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It was another day without power in our hotel in Mobile. And believe it or not, I got back in the elevator. But this time the elevator was manually operated, so we didn’t get stuck. This morning we are heading back toward Pensacola to check out the area.
There’s a reporter at our paper who dreams of covering a hurricane from under a bridge. I came as close today as I ever want to again.
Once things calmed down in Mobile, we headed about 30 miles west to Pascagoula. Things were not calm there. Bands brought huge gusts that tore off roof tops and sent debris flying by the car. We decided to take cover under an Interstate overpass.
We sat there for two hours as the car rocked and we saw light posts sway in the wind. I tried to get out of the car at one point. That didn’t work out too well. Luckily, I managed to keep from falling down.
My photographer lost his glasses in the wind while taking a picture. He said that’s like me losing my only pen only worse because I can get another pen easier than he get new glasses.
Once we got out from under the bridge, we spent the day dodging flooded roads and debris. We made it back to Mobile. I worked at a television station owned by the same company that owns Media General. They were so great to us. They provided us electricity, a dry place to work and hot food.
I even picked up a little television secret. Have you ever wondered how those reporters stand out in those storms? I caught one doing a report out back. She was tied to a pole and had a sandbag nearby. The things we do for news.
Here’s a little hurricane tip. If you’re going to stay in a hotel room during a hurricane, try not to stay on one on the 16th floor. We were in the lobby when the power went off and heard people stuck in the elevator. That’s when I declared the stairs was the only way to travel. Luckily for those people, the power came back on.
Sixteen flights later and one lost lung, I decided this wasn’t going to work. I brought my luggage to the bell man on the first floor in case we had to make a quick dash out. The hotel manager assured me that if the power went out the elevators automatically go to the first floor. So I reluctantly gave them a try with my photographer and another reporter. About six floors up, the power went out again and guess what? We didn’t drop anywhere, we were stuck. The power came back on moments later, so it’s the stairs from here on out.
So I awoke this morning to learn that Katrina has made landfall in southeast Louisiana. Outside the winds are gusting and rain is beating against my window. As I’m writing this, I’ve just seen an explosion of light outside my window, most likely a transformer blowing. At times, my windows are vibrating. The few pieces of plywood on the windows are starting to peel off. I’m told it’s only go to get worse from here on out. By 10 a.m. local time we’ll be getting the worse winds which are expected to be between 80 and 100 mph. Our big problem will be tornados because we are on the northeast side of the storm. We’ve had our first tornado warning and I’m sure there are many more to come.
So tonight we’re staying in a hotel in Mobile where we’ll try to get some sleep before what will sure to be a very long day. But I think everyone will be keeping one eye open tonight. We’re on the 16th floor of a high-rise hotel that is made up of large glass windows. Even the lobby is surrounded by glass. I’m sleeping in my clothes and keeping all my belongings next to the door. I imagine when things get bad; we’ll be snatching our stuff and moving into the hallways on the lower floors. I guess we’ll find out how much this building can handle.
So it seems people are a bit more worried now that Katrina is a Category 5 storm. We’re now in Mobile, Alabama and many more people are evacuating. Even if the storm hits Louisiana, this area is expected to get hurricane force winds.
The biggest worry here is the storm surge. We were out on the barrier island this afternoon and water was already covering the main roadway. We thought we would be okay in our rented Ford Explorer but still got stuck in the sand.
Luckily, a construction crew with a backhoe was nearby and could tow us out. But they didn’t look happy that they had to do it. I wanted to get pictures of the event for my blog, but after seeing the scowl on their faces at us being out there, I decided to secretly take photos from inside the car.
Although, if you ask the photographer, he’ll tell you that I didn’t want to get my feet wet.
Pensacola residents believe they finally may bet a break. Yesterday, we cruised around town and found life as normal. People mowing lawns, leisurely shopping and the beaches packed with people.
It was eerie to see houses completely destroyed from Ivan sitting on the beach with their stuff still inside, and a few feet away people sunbathing on the soft white sands.
The people here said they’ve done all they can do to prepare and they just hope it turns away.
You definitely would never guess there was a storm out there. There was a clear sky, light breeze and a beautiful sunset.
But Sunday is a new day. I awoke to find that Katrina is now a category 5 storm that covers practically the entire Gulf. Pensacola isn’t out of the woods yet. The forecast may say Louisiana but these people know that a sudden turn and it’s a new game.
I think I finally understand the term storm chaser.
I try not to take these things personally, but I’m starting to think Hurricane Katrina is trying to avoid me.
Thursday, we loaded up and headed to Punta Gorda for yet another storm. We didn’t expect anything too bad because Katrina was predicted to only be a tropical storm by the time it got to Florida’s west coast. Yet, it could still be problematic for Punta Gorda residents who still have damage from last year’s Charley.
However, when we woke up Friday morning we found light breezes and patches of sunny sky. It seems Katrina stayed south avoiding the area.
So next, we hear the storm is headed to the Panhandle and could possibly come in as a Category 4. That means we have to make that very long drive up to Panhandle. When we finally arrive about 10:30 p.m., we hear she now may be headed for Mississippi or Louisiana. That’s great for Florida residents, not great for someone trying to cover a storm.
Who knows? Katrina seems tricky, so we’ll wait and watch.
The Tampa Tribune’s Michele Sager covers Hurricane Katrina.
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