Sad Weekend In NW Indiana

RedGST

RedGST

New Member
Nov 2, 2006
102
Lake Michigan
Boat Info
220 Select
Engines
350 MAG Alpha One
Corsa Exhaust
Well, remnants of Hurricane Ike came through our area this past weekend.
The ditch that we have our boat on got flooded - over 12 ft and pretty much took everything in its path along with it.

Right now, I dont know the complete status of my boat... It was tied up, and on a hydro lift that normally keeps it close to 12 ft. out of the water...

Unfortunately, the rising water, combined with the rushing current... its currently 'hanging' off the rear of the bunks at a 30 degree angle. (being held on by some attached lines - that hopefully hold)

I have a few pictures of some of the 20+ boats that saw their final voyage this weekend...
unmanned and floating down the ditch into Lake Michigan...

After witnessing this, I can only imagine how bad some of the people in TX must feel.

Granted, we did luck out... our house did not flood (although we did receive an 'evacuation' notice call... first time I'd ever heard that for our subdivision.)

Crossing my fingers that we get her back!

Amazing what mother nature can do.
 
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Can't see the pictures

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I got the same result as Chuck.
 
Here's a few additional pics
 

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Daze Off
Sorry to hear about the damage over in Portage.
Hope your boat will be ok.
After the few storms we had when moored at Marina Shores last year and seeing the current on the ditch, I was wondering if there were problems over there after this past weekend's storms.

How did Marina Shores and the Municipal Marinas fare?
We were actually thinking of coming over to Marina Shores for the weekend.
Do you think the ditch will be navigable by Fri/Sat?

Post Up or PM me when you get a chance.

Dan
 
I was stunned reading the article, as we had launched out of the public marina over Labor Day weekend. Completely unrecognizable from the pictures.

Good luck with getting your boat safe!!
 
Very sorry to hear of everyone's misfortune in your area. And I hope your boat will be OK. Keep us posted.

I am really surprised you hear very little form the national news media on the widespread damage from IKE as it headed northward. I never heard of a hurricane making it that far inland with wind velocities as strong as they were. The Governor of my homestate of Ohio declared almost the whole state as a disaster area. We have family in Ohio and they had trees uprooted and are still without power. I am sure the damages were no where near what they suffered on the Gulf Coast but for IKE to keep up with the intesity it had that far north of where it made landfall is just amazing.
 
We're about 100 miles north of you and got the rain but no wind. We are still drying out and lake levels seem to be coming up. Sorry to hear about your loss.
 
Well, I actually have good news.
The water level finally fell... and fell alot.
We were worried, as my boat had basically been listing at over a 30 degree angle (hanging off the back of the bunks).

Power was restored to the slips... and we were able to get her back level... and actually, after a quick check... she's unscathed!!! :D

Unfortunately for most others, they did lose their boats. Right now, there are 20-30 unaccounted for that they know of.

Here's a pic when she was in danger.
http://www.windycitydesign.com/pictures/boat/river/35.jpg
Note that the hydro lift actually keeps the boat out of the water around 12 feet. The water actually rose to the point where it was lifted off the bunks (12+ feet)

Dan,
I would stay away from the ditch for awhile.
There's a submerged boat right behind me... another about 100 feet away... and who knows on others down near the 'mouth'.

Also, there's so many logs, trees, 2x4's, etc that are stuck all over in the ditch...
We've decided not to push our luck anymore this summer, so as soon as the ditch gets back to its normal water height, and the flow slows... were taking her out for the season.

I dont know if you know the bar that used to be behind my lift... but 1/4 of the land underneath it fell, and the bar is starting to slide. Its been condemned...
All up and down the burns ditch... the land is eroding bad. The eroding actually led to the whole docks being detached (as some boats floated away still attached to their dock material). Some of the videos that I've seen are scary. Unmanned boats just floating down the river... Oddly, most went damage-free out into the lake... where the North wind then smashed them into the rock breakwall....

The 2 marinas (Marina shores and Portage) are fine. the destruction was due to the water force going down the ditch only. Since they're in coves... they just had rising water (granted, from what I understand,Portage had under 1 foot of height left...)

It definitely sucks... but I am very glad that Daze Off might actually come out of this damage free!!!

(PS - I have to thank my friends Bill and Mick... as they were the ones who 'lassoed' my cletes before she floated away... we were flooded in our subdivision with no exit... )
 
Glad your baby is OK. Hurricanes suck!

I think I will stay in California where we mostly only deal with earthquakes. Yes they can be devastating but at least afterwards I know where my stuff is....it might be in a pile but at least it's where I left it.
 
Yeah, I never really thought we'd have to worry about a hurricane in NW indiana! lol
 
Daze Off
I cannot believe the picture of your boat in/on/around the water, as I used to kind of laugh when we dinghyed past you and saw you 10-12 above the water.
I remember last year after the storm in Aug trying to go up river in my 6hp dinghy and with WOT hardly making progress.

I am sure it will be a few weeks before it settles down over there.
Glad to hear your boat is good to go though.

Heard from friends at Marina Shores and all is well there.
They told me the ramps from concrete bulkheads were dead level with the sidewalks on Sat eve and Sunday morn. Wow!!

That said I think we will change plans and head to either Michigan City or New Buffalo for the weekend.

Good Luck and we'll see you at Boaters Beach later.

Dan
 
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