Irene
VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Tue 30 Aug 2011 11:37
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All OK here. The manufactered hysteria of the
American media had built Irene up to be much more than actually transpired
(at most a Category 1 Hurricane, with Cat. 5 being the worst), and by the
time it reached New York and us it has decayed further to no more than a
strong depression. Nothing like as much rain as predicted and winds of only
40-50kts. Two days of grey skies, strong winds and on & off rain. All in all
very much like an August Bank Holiday weekend in Yorkshire.
The worst problem turned out to be the power cut.
The whole of Aquidneck Island (where we are) was disconnected for more than 24
hours. We were not alone; more than 5 millions Americans still have no power,
but that brought everything to a standstill. No hot food (we barbecued
twice in the rain, just like at home), no Internet, no petrol and no means of
finding out when ipower would come back on (yesterday afternoon). The American
power network is largely above ground, with very ugly and obtrusive power lines
strung up everywhere - and absurdly vulnerable to bad weather. Given that the
whole of the eastern seaboard really is part of Hurricane Alley this seems a
very strange way to set up the infrastructure - avoidable power cuts become a
certainty.
Now back to work on the boat, catching
up.
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