A few scenes from during and after Hurricane Idalia.

We had many deadfalls, but no property or personal damage. So we were much luckier than many others.

Deadfalls, power lines, cooking, rainfall

This still just looks like heavy rain, but the video shows the wind was blowing. Idalia’s eye went a few miles east of us, but those were probably still 60 mph winds from the north.

Movie: Looking east (23M) 2023-08-30

Here’s a video playlist.

We had to chainsaw our way out our front gate.

Oh, my, a deadfall! 2023-08-30

Then I charged the electric chainsaw with an inverter in the Prius.

Gate clear now 2023-08-30

Even our banana plants weathered well. They are protected from north winds.

Banana plants look good; protected from the north wind 2023-08-30

Gretchen likes camping.

Gretchen cooking, dogs helping 2023-08-31

Banana spiders can find a place to spin webs.

Roof spider in the morning sun 2023-08-31

We do not like to see this. A large double slash pine fell, and took two smaller ones with it.

Slash pine tree deadfalls 2023-08-31

The day after I cleared the back driveway. Including sawing myself into a corner.

Now how do I get out 2023-08-31

Our power was for less than three days. Also for our neighbors on Quarterman Road.

Power lines under trees on Quarterman Road 2023-09-01

And this morning, it’s back on.

Quarterman Road deadfall cleared by MDR 2023-09-02

Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation (CEMC) had 57,000 meters without power after Hurricane Idalia. They have 71,355 connected meters, so that’s almost 80% of their meters without power.

As of 10 AM, Saturday, September 2, 2023, outages are down to 23,950, or 34%. That’s fast work.

This is partly due to MDR Construction, Inc., a contractor, presumably hired by CEMC.

MDR truck turning from Hambrick onto Quarterman Road 2023-09-02

On facebook, Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation wrote: “As of 8:00 PM on August 30, we have 55,140 meters without power. Crews are responding to all affected areas. In addition to 13 Colquitt EMC crews, we have 26 crews from MDR and 8 mutual aid crews.”

Our rain gauges only go to 5 inches, so we don’t know how much we got.

However, the nearest river gauge shows more than 6 inches.

6.66 inches rain on the Skipper Bridge Gauge Withlacoochee River Gauge.

Needless to say the rivers rose many feet.

There are a few more pictures on the OPF website.

-jsq

Short Link: