When Hurricane Sandy was on it’s way, New Yorkers were still a bit skeptical about the storm’s potential based on our experiences from last year with Hurricane Irene.
As I did with Irene, my goal was to photograph the progress of the storm.
The city shut down late afternoon on Monday October 29, 2012 to brace for what was to come. That included all forms of transportation, so I spent time in my neighborhood.
I went out on 3 separate occasions during the 24 hours that Sandy came to town. The first was around 4:00pm on Monday, as winds began to pick up and the East River began to rise. It didn’t spill over at this time; that would come around 9:00pm when the tide was high and the moon was full.
During the peak of the storm, not realizing how powerful the winds truly were I headed down toward the river. (These images in the dark were taken around 9:30pm on Monday night.) As a result of not heeding Mayor Bloomberg’s warnings, a gust actually lifted me, blowing me up East 78th Street. I thank the gentleman (my guardian angel) that was ahead of me, as he stopped the momentum of that surge.
Next time the forecast calls for wind gusts of 80 mph+, I will think twice. Today I count my blessings that from that night I have just a badly sprained knee. However, I needed to document the event and would have stayed longer if not for what happened.
I did witness the East River at a height I’ve never seen before. As I stood on the corner of East 78th Street and the FDR Drive, the water was up to my knees.
Things could have been much worse, as many residents of my city have lost their homes.
This is why I am thankful for the many little things that come my way.
Until next time.
Teresa, 51art
adventure is life, live it! ®
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