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Hurricane!
By David Gallagher
Originally published in Inside Cape Cod, September 2003
“June, too soon.
July, stand by.
August, if you must.
September, REMEMBER!
October, all over.”
— Old Mariners' Hurricane Rhyme
Like many in New England, I have fond memories of hurricanes. They have been, for me, mostly times of excitement and preparation followed by a few hours of noise and perhaps a blackout. Severe hurricanes are a rarity in New England. It wasn’t until I saw the aftermath of Hurricane Bob in 1991 that I began to understand the tremendous power contained in these tropical visitors.
The word hurricane probably comes to us through the Spanish explorers from the Mayan word “Huraken” (god of storms or bad weather). For centuries, many in New England referred to these storms as gales, and historical records often do not distinguish hurricanes from other kinds of storms.
Often, there was no warning of these approaching storms. It was only through knowledge of the sea and a close observation of the weather that the early residents of Cape Cod could prepare. Only during the 1950’s did meteorologists start naming hurricanes as a means of tracking the storms, and reliable forecasting began.
FROM THE BEGINNING
Records of the earliest European settlers recount the terrifying reality of hurricanes. The Great Colonial Hurricane of August 25, 1635 was the first documented hurricane in New England. Occurring 15 years following the settlement of Plymouth Plantation and five years after the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, this hurricane was well documented for its day in the journals of Governors William Bradford and John Winthrop. Both Bradford and Winthrop noted storm surge heights of over 13 feet. A building at the Manomet trading post lost its roof. Thousands of trees were uprooted or snapped in two, and a twenty foot tide flooded acres of upland on the Cape.
In Cape Cod, Its People and Their History, Henry Kittredge describes how this great storm polarized the religious Pilgrims. “One half thanked God on their knees for not having obliterated their settlement entirely; the others anxiously scrutinized their past actions to discover wherein they had offended.”
William Bradford took a more practical approach to the storm: “The wrecks of it,” wrote Bradford, “will remain a hundred years.”
Other late-summer or early-autumn gales are peppered throughout the history of Cape Cod. In September 1825, the towns of Falmouth and Bourne were battered by a hurricane that swept up Buzzards Bay. The tide rose to high tide mark and far beyond. Witness accounts claimed that another foot of tide would have made the Cape an island. As it was, homes and salt works were carried away, vessels torn from their moorings, and trees uprooted. Salt houses from the Elizabeth Islands floated off their foundations and were carried as far as Wareham.
The late-season gale of October 1841 stands out as one of the most destructive. The storm caught most of the Cape’s fishing fleet on George’s Banks, and caused many to perish. Of the Truro fleet, only two crews survived, including the crew of the Water Witch, captained by Matthias Rich. Rich spent twelve hours lashed to the wheel, and finally was able to anchor in Herring Cove. Many ships were lost.
A MODERN DISASTER
The most destructive hurricane in New England history is certainly that of 1938. This hurricane caused extensive damage and loss of life from Long Island, to Providence and throughout the Cape. Blue Hill Observatory in Massachusetts measured sustained winds of 121 mph with gusts to 183 mph. Barns 100 miles inland were covered with sea salt.
The September 1938 hurricane hit with no warning. The storm had been tracked in the south for a time, and was forgotten when it veered east and out to sea. The next sign of the storm came to the unlucky vacationers on the south shore of Long Island, who saw the tidal wave pushed ahead of the storm. Homes were destroyed. Many people became trapped as floodwaters rose. In Rhode Island, downtown Providence became a harbor.
Everett Allen, in A Wind to Shake the World, recounts how the wisdom of a few Cape Cod old-timers helped to save lives. At 1:30 on the afternoon of the storm, Falmouth Police Chief Ray D. Wells, toured the shore and noted sea conditions at low tide. He quickly calculated the catastrophe that awaited the town when high tide came in six hours, and decided to call for help. The Chief telephoned the State Police Troop D in West Bridgewater, and informed them that the Cape shore would be inundated and asked for boats, equipment, and volunteers to be sent immediately. At 3:45 p.m., the storm cut off all communications at the Cape Cod Canal. But the call for help had already brought boats, volunteers, rope, floodlights and trucks.
Woods Hole caught the full force of the storm. At 4:00 p.m., the water was nearing the top of the steamship wharf. Soon, Main Street was flooded. At the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the crew of the research vessel the Atlantis ran hawsers to nearby buildings as she rose above the wharf piles. At 6:15 p.m., the wooden drawbridge was washed away.
The water surged up Buzzards Bay. In Wareham, the water rose on Lower Main Street to a level twelve feet above high tide. The Narrows roadway bridge and railroad bridge were both swept away. In the Onset Fire District, more than $1 million in property damage was reported and 400 people were made homeless. Homes were swept into the Cape Cod Canal. Overall, the 1938 hurricane was responsible for 600 deaths and $308 million in damage in the United States.
FORECASTING AND PREPARATION
We are more fortunate today. With long-range weather forecasting, hurricane tracking has become more of a science and less of an art. But while we can no longer be surprised by a hurricane, experts stress preparedness and common sense, and urge residents to heed official warnings.
“Strange as it sounds, one of the problems with hurricanes is they don't happen frequently enough,” states Sandi Porter, director of disaster services for the American Red Cross Cape Cod Chapter.
“There is a generation of people on the Cape who have never seen the kind of devastation a hurricane can bring. That's dangerous, because we can't afford to be complacent,” she said.
Cape Cod is brushed or hit every 6.28 years by a tropical storm or hurricane. The last major hurricane to hit Cape Cod was Hurricane Bob in 1991. While it caused million of dollars in damage, Bob was a relatively weak, Category 2 storm, with maximum winds of 110 mph.
Weather forecasters warn the Cape, which has undergone intense development along its coastline in the last 25 years, could experience a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 130 mph. These same experts are predicting an above-average year for hurricanes this season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
So what can Cape Codders do to prepare? First, take official warnings seriously. Not all tropical storms become hurricanes, and not all hurricanes reach New England. Those that do, however, can do so quickly. Experts recommend that all preparations are completed at least six hours in advance of approaching storms.
Second, hunker down. Riding out a hurricane can be a sport unto itself. After you board those windows and secure the boat, you’ll need supplies -- plenty of bottled water, snacks, and easy to eat foods. Keep a supply of any prescription medicine you may need. If the power goes out, open the refrigerator only when necessary, and keep flashlights (and fresh batteries) handy. Games, a deck of cards, and a battery-powered radio can make any blackout an impromptu party. Candles can be fun, but use with caution to avoid a fire.
Third, heed all calls to evacuate. Much of Cape Cod’s low-lying areas can flood quickly during a storm, and official calls to evacuate should be followed. Find out where shelters are located -- your town hall can provide such information, and you’ll need to act quickly if the time comes.
Most of all, remember a bit of Cape Cod wisdom. Watch the weather; watch the sea. A smart old salt knows that no call to action is foolish under the right circumstances.
<END>
© David Gallagher 2005.
May not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without written permission of the author. For reprint inquiries, please contact the author. He won't bite.
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