Hurricane Sandy 2012

October 2012 Hurricane Sandy

Well I am sure pretty much anyone with a television heard there was a hurricane off the East Coast and some were calling it a “perfect storm”.  Meteorologists’ were projecting Hurricane Sandy to collide with a nor’easter.  I am not going into all the details there was enough of that out there with the news and the weather channel.  Wilmington’s coast is not really known for overly huge waves maybe 2-3 feet on average and this is just a guess.  During the Hurricane Wilmington’s coast was under a Tropical Storm Warning.  We didn’t actually get the full hurricane we got the outer bands of the storm but we did get on average 6-10 feet seas and 30+ mph wind gusts.

S and I woke up and took a ride to Wrightsville Beach.  We went to Johnnie Mercer’s Pier to look at what the storm was doing.  It wasn’t really cold and the wind wasn’t as strong as it would get later in the day.  I took off my shoes and walked down on the beach where S was taking pictures.  The water was actually really warm.

Wave swelling near the end of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier.

Wave Swelling

I am standing by Johnnie Mercer’s Pier Wrightsville Beach NC

I think this is so cool.  These pictures show a wave starting to swell at the end of the pier and then it’s progression until it crashed on the shore.

Side of Johnnie Mercer’s pier being hit by a wave

Some pictures of me walking on the beach.  I love being out in rain and wind it is actually relaxing to me so this was really enjoyable.  

Wave crashing under the pier

We went home and decided we would go back to the beach a little later in the day when the storm got closer to us.  After we ate lunch we went back to Johnnie Mercer’s Pier at Wrightsville Beach.

On the left side of the picture it can seen how tall the waves are getting later in the day as the storm got closer to our coast.

As we started to walk down the beach a couple feet I suggested we walk to the other pier (Crystal Pier).  S wasn’t overly excited about the walk so he suggested we ride down there.  We got in the truck and went to the opposite end of Wrightsville Beach (this will not be the first time we would drive instead of walk to a destination this day). 

As we got out at Crystal Pier I could immediately tell the difference in the temperature and the wind.  It was much cooler and the wind was much stronger.  I actually felt as though I could have been blown over a few times.  This is where the + comes in when I put 30+ mph wind gusts.  How much of a plus?  I am not really sure.  I know earlier in the day I only had a thin shirt and a rain jacket on and this time I had the same thin shirt with a thick zip up sweat shirt type jacket and my rain jacket on top of it.

I stood on the beach under the pier looking at how it had collapsed in the ocean, not to mention fairly recently collapsed and my over active imagination accompanied by my very dramatic side felt it necessary I move from underneath it immediately.  One big gust of wind or a large wave and that thing could come down quicker than a house of cards.

Moving on, I looked to my right and saw the rocks in the jetty and asked S if we could walk down the beach to have a look at what was taking place there.  This was the second time we would drive. 

The waves had gotten bigger as the day went on.

Waves

waves crashing over the rocks in the jetty

in the far distance white caps

wave starting to swell

wave curling

The tide was coming in quick.  My shorts were soaked and I had my very thick sweat shirt on under my rain jacket.  Sometimes I would have to stand still and even close my eyes because with one wave coming in and one wave going out the force of the two pulling made me feel like I was going to fall or be pulled down.

Sunday October 28, 2012

It didn’t rain.  There may have been a mist here or there.  The wind was steady.  As of 12am (I guess that would technically be Monday October 29, 2012) the wind was still gusting enough to make our windows shake and my wind chimes, well chime.

  Check out the video.  It isn't very long and it was earlier in the day but you get an idea of how things were headed.

Hope you enjoy.  Let me know what you think.