Flooding: What Happens When It Rains Here on Cape Cod & Islands

10/2/2015 (Permalink)

The remnants of a storm that passed over Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

Life on this side of the bridge is vastly different from the rest of the world.

In any other part of the state, a forecast for a tropical storm or hurricane will certainly have people running for the grocery stores—and I’m still not sure how bread and milk is critical to storm survival—but when you live on the Cape and the islands, those same predictions conjure up much different anxieties.

Any fierce storms accompanied by strong winds can leave the people on this side of the bridge susceptible to becoming isolated from the rest of the world. Sustained winds of 70 miles per hour or higher will close the Bourne and Sagamore bridges, leaving Cape Codders and Islanders cut off from “civilization.” Depending on where you live and which side of the bridge you happen to be on when they are closed, that may not be a bad thing. For those living on Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, isolation is even more frequent and probable. When the winds blow hard enough and the seas get rough enough, the Steamship Authority makes the call where you can stay or go! For people who happen to live on one of the islands and are visiting the “mainland,” or vice versa, worry goes well beyond, “will I have milk and bread for the next 24 hours,” to “can I get home before the storm.”

I have been in situations where either I—or my crew—had to scramble to get that last ferry or plane on or off and know it is not a fun game to be played. Before you start thinking that getting stranded on either side seems more like a vacation than an inconvenience, consider that there tends to be fewer hotels and restaurants open during the winter and there are very few vacancies in the summer.

I have also found myself in the predicament where I was off Cape and needed to get to this side of the bridge before a storm hit. It is even more stressful waiting for a loved one to make it home before the possibilities of either the bridges closing or the ferries and planes shutting down.

As Hurricane Joaquin losses steam as he makes his way up the east coast, I am preparing for any remnants he might throw my way and this includes everything from making sure that my crew is ready for any calls that come in to fighting off shoppers for that last loaf of bread to making sure that I am on the right side of the bridge before the storm hits.

If you have ever been unable to make it home during a storm to the Cape and Islands or worse—stranded at the airport—tell me about it. I would love to hear your story.