MyTsunami Evacuation Story

[kdmac]

I thought I would give it another try and see if I can "geet er done" before I loose it.
I sure don't want to be disrespectful of all of the lovely Japanese people who are suffering and those who died by writing about this as though my hassle was tantamount in any way. I just can't wrap my mind around what they are suffering. So, this is just a story of an old women in an RV park on the Oregon beach.

I am, as usual, up late watching The Craig Ferguson late night show, with post menopausal insomnia. I was standing in front of the TV on my way to the bedroom when the local news broke in with a map of the tsunami warnings for Oregon and California and an "advisory" for Washington saying the waves are expected by 7:20 am. There had been no news breaks of Japan's earthquake at all. I stood there gobsmaked and for just a mere instant it really was like a dream. I am quite ensconced here with all my nic nacs out, pictures hung, knowing I am here till May 1. It's around 1:30 in the morning and I am they only person awake in the park, weekenders in the big view areas are asleep. The only reports we were gettng were from "Local Anchorpeople" not one Coast Guard, Police, or any officials at all...zero...kinda pis%^&d me off.

I had sent a quick email to family and friends. Saying I was loading up and heading up the hill; not to worry. I called the park manager and left a message. She called back in a few minutes having been sleeping. She said she was checking all of their systems and saw it was only for California, I said, "turn on your TV." She began to see all the discrepancies...that was quite telling of how unorganized this was at the early stages. She called the Coast Guard and confirmed out evacuation warning. Her husband got up and shut the park down. Turned off the porpane lines, moved their computers to the highest point of the house.

I decided to start at one end of the trailer and work my way down. With the TV news still on I stashed and stored and packed and secured. The videos of Japan I was seeing were beyond belief adding to the already emotional situation. Then out in the rain and wind I went to my little storage shed where I had my air compressor, lawn furniture, fishing gear, and a couple boxes. With quiet stealth, so not to awaken others, Holding the flashlight down so not flashing the campers, I loaded the stuff under the tonneua cover of the truck. As the hours passed the rain and wind increased. I had to crawl around under the trailer to untie my vinyl wheel covers that had been tied "tight" due to high winds. Grunting and groaning like I do, I slopped in the mud and sharp stones, my pants all wet and my skin turning to ice, still trying to keep the flashlight under control. It's 4:00 a.m. and I am wondering why no sirens.

I unhooked the hoses, power and tv, stashed all in plastic bags and threw into the truck. then pulled up my jacks and put the muddy blocks into the pass thru storage. hooked up the trailer witout messing with the "W/D" since only going up the hill. Coulnd't get the electricla plug into the socket....I hate that stinking plug'
It's the angle, or actually lack thereof. My phone in my pocket rings....the wind is blowing the rain is drenching and I am swearing at this plug....it's my dear ex husband. He's up each day at 3:00 am, he read my email about evacuating and said, "Have you heard about what is happening in Japan?" I thought to my self, (but didn't say), "What the he%% do YOU think!!!!". I said, "Of course I have, that's why I am evacuating, but I can't get this @$%@$%$%$%$%@$%@%@$% plug in" I am certain it was at the moment he realized how happy he is that we are no longer married. Actually, later we had a pretty good chuckle over my momentary frustration.

The manager came by while I was hooking upand gave me the official tsunami warning pamphlet; told me t head to the fair grounds. I didn't know where that was but headed to my original planned vacant parking lot that I knew about. As I drove I saw rigs parked in every available pullover along the way. Oh, by the way, I had planned to get my propane tanks filled that very day, so had none, need I say more. These RV turn to iceboxes in mere minutes with no source of heat. So, once parked I jumped in my bed under the down comforter and proceeded to freeze. my already ice cold legs just wouldn't warm up so I moved into the truck with the heater.

Driving a 30 ft trailer with no W/D having had no sleep for 24 hours is not a good idea, but I made it back to the RV park at 10:30, chose a nicer view spot, got my LP tanks filled and watched tsunami waves for the next 5 hours...didn't want to miss them, a once-in-a-lifetime experience...then I went to bed.

[khenrie]

What an adventure! Glad it all turned out okay and hope you are warmed up by now

[avalen]

an adventure I hope you never have to repeat, but I must ask.... whats W/D? and I know
as soon as you all tell me its going to be a "duh" moment cause right now my brain can
only think washer/dryer cause I need to do laundry

[Irmi]

Wow, that is scarey! I hope the rest of your stay there is on the quiet side.

[Redetotry]

What a horrible experience especially to go though when you feel so bad! ((((HUGS))))
It was that way when I was in Brookings and they had the earthquake and said there could be a tsunami. The warning sirens didn't go off but the TV was telling everyone to evacuate, hardly anyone did. Sure hope you start to feel better and have only pleasant experiences for a long time.

[VickieP]

but I must ask.... whats W/D? and I know
as soon as you all tell me its going to be a "duh" moment

Ava, I too know that you're gonna say duh, cuz you do know...weight distribution!

KD, I'm proud of you, going out and doing what needed to be done, even feeling so bad. You were wet, muddy and cold to the bone, but you did it. I think there are two kinds of people, ones who would have said, I'm sick, I'm not going to get out in that and get all wet and muddy, etc. and the ones that just knows what has to be done and do it!

[Liz]

Scary stuff! I finally heard from my cousin in Bandon. No damage there or northward, but they also had a scary sleepless night, with first a phone call about the earthquake in Japan and then the warning sirens.

[mitch5252]

..

YIKES! What a story. I'm so glad you're okay.

..

[avalen]

duh, thanks Mitch,

[mitch5252]

:D duh, thanks Mitch,

[VickieP]

:D duh, thanks Mitch,

VICKIE!!! It's Vickie, you know, the nice one.

[avalen]

I can't help it, I'm sick and my brain is tired

[avalen]

:D duh, thanks Mitch,

sorry Vickie the nice one thank you

[VickieP]

sorry Vickie the nice one thank you

You're very welcome!

[AlmostThere]

Wow, what an adventure! Glad you were up and got out of there and also warned the park manager!

Ava, I didn't know what w/d was either, just didn't want to be the first to ask.