Debby and us Part II

Monday June 25, 2012
Lithia Springs Site 25
Lithia, Florida

 

Still haven’t heard from my book benefactor. 

 

 

 

beautiful mushrooms again today

 

Comments were down the last couple of posts so I hope whoever it is was able to read “Surprise Package”.  If not, here’s the link.  I can’t stand the suspense of not knowing who Santa in June is.  I’d really like to thank you for such a thoughtful gift.

 

River at the end of the path from site 25 where I used to have to climb down to sit on the bank 

 

It’s not over yet.

 

The path I took yesterday from site 40 to the boat dock 

 

Thanks to those who wrote us about how glad they were that Debby skipped us. Well, not quite.  I guess I gave the impression that it was all over. But in fact it was only over for Monday.

Overnight on Monday, at about 4am,  there is another tornado warning.  Again we are spared but because of the heavy rains overnight there is flooding everywhere and numerous closed roads. David cancels his appointment this morning so we will not have to drive anywhere.  It has been rescheduled for next Monday which is the same day he sees the bone transplant specialist.  I’m not happy about this.  I’d like him to see the hematologist sooner.  But DEBBY is in the way.

 

Our county, Hillsborough, is again under a tornado watch until 2pm this afternoon.  As I begin writing this it is 10:30am.  Hillsborough county is HUGE and the expectation seems to be that the tornadic activity will be in the northern part of the county (where we will be moving next week-end) and so we will be spared in the south.  But we aren’t going anywhere and are monitoring the weather as you can imagine.   This is certainly not what we need to add to our plate.

 

My favorite tree just off site 40.  It used to be beside the river. It’s knees have disappeared.

 

So what has happened over night?

When the rain lightens up we decide to go out for a walk to see what has happened while we were sleeping.  We walk down to site 40 which I visited yesterday.  What a difference.   The water is up within 3’ of the campsite and the folks in that site have been told to move to higher ground.  

We try to walk down the path I took yesterday to the boat dock but it too is under feet of water.   The boat dock is no longer visible and even the kayak put in posts are almost under water.

 

Guess we aren’t going this way.

 

No boat dock no more.  No path on the far right to site 40, other end is above.

 

 

Wow the river has eaten the springs.

 

 

This is the entrance where you used to be able to walk down the stairs to the spring beach and put out your towel or chair.  Notice the life guard station.  It still has a tiny island.

 

The ranger tells us the river has come up 5’ over night.  We get to the spring and see that it is completely drowned.   The river has taken over and the water is up above the walkways and steps.

 

The great blue heron is gazing out on the spring run which was his permanent fishing grounds but is now far too deep for him.

 

Blue heron at the spring run which has been taken over by the river and is no longer crystal clear.

The picnic area has flooded.  A little blue heron is hoping there might be something for him in this shallower water.  No bridge from one side of picnic area to the other.

 

 
New lake between picnic areas but no bridge between.

 

We couldn’t get near the natural spring.  Those folks who have visited us here,  Carrie, Bill & Nancy, Gin & Syl, Roger & Carol  will recognize these spots and probably this one in particular.   I zoomed in on the water level indicator and it says 16’.  Flood stage for the Alafia river is 13’.

 

 

It’s time to get back before the rains start again.

 

As we near the rig,  I come across this little red snake. Looks like he’s heading for high ground too. The park manager and assistant manager drive up to remove some trees that are now leaning precariously over the road.  The manager tells me this is a red racer.  We never had anything but black racers in Virginia so I found him very interesting and very pretty.

 

 

 

 

During this rain lull, I get up on top the RV to sweep the water off of the slide toppers.  We, of course, do not have our awning out.  I sweep off the small sticks and spanish moss that are also all over.  I’m being very careful, it’s wet and slippery up here.   I go up in my bare feet to better feel where I am.

 

At 3:00pm, the tornado watch is  extended until 11:00pm. Debby is just sitting off the coast about 200 miles.  She’s not moving and is  sending rain rain and more rain.  All I can say is
GO AWAY DEBBY!!

 

At 5:00 we turn on the TV and see coverage of all the damage the tornados and flooding have done.  Several lives have been lost.  And it’s not over yet.  They are talking about Round II.  They say Debbie is now going to turn east and go across Florida near Gainesville and exit to the Atlantic near St. Augustine.   But it’s such a slow moving system that no one knows for sure.  We may get another 2” of rain over night.  I wonder how high the river will be tomorrow when we wake up.  

 

On the walk, We see numerous beautiful butterflies but these are the only two who will pose.

 

At 7:45pm we get another tornado warning.  It appears to be moving up a corridor about 3 miles from us.  We watch to see how many minutes we have but before we can get the door open it’s over.  There are reports that a funnel cloud went over the Lithia firehouse but not on the ground.  People saw it as it moved along.   These things move so fast that they are gone or hitting you before you can do anything.  Rain on the roof is not sounding quite so nice anymore.