with gusts to 60 or 70,” he said. “I didn’t have an instrument to gauge it, that’s just going from experience.” His estimation matches what was reported in the area.
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alcolm Gorrie, who lives aboard his 31-foot Hunter sailboat boat, Niamh, had every intention of evacuating. He’d been in Atlanta on family business but returned to St. Simons Island that Tuesday to ready his boat and prepare to leave. After moving Niamh from Morningstar Marina to the more sheltered Brunswick Landing Marina, he secured the boat. This entailed removing the sails, securing the rigging, removing everything on the topside that wasn’t bolted to the deck, and cross-tying lines to ensure the boat didn’t break free in heavy wind. His next task was to pack his belongings and transfer them to his RV – no simple task when your boat is your home. During this time, he monitored the storm’s progress. “It was dead calm Thursday,” he said. “You’d never know a hurricane was approaching. I guess that gives credence to the adage about the
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enny Linton, manager of Savannah Bend Marina, in Thunderbolt, also had a great deal to do and put off making a decision about leaving as he and his team worked to get the marina ready. The Savannah native had been through hurricane preparations twice before but that time was different. “It was the first time I’ve been the guy responsible for over 200 boats and a marina,” Kenny said. Wash racks, dock boxes, water hoses, trash cans, everything in the yard and on the docks could become projectiles and had to be stored inside. By late Tuesday afternoon, with no change in Matthew’s predicted path, they made the decision to evacuate as many wet slip customers as possible and were able to move 70% of the boats to other marinas or safer areas. Because most
Opposite Page: A sailboat at Ft. McAllister Marina in Richmond Hill broke loose from the dock during the storm. Photo by Butch Broome Above: At low tide the water was about three feet higher than normal high tide at Brunswick Landing Marina. Photo by Malcolm Gorrie
calm before the storm.” That Friday after he’d moved everything from his boat to his RV, he went to the marina’s clubhouse where he encountered more than a dozen people who had no plans to evacuate, several of whom were transient boaters with no transportation. Concerned about leaving them behind, he decided to hold off on his plan to leave and watch the storm a while longer. The route to the interstate was only a few minutes’ drive so he anticipated no difficulty in getting out, and if the need did arise to depart, he could accommodate several of the stranded boaters in his RV. The group watched the water level rise in the marina basin. Low tide was at 4:00 p.m. that day and although the water should have been dropping as the tide went out, it was rising. “At dead low tide, we estimated the water was about three feet above a normal high tide,” Malcolm said. “The entire marsh across the river was underwater and it was just getting into the parking lot around 5:00 that afternoon, when it stopped rising. It held for a while, then slowly started dropping – when it should have been November 2016
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damage to docks during hurricanes is caused by the boats tied to them, Kenny’s team moved the remaining boats around to distribute the load and used extra lines and fenders for added protection. Savannah Bend’s dry storage barn is rated for a Category 3 storm, but had never been tested. Kenny recalls wondering what he would come back to. Would everything be in tact? “I’ve spent the better part of the last 12 years working here. It’s more than a job, it’s what I want to do, what I love to do, being on the water every day,” Kenny said. Friday morning, with the marina finally secured, Kenny and his fiancée decided to evacuate and left for Lake Oconee. “Sleep was impossible Friday night,” he recalled. “I must have checked my phone a hundred times.”
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amee Barnard and Don Crum, owners of Bowie Seafood on Tybee Island, also had to deal with their business before anything else. Jamee typically places an order for seafood on Tuesday for 13
Thursday delivery, but after seeing the reports on Matthew approaching, she decided not to place an order. Instead, they stored what they had on hand in their walk-in freezer, cleaned out coolers, and boarded up. It took three of them a full day to close the business down. When they got home to Midway, they made the decision to stay put so they could return to Tybee as soon as possible after reentry was allowed with the hope of salvaging what they could from the freezer after the power outage. “I won’t stay again, though,” Jamee said. A cell tower was knocked out early on and she had no way to stay up-to-date on what was happening as the storm approached, which caused a degree of anxiety.
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eff Trabue, owner of Ultimate Diving, in Thunderbolt, decided not to evacuate, for several different reasons. A bad experience during a previous evacuation was one factor. “The last time it took 17 hours to get to Atlanta for a storm that didn’t happen,” he said, “I wasn’t going to go through that again. The media tends to blow things out of proportion and I really didn’t think it was going to be that bad.” As a business owner, it’s also difficult to just stop working for an unknown period. “The storm may only last a day or so, but there’s no way to know when you’ll be allowed to return home. Every day I’m gone is time I’m not earning a living. And at the same time, you’re paying for a hotel room, meals out for the whole family. It gets expensive. And we have dogs. Where are we going to go that will allow dogs?” he said. But the biggest reason Jeff decided to stay was to be on hand to help with recovery and getting things back to normal as soon as possible, without waiting days or longer to return. As a diver, he knew there would a great deal of clean-up and damage to be repaired if the storm did come as close as predicted. Though the storm was a little worse than he expected, he doesn’t regret the decision to stay. The day after the storm he purchased a generator so his family was only without power for about 15 hours. And he was able to get back to work right away.
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lthough I’m by no means advocating that anyone ignore a mandatory evacuation, we also chose to stay. Todd and I talked it through and weighed the risks. The house was safe from flooding, tree damage was a possibility but unlikely to cause physical injury, we have a generator, are in good health, and have both had extensive first aid training. We also have three dogs and two cats to consider, which meant limited evacuation options. We took into consideration that we were self-sufficient and outside the city limits, so would not need to inconvenience anyone or get in the way of first responders by staying. We understood the risks and were prepared to deal with anything that might have arisen. Wednesday and Thursday were spent preparing for the storm. We picked up a few last-minute supplies, got extra gas for the generator, moved outdoor furniture into the garage, and moved our vehicles to open areas. We’d invited our friends Greg and Jill, who live in a low-lying area of Bowie Seafood, on Tybee Island, boarded up doors and windows to protect against wind and looter damage. Photo by Jamee Barnard Wilmington Island, to stay with us, bringing the household to a total of six humans, four dogs, and two cats. Friday, we waited. A light rain started mid-morning and the wind picked up around noon. Todd ran power cords from the generator, while I filled every available container with water. We lost power shortly after 3:00. By that point it was raining heavily and water was rising in the marsh across the road. We monitored the weather and waited. Around midnight Friday night, the rest of our group turned in but Todd and I stayed up to keep watch, just in case. At that point different updates had the eye passing between 35 and 50 miles from us, still at a Category 2 with winds at 110. I’ll admit, we had a couple moments of wondering how bad it was going to be. At 2:00 a.m. when it was supposed to be due east of us, we stepped out on the front porch for a minute to see what it was like. Rain was coming down hard and the tree tops were blowing like crazy, but there was very little wind at ground level and overall it really didn’t seem very bad. At 3:00 we decided to get some sleep and by 7:00 a.m. all that remained of Matthew was a light drizzle and a yard full of debris.
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hese stories should in no way be taken as encouragement to stay when mandatory evacuations are ordered. If you can get out, do so. If circumstances prevent you from evacuating, you should be fully prepared to fend for yourself for the duration, and afterward, stay out of the way of first responders, clean-up crews and power company workers. Many people evacuated and from most accounts, reversing the eastbound lane of I-16 did lessen the congestion experienced in past evacuations. One person I spoke with left around noon Thursday and reached his destination in Atlanta shortly before 10:00 p.m. Others I spoke with took back roads and encountered little or no traffic. Officials were also able to get residents back to their homes in a reasonable time given the number of downed trees and power lines in the area.
Lives were lost during the storm – our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and loved ones. 14
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Greg and Jill Moore, of Wilmington Island, returned home Monday, after the storm, to find their road had been entirely impassable due to downed trees. Neighbors working togther cleared the debris from the roadway. Scenes like this were common along the entire coast. Photo by Amy Thurman
The Aftermath T
he entire coastal area was impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Trees were uprooted or snapped off, blocking roads and causing damage to homes, businesses, and vehicles. Power lines were down and tens of thousands of coastal residents were without power. Damage from flooding and heavy wind was also evident throughout the region. In the days after the storm, residents began assessing the damage. Tim Hobson, who delivers marine supplies for Land N’ Sea, had freight on his truck that he was unable to deliver before the storm, and attempted to deliver what he could the following Monday. He was unable to get any farther east than Highway 17 and saw extensive damage as he attempted his route. I-95 had been closed in two places due to flooding during and immediately after the storm; that Monday, water was still up to the edge of the road in some places. Kenny Linton wasn’t able to return to Savannah Bend Marina for several days either, but was able to FaceTime with one of his staff who’d stayed and been able to go survey the damage. “We were very fortunate – the damage was minor,” Kenny said. The morning after the storm, Jeff Trabue walked through his Thunderbolt neighborhood, then headed down to the river where he saw the worst of the damage. “Docks were missing and boats were way up in the marsh. There was a lot of debris in the water. It was going to mean non-stop recovery efforts for a while,” he said. Although the damage was widespread, most area residents agree that it could have been far worse, and overall, we were very lucky. Savannah Bend Marina suffered damaged docks (right), downed trees, the flag pole was broken, and the barn door was ruined by heavy wind. Three feet of water in the parking lot left behind piles of wrack and debris. During the storm the fuel dock came less than three inches from floating off the top of the pilings. All boats were accounted for though, and the manager still maintains that it could have been a lot worse. Photo by Kenny Linton
November 2016
SouthernTidesMagazine.com
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Top Left: A partially capsized boat . Photo by Butch Broome Bottom Left: The fuel dock and dock house at Delegal Creek Marina took heavy damage but are in the process of being rebuilt. Photo by Jeff Trabue Left: Alivia Mique Starling with a downed tree and yet another example of finding humor in difficult situations. Photo by Captain Matt Starling Bottom: Young’s Marina in Turner Creek took heavy damage with broken docks and boats washed into the marsh, but repairs are underway here, too. Photo by Connie Polk
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Storm Recovery Edited by Amy Thurman
A
lthough we took a hit from Hurricane Matthew and getting back to normal has been a costly, lengthy and sometimes frustrating process, one of the comments I’ve heard repeatedly from most everyone is, “It could have been a lot worse. We were lucky.” Stories of neighbors working together to remove trees from roads and houses, of restaurants feeding first responders and clean-up crews, of volunteers giving their time and energy to help others, all stand as a testament to the strength, resiliency, and generosity of those who call this area home. The following photos and stories are just a fragment of the full scope of what we’ve all done and witnessed this past few weeks.
From Cumberland Island National Seashore
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After being out of service for 20 days after the storm, ferry service to the Sea Camp dock has been restored and both the Sea Camp and Stafford campgrounds have reopened. The Wilderness campgrounds and trails north of Stafford Beach will remain closed. Dungeness dock will remain closed until further notice and neither dock is available to private boats. Both docks sustained substantial damage and Dungeness is still being repaired. “A lot of hard work went into getting this small section of the Sea Camp dock ready to safely restore ferry service to the south end,” remarked Superintendent Gary Ingram, “We are thrilled to be able to welcome visitors back to the island.” The Dungeness Historic District is open and accessible on foot or by bicyle. Plum Orchard mansion is open and normal tour schedules have resumed. The Cumberland Island National Seashore museum in downtown St. Marys sustained water damage and is undergoing remediation work; reopening is to be determined. For regular updates please visit us on Facebook: facebook.com/CumberlandIsland. To purchase tickets for the ferry and tours call (877) 860-6787, or visit cumberlandislandferry. com. “This island, like this community, is resilient, and we will move forward in a positive way, together,” said Superintendent Gary Ingram. Top of page: “Some dock and trail closures are still in place at Cumberland Island, but we are very happy to have people headed out to enjoy their park.” Photo provided by National Parks Service
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SouthernTidesMagazine.com November 2016
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Jekyll Island Authority has worked hard to restore the island to normal. Top: Glory boardwalk damaged by Matthew. Bottom: The newly rebuilt boardwalk. Photo provided by JIA
From Jekyll Island Authority
Over the last few weeks, Jekyll Island residents have experienced the full gamut of emotions: From fear of total devastation, to relief and gratitude at how well our island fared. Watching the Georgia State Patrol officer place the barrier at the foot of Jekyll Island Causeway was especially emotional, as forecasts predicted the very real possibility that there would be no island to which we would return. Thankfully, Jekyll was spared the catastrophic damage predicted. Thanks to the efforts of our leadership and collaboration of multiple state, local, and federal agencies, Jekyll Island was able to recover and reopen quickly and effectively. We experienced more than 90-percent evacuation compliance. Because of this, work crews were able to move around the island and productivity was paramount. Operations on Jekyll Island are returning to normal. Our sea turtle patients have returned to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the National Landmark Historic District has reopened the cottages, and our golf courses are operational. Jekyll’s hotels, businesses and restaurants are once again serving guests. We hope to see you around the island, shopping, dining, and enjoying all Jekyll has to offer.
From Connie Polk, for Chatham Sailing Club
Hurricane Matthew had its way with Young’s Marina in Turner Creek, tossing boats into the marsh, pulling sections of docks apart, and generally making a mess of things with downed trees and debris. Other than one tree resting lightly atop the building, CSC members were relieved to discover the clubhouse stood strong through the storm and took no damage other than lost food in the refrigerator and a bit of rearranging in the firepit area. Everyone is ready to get back to the business of sailing! Clean-up by marina caretaker Jett Black, and others, began immediately and Young’s is on its way to recovery. November 2016
SouthernTidesMagazine.com
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homes suffered impact as the powerful storm moved north over Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The American Red Cross launched a massive relief operation and is still at work in local communities across four states, supporting neighbors in need. Volunteers, emergency response vehicles and supplies from across the country were deployed to supplement those already on the ground. Disaster volunteers from both Georgia and South Carolina chapters were among those who helped staff shelters and kitchens, perform disaster assessment, operate Emergency Response Vehicles, and distribute needed items. As many now realize, recovering from a disaster can be a confusing, emotionally draining and complicated process. In addition to providing shelter, food and relief supplies, Red Cross caseworkers are also helping residents by connecting them to critical services and resources. Powerful storms like Hurricane Matthew create more needs than any one organization can meet on its own. The Red Cross continues to work closely with the entire response community to coordinate recovery efforts. As of November 1, Red Cross and community partners have: • Served 283,000 meals and snacks in South Carolina and 164,400 in Georgia • Distributed 97,600 relief items (such as rakes, tarps, bug spray, clean-up kits, and hygiene products) in SC, and 69,300 in GA • Supported 4,800 health and mental health services in SC, and 4,800 in GA • Provided 19,600 overnight stays in 97 shelters in SC, and 16,900 in 45 shelters in GA • Mobilized 1,200 workers, five kitchens, and 53 response vehicles in SC, and 850 workers, two kitchens, and 52 response vehicles in GA How can you be part of this? To donate funds, or find out how you can give blood, call 1-800-RED-CROSS. To volunteer your time locally visit redcross.org or contact this magazine for information on how to contact your local Red Cross office directly.
From Area Residents
Kim Story, Thunderbolt resident commenting on South Carolina where she works at a marina: We saw horrific damage to docks and marinas throughout our waterways. Floating and submerged debris from the damage poses a serious threat to boat captains in our beloved rivers and sounds. One captain I spoke with said, “It is a minefield out there.” “Slow your pace,” is reiterated over and over by every captain I’ve spoken with. Although the DNR has been identifying and marking known threats, much of the debris is underwater and not visible. The coastal community is made up of a resilient band of residents. People stepped up to help each other and gave each of us renewed faith in humanity. The storm may have brought us to our knees for a brief moment, but coastal residents
recognize there is always hope on the horizon. 20
Opposite page top: Red Cross volunteers loading an Emergency Response Vehicle with supplies. Photo provided by ARC Opposite bottom: A sailboat being removed from the marsh by crane at a marina on Hilton Head. Photo provided by BoatU.S. Catastrophe Field Team This page top: The new flag pole at Savannah Bend Marina. Photo by Kenny Linton This page bottom: Power company workers on one of the hardest hit streets on Wilmington Island. Photo by Amy Thurman
Kenny Linton, Marina Manager, Savannah Bend Marina: We were very fortunate and our damage was minor. It’s been a slow process trying to get back to work and life as usual, but we’re getting there. I’d like to publicly thank my crew, Mary O’Quinn, Aaron Groves and Matt Reagin – all played huge roles in making sure this marina was as safe and ready as it could possibly have been.
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Southern Tides Magazine would like to offer a heartfelt “Thank you!” to the companies, organizations, and individuals who contributed to getting our homes and communities back to normal. May God bless you all.
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The Bitter End
Aftermath
By Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill
A
s I sit here, nearly a month after Mathew reared its ugly head, people are still sorting out their lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who’ve suffered and continue to do so. Of all the writers here at Southern Tides, I may be the least qualified to write anything to do with the hurricane that ravaged the eastern seaboard. I’d planned to go home to visit my mom for her birthday the following Monday but decided to go sooner. After moving boats and getting everything sorted the best I could, I left that Thursday, but for the next two days I was in constant communication with my roommate down here. So what I’ll focus on here is from the perspective of someone walking through a combat zone after the shots and cannon fire have ended. I got back about a week after Matthew had passed and at first glance it didn’t seem as horrible as I’d imagined. However, looking deeper, past the surface, I could see the extent of the damage. Large piles of debris from downed trees and branches littered the edges of all roadways. Ancient oaks that had stood as proud sentinels for ages were lying on their sides like toy soldiers, as if an angry child had cleared the table with a brush of his hand. But what impressed me most is the resilience of not only the people of the Lowcountry, but the Lowcountry itself. Though the area has not suffered a major blow since Hurricane David cut a path of destruction in 1979, it paled in comparison to Matthew. After David, power was interrupted for as long as two weeks in the area; in contrast, many areas after Matthew had power restored within 72 hours, a herculean task considering the devastation. A great tribute to Georgia Power and Alabama Power who worked many hard hours to return us to a semblance of normalcy. I have many friends on Daufuskie Island; many evacuated, but some chose to stay. One core group that stayed are now referred to as the Daufuskie 100. Literally within hours of the storm passing they were out checking on the well-being of their neighbors. With
22
most all power lines down they volunteered time and resources to clearing the roads so the line crews could get power restored, which by all early accounts would take a month or longer. Due to their efforts, lights started to come back on within days instead of weeks. They fed one another and shared resources, visited and bolstered one another; kudos to all who were a part of that great effort. One of the first things I did when I got back was take the boat out and ride the rivers. It was out there that I saw far more evidence of the devastation wrought by Matthew. Docks and walkways, boathouses and gantries were completely gone. Entire sections of dock floated in the waterways, ready to sink the unwary captain. The dock my partner and I operate our charter business from was half-demolished. The docks on Tybee where I work out of were a total loss save for one small section that still had a sailboat attached. Go figure. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the damage; one dock might look to be untouched but the docks on either side of it were demolished. Overall, though, as bad as it was, I think we can all agree it could have been much worse. We caught a glancing blow from a hurricane that ran up the coastline. However, if it had been a direct blow coming ashore, we
A skiff and section of dock, along with substanital amounts of wrack washed into this year on Wilmington Island. Photo by Greg Moore
would have seen destruction several magnitudes worse than we did. In the years I’ve lived here I’ve noticed an underlying feeling of “We’re hurricane proof.” That illusion has been shattered. In closing, my prayers to all of you who are still putting your lives back together. May we not see the likes of Matthew for many generations to come. See y’all on the water – and remember to keep a watchful eye out for debris.
Email Captain Gary: jgaryhill@gmail.com SouthernTidesMagazine.com November 2016
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