And the Bayou Takes....

   The last post I did was a few weeks ago simply because time and energy did not permit me to lollygag about on the computer.  Hurricane Francine did not hit here directly but did deal us a blow as far as damage to the pier.  My favorite place was in shambles and was clearly not a safe place to be.  While "The Bayou Provides" (previous post) still holds true, it also takes.  It takes time and effort to deal with problems that arise simply by trying to coexist with whatever the weather throws at us.  Son has been working tirelessly to repair the damage to the pier while I am putting the same effort into cleaning up the debris line left behind by the tidal surge.  I am getting too old for this!  

  The damage to the pier seemed, at first, to be only a surface matter but, once Son really looked, there were some underlying problems.  Some of the basic structure points had come undone so his job got massively larger.  The poor fellow has been redoing a lot of the bottom joists and stringers that had come unbolted.  Renailing planks further up the walkway became my job.  Finding our lost pier pieces became a family affair with us walking the shoreline in search of planks from both our pier and my brother's.  (He received much more damage than we did.)  We have yet to find the sturdy bench that Son had bolted to the pier.  The table remained intact and actually helped keep the pier together...somewhat...but that bench is elusive!  Where, oh, where did that thing float ashore?  Son was in hopes of finding it but did say he would build another if the need arises.  I miss my bench but, I have to admit, I have a great son!

  So...the Bayou also takes.  It and the weather make us ever aware of "what could happen" if the two collaborate to hit us with a fierce blow.  It takes effort.  It takes time.  It takes stamina (something that is wearing thin with me.)  And...it takes my bench to parts unknown!  Come back, traveling bench!  On a side note, if anyone sees this wayward bench, let me know! 

Well, there you are!

   Since Hurricane Zeta demolished the pier, we have been trying to salvage what boards we can from the debris line.  Not only are we salvaging our planks, but we find a lot of my brother's pier parts in our yard (and he finds a lot of ours over his way!)  We merely set his aside and he comes to retrieve them.  Son does the same.  It is not an easy task and we still have a long ways to go before we can say we are finished.  We may never be finished.  It is that big of a mess.  That is fine and dandy.  I take my time and try to do what I can each day.  Some days it is more than others.  I do find it very disturbing that the very people who want to use the pier will never show up to lend a helping hand to restore it.  This has made me realize that saying "No" to wannabe visitors is not wrong.  If you cannot help, then you do not need to be here.  Simple fact.

  If there is not enough aggravating things about hurricanes, I have found quite another.  Those goofy storms love to play "Hide and Seek" with items.  My brother came over a couple of weeks ago in search of a huge plank from his pier.  He measured this one and that one but never found the right one. We figured that the plank had made its way to some other shoreline.  No problem.  He would just make do with another. He did make the offer for Son to come look at some of the planks he found.  "They may be yours or, at least, they may work for your pier."  We never thought much more about the missing plank.

  Early this afternoon, Son and I were meandering the debris line taking stock in what the chores will be for the next week.  While he pulled a plank, I stared out over the Bayou.  "Son, what is that across the way?"  He looked and had to start laughing.  "Well, there you are!"  I looked bepuzzled so he explained.  "I think THAT is the missing plank!"  Ahh, well that explains a lot!  We began looking in the Bayou some more and, lo and behold, found our missing planks, as well!   Some he will be able to retrieve by simply traipsing out on the marsh clumps but others will need a boat.  Crazy old Zeta!!!  It is bad enough that you ripped up the pier but you did not need to hide stuff from us!  I guess next month will see us with rubber boots making our way out in the marsh and back in the creek bed to see what else Zeta stole!  Always something.

He's Thinking....

   Since Hurricane Zeta literally took out the entire pier...planks, stringers, runners, a lot of the posts...Son is having to start from the ground..errr..mud...up.  After putting in several posts and adding the stringers, it comes time to add the long joists between the posts.  These are huge boards that are about 14ft in length and some are 3 inches by twelve inches.  That is a lot of board.  It is too much board for one man to handle by himself but Son does.  He has to move the planks from the top of the hill all the way down through the marsh to the section he is rebuilding.  It is not easy work.  I offer to help but, since the body refuses to work correctly at times, he flat out refuses.  So, he works alone.

  Son has figured a system that seems to work for him.  Since we have no "cart" that will suffice moving the long planks, he has devised one.  He uses a dolly...backwards.  Yep, backwards than what is intended.  The dolly is laid flat on the ground, the plank is placed on top running "up" the handle and secured with a tie-cable.  Once the board is tightly bound, Son merely picks up the loose end and wheels his prize to the pier.  There, however, things get difficult.  The dolly cannot be used since the ramp is missing.  Son has to carry the board all the way to the far end of the pier.  Then, he has to slosh around in the mud while attempting to hoist the heavy thing into place.  I watch and feel helpless.  He claims it is better to think before trying to do things and I do believe he has it down to a science.  I stand amazed.

  

Time to Show A Little Kindness

  Along about midnight, I was awakened by a strange bonking noise.  Thinking that the screen doors were not latched, I roused myself to check.  It was then that I realized the wind had picked up and was slamming things around a bit.  Ok, so it was time to grab a flashlight and start taking down things that might cause problems.  I had already dropped the hanging plants but had gotten sidetracked before I took in the wind chimes and other decorative yard items. Well, my lapse in commonsense now saw me in the midst of tropical storm force winds trying to do what I should have earlier.  It is all good, however, as Son came to my rescue and gave a helping hand.  Ten minutes and I was back in bed enjoying the sound of rain pounding the rooftop and wind rattling the windows.  

  When I awoke this morning, it was well before sunrise so I had no idea if the outer bands of Hurricane Delta did any damage here on the Bayou.  I knew it would pale to the damage that the good folks in the path of the storm received but I was curious.  It was nigh on 7am before the sun lightened the sky enough for me to venture out.  Dark clouds still rolled around the sky and the winds, though calming, were still quite brisk.  I checked around the Little Bayou House and was happy to find that it held once again.  The pier, on the other hand, did not fare so well.  

  Entire sections of our pier are missing.  Usually, we have planks that are washed free but this small squall literally did major damage.  At some points, we have posts...just posts.  When Son came down to "survey" the damage, he simply replied, "No problems.  A little work but it can be fixed."  This man has the best attitude about things.  I have never seen anyone remain so calm in the face of calamity. 

  Once again, folks, be kind.  Reach out and help those in need.  Those in Louisiana and Texas are in dire need of help.  Even if you are miles away, do the neighborly thing and help.  Send a donation, lend a helping hand, say a prayer for those that are facing a massive cleanup.  Trust me when I say, their lives will never be the same.  Been there...done that...don't wish it upon anyone.  Be kind.  Just be kind.

  

Double Trouble?

   Things are a bit up in the air around the Coast.  I am sitting here listening to the drone of the huge engines of our Hurricane Hunters as they are preparing to fly over the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding area.  These folks are true heroes that go above and beyond to keep us safe.  The uncertainty of whether we are to be in the path of the two hurricanes that are threatening back to back visits has folks not knowing just how to prepare.  Do we stockpile enough supplies to carry us through two storms or do we wait and hope the storms change their directions.  Those a bit inland can get by with minimal effort and laugh at our quandary but those living near the water have a different set of rules about facing hurricanes.  We do not have the buffer zone that others have.  If a hurricane takes aim at us, we catch the brunt of it.  The winds die quickly once the eye comes ashore.  Of course, those inland do not have to be concerned about the tidal surge either.  With back to back storms, the effects are of course doubled as is the time span of the overall battering.  Even back to back tropical storms can do major damage to those of us with waterfront homes.  So, we prepare as only we know how to do!  We have learned from experience what works and what does not.  "Prepare for the worst and pray for the best" is always a good mantra.  In other words, take the ultimate of precautions then leave the rest to the Good Lord.

  Today, as I was heading to the pier, a thought struck me.  Son just this past week finished the repairs on the pier.  The damage from Tropical Storm Cristobal was extensive.  The entire structure of the pier was in shambles.  Now, we face the possibility of more damage.  When I questioned him on his thoughts, his statement was "Hurricanes are not something we can control.  Pier repairs are."  That made a lot of sense.  We won't worry about what "might" happen but will focus on the job at hand..whatever that may be.  If any readers are in the path of either storm or both storms, as the case may be, be careful.  Prepare for what may come and think safety first. 

Only 190 Feet To Go!

  Son and I started doing the heavy repairs on the pier.  Of course, he is doing most of the work and I am there to simply lend a hand lifting the heavy planks or running back up the hillside to get a different tool.  First thing was to replace some of the long stringers on which the planks sit.  This is not an easy job as we have to first remove all of the planks, knock out the broken 3 x 12s then replace those and start anew with planking.  Needless to say, this is a time-consuming and now very hot job.  There is no shade and for the past few days, our temperatures have been in the mid 90s.   Hot and hard work, for sure!  It is times like this that make me want to put the pier completely off limits to those who wish to come  fishing.  All of the folks who have used the pier in the past are sure not coming around to lend a helping hand when it is needed.  But...we are used to that.  We will get it repaired.  After all, we only have about 190 feet left to rebuild!  Not too bad.

  Along about noontime, a loud splashing in the shallows alerted us to some critter making a quick escape.  We have yet to figure out just what darted, swam or fluttered through the small inlet cut and across the tidepool.  Whatever it was, it made a hasty retreat under the marsh mats left by the storm.  These mats are a good foot deep and some twenty to thirty feet across.  They are floating on about 10 inches of water making a nice covering for the critters.  During one water break, Son and I sat talking about those mats.  "You know, if we had some way of pouring resin on the mats, they would make a great outdoor rug." he said.  I stared at him and pondered if his musings were serious or simply a way of confusing his old mom.  He then went further..."We could actually put enough resin on them and make floating piers!"  Ok, with that, I knew that he was joking as I cannot imagine pouring that much resin on anything...but...maybe??  Floating piers may be easier to take care of during storms.  We could tie it off to the large oak trees in the yard and let it float right on up in the yard with the storm surge.  Getting it back out may be a problem but if the size of these mats is any indication, we could always just make new piers.  Whoa!  Ideas were flowing until Son started laughing and said "Back to work."

  The pier work started again and we finally got one section ripped up and the underparts repaired.  It is surprising how Cristobal, as a tropical storm, did so much damage to the piers in the area.  Ours has been racked from one side to the other, end platform broken loose and shattered and nigh on a hundred planks will need to be replaced.  We might as well be building a new pier.  (At least the posts are reasonably sound.) 

Cristobal, you can leave now!

  Well, Tropical Storm Cristobal came to visit the Bayou and is stirring up a tad bit of trouble before he makes his exit.  Yes, I do know that the storm "officially" made landfall in Louisiana but, like I said before, that put us on that right side...the side you do not want to be on during any tropical system.  Why?  Because in any typical storm, that upper right quadrant (our side in this case just like in Hurricane Katrina) is the side that catches the brunt of the wind, tidal surge and rain.  The area that is impacted by the right side of a tropical system in the Atlantic Basin, is in for trouble.  We got trouble by the buckets!  Rain...lots and lots of rain fell on the area and that created flooding and wind..sometimes gusting nigh on to hurricane force, pushed even more water into our area.  In fact, as of this writing, the rain gauge reads a little over 8 inches. This flooding is not going to go away for a while.  Here on the Bayou, we are lucky.  We live on a hill that overlooks the Bay and Bayou.  While the tidal surge came and is slowly receding at this time, the rain filling the creek that empties into the back of the Bayou is causing trouble for those behind us.  Here, the rain slides off into the Bay.  Others are not so fortunate.  The water from rivers, creeks, ponds and any low spots just pools and then floods into houses.  Not good.  

  The pier seems to have taken a beating and planks have wandered off to parts unknown.  Those will have to be replaced.  Hopefully, (I cannot tell yet as water is still covering it) the base structure of the pier is still intact.  Planks can be replaced with a little hard work.  The gardens look a whole lot worse for wear.  The wind has pretty much tattered the plants.  Again, with a little hard work, those can be replaced.  Son and I worked throughout the storm to keep things together.  Several times, we had to brave the pelting rains and high winds to hoist the skiffs a bit further up the hill until we finally just chained the boats to a sturdy oak tree.  Enough of that!  

  Tomorrow will find us with more rain and occasional fierce winds but hopefully the storm surge will be down.  Cleaning up the debris line across the front and side yards will have to wait until Cristobal decides to make a full exit.  As I am writing, the winds are still rapping at the windows and rain is continually pelting the rooftop.   Some of these storms just refuse to leave!

Living on the Bayou

  The tropical system that went inland west of us did not do considerable damage to our place.  We did, however, wind up with a mess in the front yard.  As with any rough weather, debris from the marsh is washed ashore and our pier takes a beating.  Most of the time, the pier withstands the winds fine but, if you throw in a bit of high tide, the boards just cannot take the pounding.  Planks will lift off and go floating into the marsh.  Some can be retrieved and reused but others will never be seen again,  The marsh claims the boards and they soon become part of the "fill" as marsh shoots penetrate the boards and anchor them.  Birds use these boards as resting spots, otters will find them handy as "tables" to crack shells, snakes soak up a bit of sunshine while basking on them and fiddler crabs burrow deep beneath them.  This is our loss and we have to replace those missing planks but, in an odd way, is the marsh denizens gain.

  Although the pier only lost a small number of planks, the work involved in replacing them is a bit labor intensive.  It is not a problem as it come with living on the water in a place where hurricanes are a way of life.  In a way, this could be considered a blessing in disguise as we have been meaning to replace a good bit of the structural parts beneath the planking for some time now.  The wear and tear of waves requires a constant upkeep.  Replacing planking is the easy part.

  This afternoon as the waters receded, a number of planks could be seen lodged in the marsh.  These are just a reminder of what storms can do and how blessed we are that this one was not worse.  The next one?  Who knows?  We do know there will always be the "next" one and will always prepare accordingly.  It comes with the territory.  Its part of living on the Bayou.  I would not trade it for anything.