Wow, Jeremy! That's really nice of you to offer space - I appreciate it.

I'm over in Ruskin - right at the mouth of the Little Manatee River. I found someone with a bunch of space just a few miles away - they are 20-some feet up.

And yes, concrete is the ticket. Unfortunately, I'm an idiot who moved from a virtual concrete fortress 28 feet up to a stilt house (cement block stilts, wood frame house) right at sea level. Not the brightest move I've made.

Thanks again, Jeremy - looks like the Tampa Bay force field is still intact, though...

Amen - see the double straps? The roof is 3/4 ply tongue and grove plywood. We kept the overhangs short for a reason too.

One of my favorite places

http://www.nlmoc.navy.mil/center/Tropical/wtnt02.gif

wow i guess you guys build bomb shelters in your off hours! the cost for reinforcing structure must be spendy. probably as much as we spend on trying to build IGLOOS here for r-factor against heat. we spend dearly on insulation and air conditioning with high seers to avoid single handedly paying off palo verde nuclear generating station 50 miles west of phx.

sure wouldnt want a big A$$ go fast boat docked at the marina anywhere in its path! i think i could handle my house getting damaged..................but my p-car and my boat would send me over the edge! be safe and smarter than the storm!

STOCK UP NOW ON BEER!

Is Fema there yet? Someone please pick up a 60" Plasma for me when it all goes down.

I guess I am going to shutter up tonight. Funny, I snickered at a family a couple of blocks over shuttering up over the weekend and now I am having to juggle work and get ready. I really didn't think this was coming this way.

The thing that has me spooked about this storm is what happened last year with Wilma. As it passed over us and the leading NE quad got into the ocean it actually strengthened to a Cat 3 while still over land and as it pulled away.

If this one hangs half off into the ocean as it passes it could potentially get stonger as it goes by. Its looking like I get to see the eye of yet another storm.

Hang in their Jim - still a little early - I'm thinking tomorrow morning is really going to tell - and the military is saying it will be a minimal hurricane. Wilma shocked everybody last year - but really shouldn't have. It recorded a record low pressure - and I sure would never count on the everglades to slow any storm down.

Yup, the Everglades is just a really really warm body of water for it to pass over.

I will be suprised if it does not get stronger as his passes over Dade county.

Better safe than sorry, gonna throw the panels on tonight just in case, it only takes me about an hour.

What really sucks is I have my 15KW Generator and have not wired the fuse box yet, guess what I am doing tonight?

Whew!