August chickens???

[carldarl]

My wife, son and I are vacationing from Idaho August 6 - August 13. We were thinking of the keys but my wife is afraid we'll end up being evacuated if there is a hurricane. What do you think?

 

[Orlando Eric]

CarlDarl- Hurricanes? - - Pfft - - Go Diving! Actually those high wind rain storms go really slow like 12mph so you can leave in plenty of time if you see one coming.

Come on down - - if you have to evacuate you can go to Orlando as a plan "B" then if it comes that way you can go to Six Flags, GA .. that is a good fail safe Hurricane plan.

Besides to quote another former Idahoian "It doesn't get Fun until it gets Scarey."

Eric

 

[DandyDon]

You know, I have always avoided going to Florida in August, but it is pretty easy to check the Atlantic to see if any big ones are headed in. Since there is only a small chance you'd need to cancel, I'd suggest planning the trip with hotels and vendors that will allow no penalty cancellations, then checking this site every day the week before you leave...

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Your airline may charge you $100 a ticket to cancel and use the remaining funds later on another trip, or they may not? They might do a chance of destination for free...?

BTW, Orlando Eric - if you are back from 2nd Annual Ocean Watch CLeanUp, then you need to reset you countdown timer. :doh:

 

[MikeJacobs]

My wife, son and I are vacationing from Idaho August 6 - August 13. We were thinking of the keys but my wife is afraid we'll end up being evacuated if there is a hurricane. What do you think?

No way to tell, of course, especially THIS year which is supposed to be worse than last year by some accounts. Diving can get "blowin out" even by a tropical depression, and there isn't much to do down there in the Keys other than fish, dive & drink.

I don't think the risk is even close to 25% that you'd be blown out, but I guess my committment would depend on whether you wanted to live with Plan-B options and follow DandyDon's suggestion. My Plan-B would be outside of the Southeast US, however, since hurricanes displace a lot of people and tend to head up the coast.

 

[carldarl]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas. I did forget to say, my wife grew up in Luisiana so she is very familiar with the weather issues there. While making itinerary changes isn't a major problem, diving is the real reason for this trip. My son was just certified in January and this will be his first trip with vis morethan about 10 feet and water warmer than 40's-50's. We really want to not have to divert to a major change with plan 'B'.

Not sure what we'll do but definately still looking at options.

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas. I did forget to say, my wife grew up in Luisiana so she is very familiar with the weather issues there. While making itinerary changes isn't a major problem, diving is the real reason for this trip. My son was just certified in January and this will be his first trip with vis morethan about 10 feet and water warmer than 40's-50's. We really want to not have to divert to a major change with plan 'B'.

Not sure what we'll do but definately still looking at options.

Good luck Sir, but getting blown out is alwyas a risk - anywhere. I have been blown out most of the days of a week in The Keys early in my diving trips, and laid out in bed sick for days on a cramped live-aboard. Life goes on...