Poll for Irene....

[Mark S]

What Hanley said if you stay in the water. We went up the river yesterday and hauled out at the yard this morning. There are no slips in Marblehead Harbor and that's no place to be anyway. The slips at Palmer Cove in Salem are all being hauled today or tomorrow. We expect a ten foot surge which, on our mooring in Salem Harbor, will either pull the bow under or lift the block. Due to a family illness, we have gone out sailing only twice since we got back from Maine five weeks ago, so we decided to convert the rest of the sailing season to maintenance and haul early.

[Mo]

Mark,
Sorry to hear of the family illness as they take their toll. Good to hear you hauled her out and that is less worry. All the best.

[H3LlIoN]

Riding it out in the slip. Got her "battened down" tonight. Going to go until morning, and then make a decision then as to whether to stay or high tail it out. Where we are, I can increase my elevation in less than an 1/8th of a mile, so I feel relatively confident that I can get out in a hurry. I'll keep you guys posted. Everyone stay safe.

[sastanley]

H3, you too...as much as I love my boat..it is replaceable.

Stay safe!

[Mark S]

Thanks, Mo. Not to whine about it, but it has put a damper on the summer. Gave us an excuse to wimp out on Irene, though.

[Mo]

All the best.

Hey Mark,

No worries Mark, everyone has to go through it....no one escapes it. All you can do is deal with it all best you can. Irene will pass fast, family is more important. I think you made a sound decision.

All the best.

[H3LlIoN]

We both survived, all is well with Skimmer. Only had to adjust the lines once. Power is out all over town...will update with pics once computer goes back online. It was a helluva' ride, and we both enjoyed it to the fullest! I hope everyone else here made out as well as we did.

[TomG]

I've always been impressed with people who will "ride out the storm" on purpose. These are the same people who jump off the rock at Acapulco or BASE jump or some such.

As a professional risk manager, there are just too many variables and too many ways for a trip through a hurricane to end badly for me to knowingly ride one out.

Besides, if I got swept away, my A-4 would probably survive, but I most likely would not. I have gained too much A-4 knowledge this past year to let that happen. It's just not fair to the rest of mankind.

Watch the hurricane on the Weather Channel, not out your porthole, that's what I'm tawkin' 'bout.

[H3LlIoN]

Funny you mention....We are both skydivers that work at a DZ. No BASE yet though...not enough jobs.

As for the rest....I think being a risk manager is truly the scary thing! I don't think I'd like living my life constantly calculating and assessing the risks of everything.

[Bold Rascal]

No thanks, I love my couch

I saw enough news video on sunday of boats either anchorred or at a mooring getting pounded. Can't imagine ANYONE voluntarily subjecting themselves to that kind of punishment for hours on end and, without a safe way out..

Glad you decided to slip up.

For myself, There's a spool of 5/8" (5000lb) braided nylon line on my shopping list.

[ILikeRust]

Ha!

I voluntarily jumped out of an airplane about 85 times for sport, back when I was indestructible (i.e., 19-20 years old).

Then real life took over and I haven't made a jump for 25 years.

I still have my jumpsuit, helmet, altimeter and log book, though.

[H3LlIoN]

Benny and I both skydive as well as work at a DZ. ILikeRust....if you used to jump here, you've no doubt heard of Skydive the Point (would have been peninsula skydivers back then.) This is where we work and play.

[ILikeRust]

I did all my jumps up in Hazleton, PA with Guinness Book of World Records cover boy Don Kellner and the Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords.

Of course, that was back before Don hit 10,000 jumps. He's up over 40,000 now.

[H3LlIoN]

I did all my jumps up in Hazleton, PA with Guinness Book of World Records cover boy Don Kellner and the Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords.

Of course, that was back before Don hit 10,000 jumps. He's up over 40,000 now.

We jump with Carol Clay...most time in freefall of any woman in the world, and #4 if you include men.

[ILikeRust]

I just looked up your DZ - I drive right through West Point every time I visit my boat.

And come to think of it, there was one time when I saw a couple parachutes in the air. I was wondering about that. Didn't know there was an airport out there. Must make for some very pretty rides down, with the rivers and everything there. Also makes it more important to get a good spot and make it back to the airport! Where I jumped, if you missed the airport, the worst thing you had to look out for was a bunch of big trees and a couple roads. In West Point, you could find yourself floating down (or under!) the York River...