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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember 25, 2003 - Hurricanes past and present September 25, 2003 • The Suffolk Times • urrlcanes as an resen �, �, .,�,, ,o� � �,�, � � �r� ���,� �""a„ m��,�� ��,<<� a�q� r �.���d' r ii"�ry / ��;�v�, � � ���,r� v ��,, �� "' � �,q��� rh rF ti� i�'t � � � � ���� ��, �, ��� � � ��l'��i� �� ' l��"�,�r, ���7/�'��j�� lf'� '�'� ���, ,�i�, Y�ti ,� i{ r�< i y i v�;�,/N' �l� ✓"wi� � �,.�'ll�,'" ���„P,�' . � Nm�°ml�iNa�71�i � �PIN .. ��ru �j/ � '�il � . .. �m�J. � .,. . . i 9/'" .. . � ��l/ N ^ `��� ii4/r/ %�� k �, �° .dl l .. � �� Nrym'4b � �����ii"� �/`� ����� . 9 "y . � � � �I, k �^ � �n �� u � � ��k „ ' ° ... . �„m� ' k �N ,� »,,.... �' .". p � �i� �� � ,✓ i,� . �k � � �� �� �T�i r�����N 1 �,'�Cv� � , w°"+ ri'� '� � 1 "^« , ,�w ' "�i 1 9�*�� . ��, " w.lNr�aa�✓vdN�w, �v�wm� ' _ ` „ r � � . ��,� h'+v w i� I,;b � , x , .. . . �y . .. � . � � . . ��'�,�w�ptl�r�inni�Mfi�. � ... „C.�. �wa °�rrvnid G r�r�MNy . . � ��...: nm'�iNu � � w , � . � , ,. . � � ,:: � �A�4MMwein „,.� . . ��. ^ . ...».' sA +b�,l ,��0 V � . � �.�. ' w.:_ �� i �.� YM . i�. "� �llC'rYMW�VMl' �� Vr�,� Nr ��, .. v µ . � �r ° µ �. '�b N�r;. . �. WWe � � �y��d, � �� .� �,r�, . ,. � � � � ,u "b � � � � � 1��, n��N 1��M:1�„ r "� �� � �r�� � r;q�ry u� � � � � �,. � � � �� '""a�"" w �� � ��rQr �^ �� � i�„� �,� r�%/ '�w "`,�. �"� � �� " v p - , a uy , M , .„„ �, "� , � � „, , , „ u,, ,; , � , � � ^ �" � � � �� „�� r � � �� � , ��, , .. ,,,, , ;� , ��r �,rW, , �� �� �, ; .�, • � t� �,, ��� Times/Review photo by Paul Stoutenburyh Whenever we have a big storm or a hurricane there's bound to be boat damage and beachfront erosion from high tides and pounding surf. It's the price we pay for building tco close to the shoreline or not properly taking care of our boats (this photo is from March 1984 . I'M w�zri'irvc;'rii�s fouu days before back in 193�. the new section.Needless to say,that Hurricane Isabcl is expected to hit the �'�G V$ That was the roof was never completed.We North Carolina coast.If it does,we'll most destructive watched as it was blown,practically feel its effect sooner or later here on �N of all hurricanes intact,across the ball field. the North Fork.Hurricanes can be so NATURE to strike our East We were kept inside the school. destructive,particularly along the End.At the time Everyone knew something drastic was waterfront,with their super-high tides, by Paul they were going on outside as the relentless high winds and torrential rains. Stoutenburgh expanding the winds battered the school building.It My first experience was when I was school and were had rained for two or three days a sophomorc at Southold High School in the roccss of uttin the roof on before,soakin rains that made the o catch J.Henry Wolf's big,old, ground soft.With thal condition an were so many trees own around it, Washed-out-yellow school bus that high winds and more rain,the beauti- branches,leaves,utter chaos. I went would come along and pick us up. ful elm trees that lined the streets of around to the back door and my My mother made brown-bag lunch- Southold were slowly blown down. mother was there.She was so glad to es for us kids.There was always a Most people think a tree goes down see me and I must say I was equally goodie in there:a little piece of choco all at once.The ones I remember see- glad to see her. late,a bit of Christmas candy,a cup- ing through the school window on There was no school for a week as cake or something of that sort.On Oaklawn Avenue went down gradual- they cleaned the roads up and tried to those long and often cold walks to ly.It seemed every time you looked at restore powcr.First it was cutting a catch the high school bus in the morn- them,they were down a little more. path through the downed trees,and ing or to the Depot Lane grade What to do with a school full of kids then later the cleanup that lasted all school,we often went into those and a hurricane on your hands? Mr. through the winter. I brown bags to get the goodies out Blodgett,the principal,wouldn't let remember my dad got a long before we ever got to school. any of us go out but then,thinking the job taking trees off Back to hurricanes.Barbara and I hurricane was lessening,he Finally some of the houses.Of moved from Fleets Neck after we decided to let the bus leave.We had a course I was there to were married to live on Skunk Lane. high school bus at that time that was he�p• We have a little piece of woodland, run by J.Henry Wolf of Cutchogue.It We didn't know what maybe two acres,and as you walk was a big square box affair with long a chainsaw was in those through this miniature woodlot there seats down the sides and in the mid- days.We used a big two- are still traces of the u rooted dle.It was very convenient for older man saw,which,by the boys who faced each other in the scat way,I still have.We cut our way mounds of earth that were lifted up as to drag a terrified newcomer on the through the trees around the house. the trees went over some 65 years ago bus and pull him across their legs and Later Dad hired someone with a trac- in that '38 hurricane.To this day you give him greetings on his behind.The tor to come in with a big buzz saw. can still tell which direction the wind bus was a great lumbering kind of The saw blade must have been three came from. thing. I dodt think it ever went more feet in diameter and it worked off a We always.had problems with boats than 40 mph,and that was downhill. big long belt pulley on the tractor. �'henever a bad storm or hurricane But it served the purpose and we all There was a movable table that you came along.In one of those big storms ut the lon tree iece on,then b I lost one of the best boats I ever piled in and started for home to the P g P y owned.It had introduced me to boat- west,dodging fallen trees and downed pushing the movable table and log ing.It was an old Great South Bay wires on the way. into the fast-turning saw blade,we cut We diddt get very far.We got just the wood up.Ziiing! Ziiing! Ziiing! catboat that had the mast cut off and past the American Legion building My—how that saw did cut! a little cabin built on her.She was and trees across the road stopped us. Just a point of interest.When we P��'ered by a big old one-lunger Gray A few of us decided to walk home.I built our house in the woods on marine engine that putted it along at lived in Cutchogue,down in Fleets Skunk Lane many years later,I about the speed you could walk,or a Neck,at the time.As we walked along bought an old buzz saw and hooked it bit faster if you pressed her.Then,in we couldn't believe our eyes.There up to our neighbor Pete Kujawski's one of the hurricanes when I was were trees that had fallen down on tractor and cut up all the trees that we away,the tide lifted her up higher and houses and cars.It was a scene of ter- had to take down to make room for higher until she went over the pilings ror.Branches and leaves were strewn the house.I still have that big circular of the dock.She pounded and pound- about and the rain kept coming down. lade,but the saw table and support ed until she put a gaping hole in her After an unforgettable walk,we final- have all rusted or rotted away.What's side.It couldn't be repaired,so I ly got to Pequash Avenue in left is up in the back hedgerow. regrettably had to burn her right there Cutchogue,where I left the others, After the '38 hurricane,I think we on the beach. who had to go farther west.I headed had enough firewood cut for two Another time we had our 27-foot for home down the lane a mile away, years after that.We had a woodstove Cape Dory sailboat tied in midchan- climbing over,going under.It was like in the living room in those days,a nel way up one of the little canals someone was trying to destroy the huge thing standing five feet tall.The nearby.She weathered the storm world. whole front opened up and you could beautifully.I remember it was after There was a line of big trees on put a three-foot log in it.How it that hurricane that I took photographs Pequash Avenue.Some sort of an glowed red in the evening.On those of a pileup of three boats that had aspen I think;I wasn't much on trees cold mornings we'd all come out of broken loose from their moorings and in those early days but I do remember our frigid bedrooms and sort of back landed up against a dock,where they they had big catkins on them.Every up to the stove as we put on our Were demolished.During those storms one of those big trees blew down. clothes.I still have a picture of my sis- the great marshes that are a hallmark There must have been 50 or more of ter getting dressed by that old stove. of our creeks would disappear under them.Luckily,the wind was out of the After breakfast we'd walk the mile to the high tides and become huge ponds east,and so the blew down into the get the high s hool bus.There was no of angry water.Yes,hurricanes and Y maverick storms can raise havoc with farm fields.Finally I got to where our bus down our way. the waterfront and everything associ- house was. I couldn't see it—there Grade school far me ated with it. was on Depot Lane and As you read this after Isabel has After the �38 you had to walk to get there.There was a bus spent her fury,I hope it wasn't in any hurrieane, I think for the high school that of your back yards.We were lucky this we had enou h only ran along the Main time.Isabel was good to us,but never- g Road,so everyone who theless,it did bring back old memories firewood eut for went to high school had of that first hurricane I witnessed 65 two years... to get to the Main Road ears a o.