Castles made of sand…

While major damage was not apparent, there is signs of minor damage all over. Ditches that were once dry are now filled with water. A new built retention pond by the Visitors Center is now full to the brim (if it wasn’t meant to be a retention pond, it is now). Stop lights mounted on poles at the drawbridge crossing the Indian river are now stuck in a diagonal position; apparently they weren’t made to swing freely side to side. Branches and palms litter the grounds all over.

At the space center, there were reports of minor roof damage (leaking) and the VAB lost a few panels. A few buildings were also without power. I’m sure there was more damage, but that’s what I could read about. The tornado apparently did not cause any damage. Maximum sustained winds were measured at 76 mph, while gusts reached up to 94 mph. 13.6 inches of rain fell at the space center, which would explain why all the ditches are full to the brim.

Again, the bridge to the beach was hit by a boat, which apparently was still embedded into it. DOT says it will be closed for about a month and will begin work as soon as the boat is removed. Looks like I won’t be going to the beach any time soon.

Okay, not the bridge that I thought it was. The bridge that was damaged was the north bridge… the one I use to go to the beach. Its also the previous mentioned long way around.

So I can go to work tomorrow just fine… and not to the beach this weekend.

A boat collided with the bridge the crosses the Indian river from Titusville to the Merritt Island. This would be the road I take to work every morning. I might be taking the long way around Wednesday…

As far as damage here. There are some medium size branches and other small debris outside on the pavement, but the car is fine. The apartment is okay physically, but apparently the roof sustained minor damage (i.e., it leaked a small amount)

I’m still alive. That’s a good start, right? I had today off due to the hurricane. Last night, starting at 6 pm a number of storms began their destructive course around central Florida due to a cold front. These storms spawn tornadoes all over the place, included the space center. I have tomorrow off while damage assessments are done.

Power flickered only once during the storm late in the morning. Very impressive for the power grid. I lost internet connectivity at 1:30 pm, probably due to the strong wind gusts still affecting the county. As of 5:45, it was restored.

Overall, an experience I never want to experience again.

Yesterday’s high: 81. Right Now: 66. Tomorrow’s High: 67. Wilma left us with clear blue skies and cooler weather.

From the looks of things and the computer models, its going to stay significantly south of me. While I’m within the area where tropical storm force winds are expected, the speed of the hurricane is suppose to lessen the impact of them.

I’m staying to ride out tomorrow, and do not have to work tomorrow. Guess I’ll have to break out a book.

Still heading the other direction. The computer models are now only showing essentially two tracks, which still say its going to do nearly a U-turn and hit Florida. Of the 4 models being displayed, their pair up and converge in two tracks across Florida. Both tracks are significantly south of me.

Looks like it will hit the Yucatan tomorrow, and either weaken or strengthen. Suppose to hit Florida Monday morning… and would be closer to me by Monday afternoon.

Overnight Wilma turned into a monster category 5 hurricane. Very scary thought. However, forecasters are expecting it will dwindle down before it actually hits; it should hit as a category 2 or 3.

The more comforting news is that not all the computer models are suggesting that it will hit south west Florida, as they all used to do. Two of the models now show it hitting Central America and then doing nearly a U-turn. Its path is still up in the air.

It isn’t necessary to blow out the other person’s light to let your own light shine.

– Bernard M. Baruch

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.

– Albert Einstein

Ack! Wilma is headed this way. All 5 hurricane models predict that it will hit anywhere from south Florida to central Florida. Being in central Florida, as I am, this is not a good thing. It may mean time off from work, but I don’t like the idea of evacuating the area. The predicted hit day is Saturday night.

So Wilma has 4 days to go another direction.

Into the hands of every individual is given a marvelous power for good or evil - the silent, unconscious, unseen influence of his life. This is simply the constant radiation of what man really is, not what he pretends to be.

– William George Jordan