The 'Hugo Bowl'. I was on leave from the Marine Corps and worked Security at this game.
Posted on 08/24/2012 10:44:27 AM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN
I can't believe it's been 20 years since Andrew struck.
If it had made landfall just 15 miles to the north of where it hit, the damage probably would have been tripled. Miami literally did dodge a bullet, because as bad as it was, it could have been much, much worse.
Spouse took pics from a small plane shortly after this thing. We lived in Fort Myers at the time.
The damage from the d@mn thing resembled a GIANT tornado! Unbelievable! Just one huge lawn mower through Homestead and the Glades. Nothing remained in it’s path.
Went down to Homestead about six months afterwards, there was a road around Homestead where they had piled the debris, as far as the eye could see it was piled up.
Essentially that’s what Andrew was, it was fairly compact, which was a saving grace, as bad as Homestead got it, it was fortunate that downtown Miami/Fort Lauderdale didn’t get it nearly as bad.
Flying into Orlando that day I got to see a good view of Andrew from above.
Andrew changed the course of my career. In order to assist a company that lost their systems in the hurricane, I was recruited to provide a service while working for an industry competitor. This gave me the confidence and wherewithal to become an independent consultant that has led to an interesting journey through multiple industries. I can’t believe it has been 20 years.
I was living in an apartment complex not far from the Metro Zoo when it hit.
Ah yes, the storm that exposed massive fraud in the Florida construction industry. The wink and a nod building permits and non existent building codes
My Mother and I left from Miami on a 7 day cruise on the 22nd of August 1992.
We left her 2 yr. old sedan on the pier, because we intended to drive back to St. Louis after the cruise. When we left on Saturday, Andrew was out there but not too threatening, so the ship rerouted to the west of the Bahamas and we didn’t even get any rough seas from it. On board the ship, we didn’t realize until Sunday night what devastation was about to hit Miami. The cruise was uneventful but we could get no information about what awaited us in Miami on the return.
On the return to the port of Miami, the water in the channel was an ugly brown, and private boats sunk at their docks. Miami was battered with rags flapping out of missing windows. Luckily, my Mom’s car was still on the pier. We quickly loaded our luggage in and headed for the interstate, but at first I had no brakes. I’m sure they had been in water, and the paint had also been sand-blasted.
There were either no street signs (again, sand-blasted off) or they were bent over parallel to the ground. The trees still standing looked as if a giant chainsaw had split them vertically and the seaward side was gone. People were living under the elevated interstate in bushes or make-shift shelters. We finally got on the interstate and headed north and didn’t stop until we needed gas.
Did you manage to take a picture from the plane?
That would be an incredible photo!
Where do they put the zoo animals during a hurricane?
You must have been scared to death.
I’m so fascinated with Andrew because I want to become a meteorologist and “he” was such an incredible force of nature.
I can’t imagine having a roof over my head one day and having everything gone the next.
When I lived up in N.Y.State we had a canned food drive at our High School. I think we were collecting clothes as well. I was 16 at the time and I don’t remember much.
My grandparents are north of Tampa,as am I,so they didn’t get hit. I didn’t move down here until ‘93,when that stinkin’ “No-Name Storm” hit. That was a thrill!
Hugo was ‘my’ hurricane. More than 20 years. One doesn’t forget stuff like that.
The 'Hugo Bowl'. I was on leave from the Marine Corps and worked Security at this game.
They locked a lot of the animals in building that people normally used. It was a horrible experience. Some of the monkeys escaped and were running around terrifying both the residents and the looters.
I remember when Hugo hit. It was in ‘89,wasn’t it?
I’m glad the looters were terrified!
Those poor animals must’ve been so scared. :(
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