Charleston flood

[JIM L-HILO]

Dee, Beach, Papa and any other HiLo owner in the area, Hope you are high and dry and have not had any damage from this storm. We cancelled out trip this weekend to Myrtle Beach for the GoodSams SC samboree. Glad we did.

 

[DeLana]

Jim, it's a good thing you didn't go to Myrtle Beach. Otherwise, you and Faye would be in a shelter right now.

We live in the "low" country of South Carolina with a large number of small and large bridges. When you leave your house, nine times out of ten you have to cross at least one of those bridges to get to where you are going. Schools are closed today because at least two of those bridges (Eagle Creek Bridge and Bacons Bridge) are washed out and because of school flooding.

It's still raining outside (but just sprinkling). This is better than the torrents of rain we had for the last few days. We live on a ridge high off the upper Ashley River which runs across our backyard. Therefore, our house is high and dry. There are very few ridges around here, so we are lucky. Most land around here is low to the Ashley or Edisto Rivers, swamp, or marsh. Those neighborhoods have very bad flooding. In the Oak Brook area of Dorchester County (where we live), our rescue teams saved at least 100 people from their homes not far from us. Eagle Creek (which is a tributary of the Ashley River) just rose up into their houses and covered their neighborhoods.

The upper Ashley River in our backyard is a tidal river with salt to brackish water, and right now it is moving very, very fast. All the water draining from the swamps and neighborhoods is flowing very fast into this river. The forty something years we have lived here, I have never seen it move so fast. We hope that our stationary dock and floating dock survive the swift current. Water is thigh high deep over the stationary dock, and the floating dock is floating so far above the stationary dock that you have to climb the ramp to it like a ladder. We built that stationary dock pretty high off the river, too. Beach waded out onto the stationary dock today (against my wishes) to rescue some marine electrical equipment from the salt water. Animals along the river are seeking higher ground such as raccoons, snakes, gators, possums, and deer, and that's why I didn't want him in the high water on the dock, not to mention the swift water current flowing over the dock. Beach took some pictures of the River in the backyard. When he gets a chance, I'll have him load them on this forum.

By the way, Papa lives on Hobcaw Point on the Cooper River in Mt. Pleasant. I'm not sure how the Cooper River at high tide has affected his home. I'm sure he will be stopping in to let us know how he is doing. If he had to evacuate, it may be awhile.

Dee

 

[Treeclimber]

Dee, best of luck to all of you. I know what the floods and high water can do. And the mud after, which hardens in the sun.
Treeclimber

 

[JackandJanet]

Stay safe, Dee. Remind Beach that he can always replace equipment, but you can't replace him! (not that it will do any good, but at least he can think about it as he goes floating off to the ocean) (I know how Beach thinks, because I'd do the same thing. We men are sort of stupid.)

- Jack

 

[retiredcamper47]

Hey Jack, I resemble that remark! To all our east coast HiLo families, be safe!

Bob

 

[DeLana]

Charleston Flood

Ashley River still running wild. This picture shows our dock about seven feet above a normal high tide. Now I would have to walk waste deep on the pier-head to even reach the ramp to the floating dock (which I don't do); the ramp normally goes down-not up. I'll go on the pier-head if needed but not the floater. Could be several days before the water recedes. Many road and bridges out of commission.

Beach

 

[DeLana]

We are still high and dry here. However, the water is rising from the flow of water draining down toward the ocean from the floods in upstate Columbia, SC. Columbia has had at least three dams break.

Our Frances Stogner SPCA has abandoned their building because of the flooding. The SPCA has been seeking foster homes for all their orphaned animals. Finally, it has them all placed in a temporary home. Our neighbor across the street from us has four of the foster puppies. When they were taken outside yesterday, those puppies were happy and romping all over the place. When all this is over, I'm sure it will take a good bit of money to restart the shelter and restock food. That is when our community must come together to make donations of money and/or sone physical work to help out. Does anyone want a puppy? I'm sure the SPCA will help you find one you might like.

Dee

 

[sam-HILO]

Flood report.

Dee thanks for the reports. I wondered if any of our HiLo friends were affected. Every night we watch the nightly news and see the destruction. Keep us posted. Daily prayers for the situation at hand.

 

[Wrascal]

Any updates? Been there, done that (previously on the Dog River, Mobile, AL).

 

[Papa-HILO]

Flooding

Hi all, Dee and Jim mentioned my name and woke me up. ha The photo Dee posted is duplicated 10,000 times for folks in SC. And while I don't want to seem that Dee's neighbors didn't have it bad what you see in her photo could have easily been shown in much of SC. The flooding in the midlands around Columbia has impacted many dams and some have failed dumping more water into homes. Many many photos of houses that are totally underwater. It is bad. The low country that Dee described in the part of our state through the water must flow to reach the ocean. That process causes the rivers and swamps to flood and it just takes time for the water to travel to the ocean, meanwhile the rivers etc flood and homes and businesses around them are ruined.
I live closer to the coast than Dee and Beach. The subdivision in which I live is on the Wando River in Mt. Pleasant SC and is within a mile of Charleston Harbor. We don't have the flooding problems here that the low country folks would experience from flooding rivers due to increased water and flow. Our problems are caused by rain during a high tide. Especially in low areas of cities along the coast like Charleston. Many streets flood from just a really high tide. What we experienced on the coast was astronomical high tides during the several days when we were receiving 27" of rain. For the most part along the immediate coast the low areas would flood during high tide and the rain but the water would go to the ocean during low tides. So we were fortunate that way, but not to say homes and businesses were ruined during high tides and all the rain. Downtown Charleston was closed to incoming traffic for several days, and I've lived here almost 50 years and that was a first. Fortunately I like Dee and Beach live on higher ground. My lot is not in a flood zone so I am not required to have flood insurance. But having friends that lost their house during the storm surge of Hugo I take out flood insurance anyway. We did have standing puddles of water in our yard and all ditches were full of water. But for the most part Mt. Pleasant was pretty well off. God blessed us.
Feel sure many have followed the Weather Channel's reports. They are very accurate and give a good accounting of the damage and suffering in much of South Carolina. The only thing I would point out is that the picture you see on the Weather Channel could have just as easily been taken a hundred miles away in another part of the state. The damage is very widespread and not over. I'll speak for Dee and think she will agree with me that what she and I describe is unbelievable unless you live here and have experienced it. Thousands of homes, businesses, churches, schools etc. destroyed, roads closed i. e. I-95 closed from I-26 to I-20 causing a 100 mile detour. All that and we've lost lives. Seventeen is the last number I heard. Some could have been prevented, some came because the flash floods happened so fast and there was no warning. But I'd tell anyone that if you saw the endless videos of people trying to drive through water running across a road, DON"T TRY IT. The slogan is Turn Around Don't Drown. Words well taken.
Up date on Papa. I'm receiving from knee replacement surgery six weeks ago. So I could only watch all the flooding on TV. And in two weeks I'll have the other knee replaced. So hopefully by Christmas I'll be up and able again. Thanks for any prayers for a speedy recovery.
Thanks in advance for any and all support for the victims of these floods in SC. Our communities need support and your prayers at this time.
As always, God Bless.
Papa

 

[sam-HILO]

Flood report

Papa,Thanks for the flood report. Good to know you are high and dry. Prayers for the state of SC. Prayers also for your speedy recovery from knee surgery.

 

[hilltool]

I was in Charelston the first week of sept and was amazed seeing places n TV underwater where I had been. I have two nieces in north Charelston and my sister and husband also keep a small house there. Fortunately they are high enough they have not been flooded. My heart goes it to all. Glad all of you are safe. Stay that way!

 

[DeLana]

X2 regarding the flood. By the way, I didn't know you were located on the Wando instead of the Cooper River (or as it is said in Charlestonese, the "Cuppa"). After all these years living here, I need to get my geography straight.

Beach and I know you are going through a lot with the knee surgeries. Give us a call (843-873-1045) if you need anything such as running errands, a home cooked meal, etc. Hope the children are helping out as much as possible. When we have heard about these particular surgeries, the patient has said that the physical therapy was worse than the surgeries.

God bless you, and he will get you through all of this along with your strong stamina.

Dee and Beach
Summerville, SC