Hurricane Gustov in Gulf Shores

Well it looks like we are not getting it nearly as bad as it could be. Streets are clear some have water over them, but we were able to drive down Fort Morgan pretty far before the police had a blockade due to water over the road. I am posting some photos from about noon today.

We went out to Mobile Street, off Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores. The newly built wood ramp out to the beach had some damage at the low end. There was one other car out there w/ some curious people like us. No other souls in sight.

It was not raining when I took these photos but the wind was blowing hard. The sand in the air hurt. I got sand in every part of my body.

Now, at 2:30 p.m. it is raining hard as I type this. Internet connection is iff-y. but then it has been iff-y for last few days, they said 'server problems' . In the last photo you can see my friends Mary & Jerry's fortress. It sits a good way back from the beach and has some serious dunes between the house and the surf. A good thing !

I am posting some photos now of the preparations and how hte bulkhead looked right before this storm. Dave and I had worked so hard to plant wildflower seed and rye grass as a nurse crop on the recently packed and bare dirt in front of the nice flat "sidewalk" created where the left over cornice blocks had been set along the water line.
We had put out 100 feet for loose weave burlap to protect the littl esedlings, and only removed it when the broad leaf plants were pushing it up.

It cost me 2 grand to have these huge cornice blocks lined up along the water and they did a great job. The little plants had come along so nicely, I watered them lightly most ever day and if the vegetation had been in place long enuf to form a thick ground cover, I think we would have been ok, BUT, it is all washed out now. The cornice blocks are now sitting all askew and the loose dirt that did not have time to e properly, is washed away.