Zeta is on the way.

   Once again, we are preparing for a hurricane.  It appears that the Gulf Coast just cannot catch a break this year.  To be perfectly honest, I would not be surprised to hear that another enters the Gulf next month.  The season ends November 30th so that gives plenty of time for other systems to form.  While most have been swerving away from us, we are due for our hit.  I think Zeta is it.  Hurricane Zeta has set her sights on our area so the day has been spent preparing. Tomorrow, we wait.

  While securing the small skiff today, Son and I watched as a steady stream of shrimp boats made their way past our pier.  They were on their way to an inlet called "Hurricane Hole" up the Bay a ways.  The deep water area is surrounded by thick woods and hundreds of boats go there seeking safe harbor during the storms.  After the mandatory evacuation of the harbors is given, the boats (of all sizes and types) make their way in an orderly fashion.  Tempers do not flare among these fine folks.  They are all in this together and know very well that they need each other to survive.  Helping hands are offered when needed and folks are eager to follow up on those offers.  Good folks there.

  I watched as the shrimp boats chugged slowly along the channel and thought of how, years ago, there were no warnings of the hurricanes.  Folks did not know of incoming storms until the last moment.  Securing their belongings was often done during the midst of the hurricane.  There were no constant updates from weeks out.  There were no "spaghetti models".  There were no tracking charts.  There were, however, those who could "read" the weather and they would pass along their thoughts.  By word of mouth, the news spread...slowly.  Most of the time, a good many folks were caught unaware.  They rode out the storm as best they could with what they had on hand.  It was not easy.

  Now, we have data being thrown at us when a storm is weeks out.  It is almost an overload of information but is still appreciated.  We have time to do what is needed.  Today was spent doing those preparations and now we sit.  We wait.