NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Sally Mackay is keeping her fingers crossed that flooding will be kept to a minimum and that the beach holds up as Tropical Storm Fay lumbers this way, about 15 miles south of New Smyrna Beach as it makes its expected northwest path to the Florida Panhandle.
Tropical Storm Fay has not caused much havoc in Southeast Volusia except on the beach in New Smyrna Beach where winds gusting between 35 and 45 mph have caused severe erosion. At least 25 percent of Volusia County's multi-million beach replenishment sand is lost, according to officials. What had taken months to pump in, Fay has taken away in 48 hours. And the worst is yet to come Thursday as Fay crosses inland in a northwesterly direction just north of here and toward the Florida Panhandle.
It's 3 o'clock in the morning Friday and for the first time since Monday, there's no rain. Just like that. It's over. Or is it? I certainly hope so. Unlike the tornado that ripped through New Smyrna Beach in February 2007 and even the hurricanes of 2004, that delivered knockout punches, Tropical Storm Fay hung in there like a boxer going 12 rounds, chipping away at her opponent and scoring that exta point each round for the decision.
Fay wasn't real. She was a tease.
Watching the recent to do over Tropical Storm Fay makes us old timers reflect over the years of New Smyrna Beach Storms. First of all, for decades New Smyrna had the reputation of not being hit by a major hurricane. We got hit from the land side in 1960 and again by a mild hurricane called David around 1980. Neither of these hurricanes did too much damage. There were rumors that boat owners considered New Smyrna one of the safest places to anchor on the coast of Florida.
We have lost a lot of beach front over the decades from so called “Northeasters.”
Tropical Storm Fay would have given Yogi Brrra Fits. The slugging Hall of Famr catcher known for his slogain "It ain't over 'til it's over" would be right on the money early this evening with Fay lingering. Just when we thought Tropical Storm Fay had moved on from Southeast Volusia, she started pelting us with rain around 5 p.m., after a rather rainless afternoon.
When is this irritating storm going to finaly move on?
There iis a 5K walk - or run - at 9 this morning in New Smyrna Beach. It is being organized by Danielle Oldham, a 2006 graduate of New Smyrna Beach High School, in honor of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan -- the fallen as well as those still in harm's way.
The route begins at Riverside Park. Participants will go over the South Causeway Bridge, then turn left onto Peninsula, then left over the North Causeway Bridge and back to Riverside Park. The event will go on, rain or shine, with the exception of thunder and lightning, which is not expected.
During the Democratic-primary debates, Senator Joe Biden questioned Barack Obama’s experience. Now in accepting Obama’s offer to fill that experience gap as his vice presidential choice, the 35-year veteran of the U.S. Senate promises to bring credentials, not cronyism, to the Democratic leadership of our nation.
