"Walking sideways"

The last 48 hours here have entailed an impressive show of weather...and "Ida" just sounds like a wimpy name...on my excursions yesterday, I found wyself fording "road rivers". Some of the places around here, like Cross Landing and Deep Creek, are so deep in water, that crossing these roads should only be done with extreme care. I have been in coastal North Carolina for 3.5 years, and had yet to see a true storm. We have had some odd snows, some blowing nor'easters, but nothing like this. Field are underwater, ditches are full of water and cars, and some houses look like islands.

I have discovered that walking sideways is the best way to stay perfectly upright in these types of storms. Yesterday morning, the electricity went out, but returned around 2:00 pm. It is certain to go out today. The gusts are up to around 50, but a steady gust hangs in there at 25 miles an hour. My cup of coffee is currntly whitecapping, just like the toilets in the bathroom. We have sustained no damage, but some of the trees have finally buckled. A storm like this gets rid of those dead and dying trees, and creates new habitat on the ground for rabbits, squirrels, quail, and snakes.

Hopefully it will not destroy any human habitat, though some "beach boxes" have washed into the ocean. The storm should break tomorrow. This storm put a damper on all of those bear hunts that many of friends had planned on doing, too. I am not sure what these does for tomorrow's waterfowl opener, but water never hurt a duck. Every piece of land is wet or under water. Ducks should be everywhere, but howling winds, especially those coming from the north can only inspire waterfowl to draft on these winds and head towards calmer waters. Boaters on the southsides of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds should be VERY CAUTIOUS. If I go, it will be because the water is off the roads, but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen. I do not want my boat to float of the trailer while its on the highway.

Nevertheless, stay inside if you can and Enjoy the day...