All of the talkers in NY?

[Jay Plummer]

I can't believe how quiet it is....so I will be the first to jump in. Here in Maryand we had a really bad storm last night. It actually had lightning that struck down the famous "Wye Oak" tree on the Eastern Shore of MD. This tree is believed to be 400-500 years old. I have a huge tree in my yard (about 80 foot tall and it was hit by lightning as well. Bark went flying but she's still standing. If it ever comes down on my house, we will all be gone. I also lost a TV and a pool heater to the lightning last night. All in all a pretty crappy evening. But it's a new (although quiet) day and I thought I would at least chime in to see if you all are alive today. Has anyone ever been on the water with lightning. If so, any stories to tell?



Jay

 

[Mark Hofman]

I guess it's going to be very quiet until the Rally is over. Anticipatoin mounts for a report and pictures.



I've only been out on the water once when lightning struck close by. Man, we put that 6 h.p. Johnson to work so fast I thought one of us would fall out of the boat trying to get it started. Ever since then, I pay very close attention to the weather reports, keep an eye on the sky, etc.



A couple of friends were fishing a tournament on Table Rock when a storm blew up. They were smart and headed back in. When they got to the marina, the manager told them to back the boat into the slip with the bow facing out. Some folks didn't heed his advice and the incoming waves came up over the transoms and flooded their boats. Two boats didn't come in under their own power -- had to be towed in because they were swamped.



We had a pretty bad wind storm here earlier in May that wrecked a marina on the Mississippi River. Docks smashed, boats smashed, cars smashed.



One final (not boat related) lightning story. I was living in eastern Nebraska and a good size storm came over the town. I was watching the lighting through my living room window when a bolt struck 30 yards out. Knocked me on my behind from sheer shock. I'd hate to ever be touched by that stuff. Saw a great story in an outdoor magazine about two guys trying to work on a camper during a storm. Lightning hit close by, mildly shocking one of them. But it killed about a dozen ducks flying along and the birds came down all around them.