Tropical Storm Jose

[tidecat]

I wonder why preparedness folks overlook the obvious (to me).

 

RE: bottled water...you know that a storm is coming.

You know that the stores are short.

What is wrong with filling up your household containers you already have in your kitchens with tap water while it is still running?

Are you aware of what the tap water in Central Florida tastes and smells like?

[ragethjj23]

Yaaa the media is overplaying a storm that is, at the moment, a catagory 5 storm that has a 400 mile diameter and winds up to 185 mph. Ya nothing to worry about there.

[cfr70]

Are you aware of what the tap water in Central Florida tastes and smells like?

 

Exactly. I wouldn't even let my pets drink what comes out of the tap. It really is that nasty.

[Bernardo62]

Everyone knows that you can get blizzards in Dec. Jan. and Feb. Why take a flight then?

 

Sent from my 2PQ93 using Forums mobile app

Wow..... you are to smart for me....

:rolleyes:

[bUU]

Being from Maine, this is quite true. And sometimes we even have blizzards in Oct/Nov and as late as April/May. Yes this is peak hurricane season, we get it. But there are other times of the year that can be just as risky.

That's just it; it's not the case.

 

Yes blizzards happen. However, they don't have anything close to the same impact of a hurricane. I lived in Boston for twenty years and they know how to deal with snow. You could have a blizzard shut an airport in the morning and have flights operating in the afternoon. Hurricanes heading for a port city end up causing evacuations and days to get operations back up to full strength.

 

Also, blizzards only affect passengers living in one city - they do not affect a large number of the embarkation ports. The last cruise of the year leaves the Port of Boston on November 3 and the first cruise next year leaves April 13. It is similar story in Seattle. So the impact of a blizzard on any specific cruise is marginal. The cruise will still embark; most of its passengers will still enjoy a wonderful vacation; and the ship will return to port at the appointed time.

 

Meanwhile, the parts of the country that are hit hardest by hurricanes operate full cruise schedules throughout hurricane season. Moreover, the places where those cruises from Florida, Louisiana and Texas go are also areas hard hit by hurricanes.

 

The risks are quite different. Cruising during the heart of hurricane season - late August, September, and early October - is unique - different from other risks like the risk to cruises from blizzards. That's why they are such great bargains. It is surely work taking cruises this time of year, but really only if one acknowledges and accepts the risks that they're taking onto themselves by doing that.

[Phantom09]

I was not trying to down play the risks involved with hurricane season, so my apologies for sounding that way. What I meant was it can be a risk for people outside of hurricane season as well, whether it be from blizzards, tornadoes, etc. Yes the cruise itself will go if those weather events occuring but it is still a risk those people take.

 

I realized I was taking a risk booking this time of year due to hurricanes but I did not expect to have two major hurricanes be within a week or so of each other. I don't think anyone who booked for this time of year had expected it to be this bad...

[bUU]

I don't think anyone who booked for this time of year had expected it to be this bad...

I believe it will pay to expect that it will only get worse in future years. And this year was predicted to be especially bad. NOAA predicted a 70 percent chance of an "above-normal" season with up to fifteen named storms (we're up to ten now), and up to nine hurricanes.

[skridge]

There's plenty of time for those posts to show up because at this point they're still not even sure where/if Irma will even hit. It could just be a whole lot of rain like last year when they predicted Matthew to wreak havoc, and all it did was rain all day.

 

I for one can't stand how the media plays up every single potential storm to be the coming Apocalypse and love it when they wind up wrong with egg on their faces.

Plenty of people in eastern NC would beg to differ that Matthew didn't wreak havoc.

[dd likes to cruise]

I wonder why preparedness folks overlook the obvious (to me).

 

RE: bottled water...you know that a storm is coming.

You know that the stores are short.

What is wrong with filling up your household containers you already have in your kitchens with tap water while it is still running? .)

 

Well yeah we can and do that for emergency water and flushing. But what if we have to evacuate, will those hog pog water containers travel as well as factory sealed bottles? If we need to share with family and friends that live nearby? In a car trip on a road where you are stuck for hours on end? In an evacuation shelter? Please allow us to purchase our water bottles!

[5ten]

Exactly. I wouldn't even let my pets drink what comes out of the tap. It really is that nasty.

 

Are you aware of what the tap water in Central Florida tastes and smells like?

 

YES!!! During Andrew we were in Miami and near the worst areas of damage in Homestead. We filled every container we could but not to drink!! It was used to bathe and flush toilets. That water is so nasty tasting! But we would have used it for drinking water if it came down to it (maybe after boiling it a few times LOL). We were prepared and had already stocked up on water, so we didn't have any problems. Also lucky for us, the National Guard was in a field next to our house so they brought us supplies and the Red Cross brought hot meals once a day. And trust me we never missed the Red Cross truck! That was the highlight of the day for us. ;p

[cfr70]

I was not trying to down play the risks involved with hurricane season, so my apologies for sounding that way. What I meant was it can be a risk for people outside of hurricane season as well, whether it be from blizzards, tornadoes, etc. Yes the cruise itself will go if those weather events occuring but it is still a risk those people take.

 

I realized I was taking a risk booking this time of year due to hurricanes but I did not expect to have two major hurricanes be within a week or so of each other. I don't think anyone who booked for this time of year had expected it to be this bad...

 

Back in 2004, Florida was hit with hurricanes Charley, Jeanne, and Francis all within a month between August and September. While no one can precisely predict when or how many hurricanes can hit at a given time in advance, everyone should realize that August/September is the peak of hurricane season and to book their cruises with that in mind. Granted, it's rare to have 3 hit the same area in such short a time, but even the slightest possibility should be taken into consideration.

[evandbob]

I believe it will pay to expect that it will only get worse in future years. And this year was predicted to be especially bad. NOAA predicted a 70 percent chance of an "above-normal" season with up to fifteen named storms (we're up to ten now), and up to nine hurricanes.

 

 

And when this advisory came out, many posters right here on CC ridiculed that prediction.

[cfr70]

YES!!! During Andrew we were in Miami and near the worst areas of damage in Homestead. We filled every container we could but not to drink!! It was used to bathe and flush toilets. That water is so nasty tasting! But we would have used it for drinking water if it came down to it (maybe after boiling it a few times LOL). We were prepared and had already stocked up on water, so we didn't have any problems. Also lucky for us, the National Guard was in a field next to our house so they brought us supplies and the Red Cross brought hot meals once a day. And trust me we never missed the Red Cross truck! That was the highlight of the day for us. ;p

 

Bottled water was one of the first lessons learned when I first moved to FL years ago. I don't know what it is, but the tap water is just completely undrinkable. Being from the north where the tap water is actually good, it was quite the shock.

[Debe7ing]

I wonder why preparedness folks overlook the obvious (to me).

 

RE: bottled water...you know that a storm is coming.

You know that the stores are short.

What is wrong with filling up your household containers you already have in your kitchens with tap water while it is still running?

 

My cousin in Houston (who was fortunate to be on an island with power the entire time), put 5 gallon buckets in the yard to fill with rainwater for flushing toilets in the event the water was shut off. We, living in the country, always fill up the bathtubs for the same purpose when it merely rains, in case the power goes out and the wells don't pump.

 

In a pinch, we have old clothes we could burn (if we couldn't find dry tinder) to BOIL water to drink. (Boiling 5 minutes kills parasites, let cool before drinking.)

 

BINGO!!! We live in San Antonio, FAR enough away that we get bad weather vs devestation when hurricanes hit the Texas coast, but I STILL have a single "Water Bob" which I fill ANYTIME there is the potential for water issues, and we use....very cheap to buy ONCE, and provides PLENTY of water just in case we need it! We leave it in the tub in the 2nd bathroom filled, and once the risk is gone, use it to water the plants outside and put back away. HIGHLY recommend to ANYONE that deals with contaminated/questionable water availability! NO concerns about standing in line for bottled water for us.

 

http://letstalksurvival.com/waterbob/

[bUU]

And when this advisory came out, many posters right here on CC ridiculed that prediction.

Precisely. Some people don't expend much effort considering the factual merits but rather respond instinctively to each circumstance.

[stvntra]

Everyone knows when it is HURRICANE SEASON ....... Why book a cruise then?

 

Sometimes that's the ONLY time people can book a cruise. We've cruised several times over the years in Hurricane season due to the significant difference in price, as well as just the timing of our vacations and never had any problems with hurricanes. However, we are due to leave out of Galveston on the 23rd of September and headed to Jamaica and are praying for a great but safe trip - after all it is our 20th wedding anniversary and while I want it to be memorable, I do NOT want it to be memorable due to a hurricane. Continuing to pray for all involved and in Harvey, Irma's and Jose's path.....

[tok3]

stvntra, we are a similar situation. We leave Sept 23rd out of Galveston for a 5 day cruise. It is my daughters 16 birthday present from my mom. My dad has terminal cancer and is currently healthy enough to stay home alone so my mom wanted to do the cruise while she could, that meant a Sept cruise (she has taken every grandchild on a cruise for their 16th birthday). So there can be very complicated reasons for booking a cruise during hurricane season.

[cb at sea]

There is no way I drink a GALLON of anything in a 24 hour period.....but it's always a good idea to store some tap water...for cooking, washing, etc....we lived in a hurricane prone area (way before "bottled" water!!!! and yes...we are still alive!!!)...we filled the bathtub to have water for our needs during outages.

[perditax]

To all: Please don't let anyone shame you for booking a cruise during hurricane season. The official 2017 Atlantic hurricane season runs for a full SIX MONTHS. People with other problems in their lives are taking the opportunity to momentarily feel superior/smug by making these comments. Ignore them. Really.

[HazelSmrf]

That's just it; it's not the case.

 

Yes blizzards happen. However, they don't have anything close to the same impact of a hurricane. I lived in Boston for twenty years and they know how to deal with snow. You could have a blizzard shut an airport in the morning and have flights operating in the afternoon. Hurricanes heading for a port city end up causing evacuations and days to get operations back up to full strength.

 

We had an ice storm here in Quebec about 20 years ago, my parents had no power for 3 months. The ice completely crumpled all of the power pilons over a huge area. No heat for 3 months in the dead of winter, snow isn't the only hazard in the winter here. I mean I'm not comparing that to Irma and the devastation it's leaving behind, or to Harvey etc. But still, let's not downplay it to "oh no the airport might be closed for a day".

[HazelSmrf]

To all: Please don't let anyone shame you for booking a cruise during hurricane season. The official 2017 Atlantic hurricane season runs for a full SIX MONTHS. People with other problems in their lives are taking the opportunity to momentarily feel superior/smug by making these comments. Ignore them. Really.

 

Exactly, and cruising at other times has its own issues too. Whenever the kids are out of school I likely can't afford to cruise, the prices are too high. Also I don't really wish to go to the caribbean or Florida/gulf Coast etc in the high heat of summer. When we cruised in January out of New Orleans there were huge storms causing havok with flights, we had to scramble at the last minute to get on the last flight out before everything shut down for days. We were lucky that we had flexible schedule and the budget to allow us to stay in New Orleans a few extra days. Our first ever cruise was rerouted over a storm as well, we ended up doing an Eastern itinerary over the Western (and the people were pitching fits in line, like... do you PREFER they sail you into a storm?). Feb to April you start getting the spring breaks. So that leaves what, a few weeks of December before winter storms might become an issue?

[ragethjj23]

Exactly, and cruising at other times has its own issues too. Whenever the kids are out of school I likely can't afford to cruise, the prices are too high. Also I don't really wish to go to the caribbean or Florida/gulf Coast etc in the high heat of summer. When we cruised in January out of New Orleans there were huge storms causing havok with flights, we had to scramble at the last minute to get on the last flight out before everything shut down for days. We were lucky that we had flexible schedule and the budget to allow us to stay in New Orleans a few extra days. Our first ever cruise was rerouted over a storm as well, we ended up doing an Eastern itinerary over the Western (and the people were pitching fits in line, like... do you PREFER they sail you into a storm?). Feb to April you start getting the spring breaks. So that leaves what, a few weeks of December before winter storms might become an issue?

 

Wasn't there a winter storm a year or so ago that affected a RC ship (allure?)? It left from port liberty and once it got by OBX got hit with near hurricane force winds. Did damage to the ship and a lot of po'ed cruisers.

[perditax]

Wasn't there a winter storm a year or so ago that affected a RC ship (allure?)? It left from port liberty and once it got by OBX got hit with near hurricane force winds. Did damage to the ship and a lot of po'ed cruisers.

 

 

I think it was Anthem, or at least Anthem sailed into a nasty late winter storm and made news doing it.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/02/08/anthem-cruise-ship-storm/79997114/

 

I suppose eventually someone will come along and say, "I would NEVER book a cruise outside of the month of May ..."

[HazelSmrf]

I think it was Anthem, or at least Anthem sailed into a nasty late winter storm and made news doing it.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/02/08/anthem-cruise-ship-storm/79997114/

 

I suppose eventually someone will come along and say, "I would NEVER book a cruise outside of the month of May ..."

 

Too many bugs! :)

[broberts]

There is no way I drink a GALLON of anything in a 24 hour period.....but it's always a good idea to store some tap water...for cooking, washing, etc....we lived in a hurricane prone area (way before "bottled" water!!!! and yes...we are still alive!!!)...we filled the bathtub to have water for our needs during outages.

 

One may not drink a gallon, but even practicing fairly aggressive water management one probably uses most of a gallon.