Rapid response

No ride today as we are preparing for a possible rapid response to the big storm brewing in the Gulf. We will go if we can get the funding to support us and be able to function most likely in Galveston. Big G may get washed away or a real good flushing. Anyway we will probably spend a week down there looking at breached shore faces and collecting siesmic data and cores from the bottom from our small research vessel. Just hope the storm isn't too damaging for the people there, but I think they are in for some trouble. LA coast is also getting hammered and wish we could help out there but now a state employee for TX and that doesn't fly here. Sucks!

Ike

LA coast will get battered again. Why can't this one just hit Houston... Here is a message from the NWS for Vermilion parish...

ACROSS VERMILION LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!

ALL NEIGHBORHOODS... AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES... WILL BE INUNDATED DURING HIGH TIDE. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED... SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF... PERHAPS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE... WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES... INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR.

Looks like my parents will be on a true island once again. Makes you want to leave but then where does all that good seafood come from?