To those in Katrina's path...GET OUT! (Cat. 5 HURRICANE!!!!)

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Interestingly, most of the hotels have 200 mph + windows and vertical evacuation into them is standard operating procedure.

It's what I would do if I were stuck in that area.

The other thing about the wind & the water is debris. Think of tornadoes & tsunamis. The debris is lifted aloft, into the air or into the water, & propelled as missiles. The debris missiles sometimes kill more people than the actual elements (air, water) propelling them.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

There are still bars open on Bourbon street, with people in there drinking the night away! WTF????

And why do people think it is safer to "ride it out" on boats? That does not make sense to me at all.

I don't get that.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

That is extremely stupid. Small craft are not safe -- even in lower-grade hurricanes. In this monster, you're really just heading for an early death if you think you can climb into your 21-foot Boston whaler & "ride out" the hurricane. This ocean water inundating the coastlines is not going to be behaving like ordinary ocean water. It isn't just high surf. It's really potentially deadly to people caught in it.

I have never heard of people riding it out in a boat - but if they do, I wish them luck. Most likely, what is happening is people are riding it out in a secure strcture and brough a flat bottomed boat with them to be able to travel in the flood.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

It's what I would do if I were stuck in that area.

The other thing about the wind & the water is debris. Think of tornadoes & tsunamis. The debris is lifted aloft, into the air or into the water, & propelled as missiles. The debris missiles sometimes kill more people than the actual elements (air, water) propelling them.

Its true. The first rooms to go are the ones that face a courtyard or something as they are less vulnerable to that danger. I do not believe any 200 + mph windows have ever been smashed in by debris - though I am not sure of every case.

[Mad4stevie]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I have never heard of people riding it out in a boat - but if they do, I wish them luck. Most likely, what is happening is people are riding it out in a secure strcture and brough a flat bottomed boat with them to be able to travel in the flood.

On MSNBC, they just interviewed a woman who was planning on riding it out on a shrimp boat with her boyfriend AND THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

On MSNBC, they just interviewed a woman who was planning on riding it out on a shrimp boat with her boyfriend AND THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Where were they? New Orleans itself has no shrimping trade as its water is brackish. Most likely, they will be 20+ miles away, which is still stupid IMO.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

On MSNBC, they just interviewed a woman who was planning on riding it out on a shrimp boat with her boyfriend AND THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

I saw that earlier. I guess the rode out a category 1 before and think they can do it again.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

It's what I would do if I were stuck in that area.

The other thing about the wind & the water is debris. Think of tornadoes & tsunamis. The debris is lifted aloft, into the air or into the water, & propelled as missiles. The debris missiles sometimes kill more people than the actual elements (air, water) propelling them.

BTW - I survived the Pacific ring of fire and am back home!!!!!!!!!!!

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Where were they? New Orleans itself has no shrimping trade as its water is brackish. Most likely, they will be 20+ miles away, which is still stupid IMO.

I think they might have been in Mississippi.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I think they might have been in Mississippi.

Then they are likely fine. But, it still seems stupid to me.

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Where were they? New Orleans itself has no shrimping trade as its water is brackish. Most likely, they will be 20+ miles away, which is still stupid IMO.

around Biloxi.

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

BTW - I survived the Pacific ring of fire and am back home!!!!!!!!!!!

Alaska!! But I sure hope you took my warning seriously & avoided Lituya Bay.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

Alaska!! But I sure hope you took my warning seriously & avoided Lituya Bay.

We left from Vancouver, which I thought was part of that. I also thought Alaska was? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire

But, yes, the literature on the ship seemed to suggest no cruise ships like to go there

[gldstwmn]

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

We left from Vancouver, which I thought was part of that. I also thought Alaska was?

Alaska is most definitely in the Ring of Fire. It is -- by far -- the most actively seismic state in the Union. It has not only the most earthquakes of any state in the country, it has the most powerful. Lituya Bay is part of Glacier Bay Nat'l Park, but it's not really a tourist destination because it's not readily accessible. The Fairweather Fault butts up against the inlet, & can generate quakes of magnitude 8.

But, yes, the literature on the ship seemed to suggest no cruise ships like to go there

Yeah, I don't think cruise ships could get past the spit.

The best way to survey Lituya Bay is by helicopter.