HURRICANE ISABEL AFTERMATH

Greetings from the Virginia/NC coast. We survived. I was extremely lucky with a few limbs and lots of leaves to clean up. Power was out for 4 days, but had running potable water in most areas. Others were not so lucky and lost everything, as you probably saw on the news. Our council camp was devastated, only having just recently recovered from Hurricane Floyd.

I want to put out a word of appreciation for the hundreds of electrical power workers who started heading for VA/NC even before the hurricane hit. They have done a phenomenal job restoring power to almost 75% of the area in less than a week. The electric grid had to be rebuilt from scratch in many areas.

The following is an excerpt from our council e-newsletter with a link to some photos:

"Next the Service Center. The service center lost 13 trees and with the help of Dan N., a neighbor and scouter, we were successful in removing most of the trees. Actually it was Dan, his son and a friend of his son. They really used their knot tying skills this day. Hurricane preparations spared the service center of any other damage. We did lose power and regained it late Saturday night.

Next Pipsico Scout Reservation. Pipsico is Officially Closed until work crews are able to clear a few areas to ensure that the camp is safe to camp in. The damage was extensive. There are photos on our website at: www.tidewaterbsa.com. We have over 1,300 trees down and counting. About half of our tent platforms were destroyed by falling trees. Many latrines had their roofs and structures damaged. Some 140 trees fell on the power lines. Access to the river is by climbing over at least 40 trees and crawling under several more---I know, I was crawling along with Ranger Dan. The waterfront has a number of trees down, but it was impossible to access certain parts of the beach to survey the damage. The cliffs had from 10 to 15 feet eroded from the base. There are a number of trees down along the beach. The staff housing area was destroyed.

The total loss at camp is probably at the $250,000 range if not higher. "

Thank God we had no fatalities or major injuries in the scouting family to report. Damage to the camp will take years to repair. The money is simply not there. But I think we all have a new appreciation for a "Category 2" storm, and are rethinking what's really important in life.

Sctleader:

Glad you're okay. I wish the council the best in digging out. The volunteers, I'm sure, will save the day.

Best of luck and let us know how we can help.

Dave

Just tell me how many boxes of popcorn to put you down for! ;-)

Hi Sctleader,

Your camp and ours. Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation in East Carolina Council here in eastern NC is on banks of Pamlico Sound. The Sea Base lost the dock, the sea wall, trees down one hitting the edge of the main lodge.

The summer camp has so many trees down, we couldn't get to the waterfront area at all, Saturday. We lost a power station that feeds the dining hall, pool, and all the front campsites. The damage is just so high that we all shook our heads well trying to drag branches and limbs off the main roads and trails.

We had a few volunteers there Saturday to try to top some of the trees in preparation of getting a logging crew in to view the downed trees. We worked hard and long hours and didn't make a dent in the damages. Some of those trees were so huge around that you need help to climb up and over them.

No one can appreciate the damage done by a hurricane until they walk through and area hit by one. A category 2 is as devastating as a 4 if it touches your life.

I pray all those that lost homes will get the help they need to rebuild. I pray that all those camps damaged will find the resources to rebuild. We were just looking into maybe beginning a capital campaign to build new areas to our camp, now it looks like it will be a 'repair' the camp. We have wonderful volunteers and I know they will work as hard as they can to have camp ready for the summer, but it will take a lot of prayer and money.

Sctldr,

Good to hear that you made it okay, power is slowly starting to return here, but it'll be awhile before this county will be at 100 per cent. At least we've got a little power at the library to read e mails, and etc. Overall, we did fine, no loss of lives down here, but lots of downed trees and power lines.

Talked to D.D. the other day and he relayed the same info that you did concerning Pipsico...looks like a beaver day is in the works. But, if the camp is anything like this county we'll all need to be very careful....