Mother nature got angry

[Randy Micheals]

Early this morning around 1am we had the wind storm of the decade. Warm but savage winds tore through the region, knocking down trees and leaving us without power nor water.

Went out to look and I could hear the wind moaning and whistling and the treetops shrieking and cracking. The air felt charged and indeed, I saw the first lightning of the year light up the mountainside.

While standing in front of the porch, a branch large enough to crack my skull landed beside me. Needless to say I went back inside for the night, navigating by candlelight and my mobile phone. Henri the Dinosaur was unconcerned, and told me not to sweat it.

In rural BC, there are lots of trees. Tall trees. Some dry and dead and brittle. Trees that will land on power lines and block roads, and if you are unlucky enough, crush your car or maybe your chicken coop, but hopefully not your person.

Today we prepared a soak using snow melted on my camp stove. Still no power or water yet.

Henri has decided that no basking light means no reason to wake up, and is snoozing again, he is hoping power comes back soon, as its 64 degrees in here and dropping, and he likes it toasty for his daytime wandering.

And yet this is probably small storm potatoes for anyone living in the tropics ?. Anyone have to storm proof their outdoor enclosures?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Early this morning around 1am we had the wind storm of the decade. Warm but savage winds tore through the region, knocking down trees and leaving us without power nor water.

Went out to look and I could hear the wind moaning and whistling and the treetops shrieking and cracking. The air felt charged and indeed, I saw the first lightning of the year light up the mountainside.

While standing in front of the porch, a branch large enough to crack my skull landed beside me. Needless to say I went back inside for the night, navigating by candlelight and my mobile phone. Henri the Dinosaur was unconcerned, and told me not to sweat it.

In rural BC, there are lots of trees. Tall trees. Some dry and dead and brittle. Trees that will land on power lines and block roads, and if you are unlucky enough, crush your car or maybe your chicken coop, but hopefully not your person.

Today we prepared a soak using snow melted on my camp stove. Still no power or water yet.

Henri has decided that no basking light means no reason to wake up, and is snoozing again, he is hoping power comes back soon, as its 64 degrees in here and dropping, and he likes it toasty for his daytime wandering.

And yet this is probably small storm potatoes for anyone living in the tropics ?. Anyone have to storm proof their outdoor enclosures?

I live in south Florida.
I've reinforced my privacy fence and removed all of the palm trees on my small property.
I also keep spare wood, etc for rebuilding or repairing my enclosure AFTER a storm.
Aside fro hurricanes, we also have very violent thunderstorms.
There's only so much you can do.

 

[Randy Micheals]

Yeah I imagine Florida would get pretty crazy sometimes. Have you had any hurricane activity recently?

I've always wanted to see the Everglades. Do you ever go exploring them Zero?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yeah I imagine Florida would get pretty crazy sometimes. Have you had any hurricane activity recently?

I've always wanted to see the Everglades. Do you ever go exploring them Zero?

I live between the ocean and the Everglades. They're hard to miss.
I pretty much take them both for granted.
As far as storms. We generally get hit directly or indirectly almost every year. But they've been mostly CAT 1 or CAT 2 hurricanes.
Homes and businesses here are almost all solid cement block construction. A CAT 1 or 2 takes off roofing shingles and blows over trees and takes out electricity, etc. (We have two generators) and blows fences down.
A larger hurricane hasn't happened in a while. But its overdue.
A CAT 3, 4 or 5 would be a different story.
My tortoises live inside my house during a hurricane. They remain outside for a tropical storm.
During a CAT 5 I wouldn't expect to still have a house.
Nature is pretty wild.
I suggest buying a generator and being prepared for stuff like this.

 

[Randy Micheals]

Power has been restored!
had to clear the driveway to get the car out today, there was a tree down there too.

Between the ocean and the Everglades, very cool. Sounds like fun.
Mostly anyway. Hope your storm luck continues with no CAT5's.

I think a sturdy roof is all i would need on my outdoor enclosure here, most storms arent that bad. Flooding in the burrow, or a forest fire in the dry summer would be of more danger I think. But a generator is a good idea, I have one but it's too small, time for an upgrade.

 

[Randy Micheals]

One day I'm going to visit the glades and hopefully get some pictures of some gators and maybe even a Burmese python...heard theres lots of those moved on now.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

One day I'm going to visit the glades and hopefully get some pictures of some gators and maybe even a Burmese python...heard theres lots of those moved on now.

Man. You have no idea.
It's a zoo down here!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Power has been restored!
had to clear the driveway to get the car out today, there was a tree down there too.

Between the ocean and the Everglades, very cool. Sounds like fun.
Mostly anyway. Hope your storm luck continues with no CAT5's.

I think a sturdy roof is all i would need on my outdoor enclosure here, most storms arent that bad. Flooding in the burrow, or a forest fire in the dry summer would be of more danger I think. But a generator is a good idea, I have one but it's too small, time for an upgrade.

My enclosure has a plastic netted roof for the wind to whip through easily. But it keeps out cats and big predatory birds.

 

[Randy Micheals]

What sort of predatory birds are we talking? And are they a danger to take your torts?

We have a lake down the bank, I kayak there, and ive noticed that on an island in the middle lives a family of bald eagles.

Guess I should be aware when Henri is out in his open topped pen this summer. I dont leave him out there when I'm not around, but even when I'm in the hammock one could potentially swoop down. They have all the fish and fowl they could want down at the lake, but who knows.

1. The island in the distance.
2. A male watching out while a female eats a fish on the branch below.