Tornado in Apalachicola...

I've not been posting lately as I have a commute that leaves me computerless. (leave before dawn and back after dark) Today I'm taking the day off to help clean up the mess tornado "Syphillis" left in her wake. I named the tornado myself.

Friday evening I was on my way back from Carrabelle under very dark and ominous skies. By the time I got to the Apalachicola bridge, visibility was next to zero and the wind was shrieking at 40 knots, according to the NOAA weather I was listening to on the VHS radio in my truck. It was pretty frightening to me as I thought it was going to flip my truck. Every one else had pulled over, but I thought if my truck was going over I'd like to not have to walk so far to town, so I kept going. I was very glad to get off the bridge and begin spreading the word of my bravery and driving skill, but the wind was let out of my sails when I coasted into town and saw the devastation caused by the tornado.

The streets in this community are laid out in a NE and SW direction and SE and NW for the perpendicular roads. As tornadoes generally travel in a north-easterly direction, this one traveled 26 blocks from the outskirts of town (at the IGA grocery store) straight up Ave. G (towards the NE) all the way to the apalachicola river. No deaths were reported, but there were several tales of wonder and miracles. The two story houseboat I built is fine; 20 feet away a metal building built to withstand hurricanes was totally destroyed. The people were INSIDE the metal building when a 16 foot outboard powered boat crashed through the structure. Aside from 40 stitches to the man of the house, no injuries were caused. WOW.

I guess I need to go get some more gas for my saw and get back to it.