We have some friends who recently took early retirement, sold everything, and moved to a tropical island. Sound inviting? I’ve been meaning to blog their story and show you some of the incredible pictures they’ve been sending us. Here’s the email I just received from them about their escape from Frances:
Frances did not kick in here until around 10:30 p.m. and finally let up this morning around 11:30 a.m. We were fortunate to be on the south side of the island which was better than being on the north. Winds here were over 100 mph. It sounded like a loud freight train. I thought the sound would be constant. On the contrary. Just when it sounded like a train was leaving the station, another one would be right behind it.
I had over prepared for Frances. Evidently in all the films you see of hurricanes the buildings are pre-hurricane code. This house is amazing. Let’s hear it for poured concrete! The walls never even shook. No roof damage. All we got was a little water under the front door which we mopped up every hour or so. We left the cars in the parking apron by the house and they were fine. As R explained to me, when you are driving 120 mph your car does not lift up and blow away. I wouldn’t know because I don’t drive quite that fast. After the winds stopped, we watched for the surge but it was only about 3-4 feet high
and we are 5 feet above sea level. If the water level had risen to 5 feet we would have just driven the cars down the road and up the hill.The experience was a little scary but also amazingly beautiful to watch (through the crack of a hurricane shutter). We are now very confident you can build houses down here that will withstand even a Cat 5 hurricane. Any previous trepidation has disappeared.
Will send a couple of before/after photos later. Thanks to so many of you for your concern and good wishes.
UPDATE: Pictures
