We’ve had two whopper storms to kick off the winter rainy season.
The first, October 25, brought sheeting rain, unbelievable wind and waves. The Port of Port Orford, which we visited in the morning, had, by afternoon, sustained heavy damage, in the end estimated at over $1 million.
No people or fishing vessels were lost but a fish processing building went over the edge taking numerous fish storage tanks along, the Port office had 18” of water, waves topped the rock jetty damaging it, and one side of Griff’s, a seafood restaurant on the dock, was pushed out.
The surf was amazing, totally covering the port beach and the wind was so strong our 10-year-old grandson had to run to stay in place at the overlook. The pelicans and seagulls came onshore en masse and hunkered down to wait it out on the headlands.
The second storm, which hit Port Orford Friday managed to tip over half a trailer home on Highway 101 just where it enters Port Orford from the south. (I guess those high profile vehicle warnings on the weather went unheard or were ignored. They were predicting 70 mph gusts!) The wind and rain was hard enough to wake me up Friday night but by Saturday all was just a passing memory.
Today, the sun is shining. And the streets are dry. No one can say the weather around here isn’t dramatic.
After the Global Peoples’ Climate March
Posted in Environment, Oregon, People, small town photography, Social Commentary, tagged Global Peoples Climate March, New York City Peoples Climate March, People's Climate March, port orford, Port Orford OR, Port Orford OR Peoples Climate March, Port Orford Peoples Climate March, Sept 21 Global Day of Action on September 27, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Forty-eight hearty Port Orfordians (and six dogs) turned out last Sunday for our very own Peoples’ Climate March. It was cold and windy but undeterred, the crowd streamed down US 101 waving homemade signs, starting at Battle Rock Park and winding up blocks away in the Ray’s parking lot. OK so it wasn’t New York City. But it was definitely Port Orford. Here are some pictures of our march:
On the other hand, the Peoples’ Climate March in New York City last Sunday sure looked huge, exciting, organized and warm! Upwards of 400,000 people marched; thousands more watched and cheered. The turnout was overwhelming to organizers who had, apparently, done a phenomenal job of corralling and moving the participants down Manhattan’s Sixth Avenue. Here are some photos:
The one day UN Summit on Tuesday, at whom the march was aimed, didn’t have breathtaking or immediate results. Still, what might have been considered a moribund climate “program” at the UN may have been re-invigorated by the huge march and the UN Summit participation of a bevy of world leaders including President Obama who noted in his speech: “Our citizens keep marching. We cannot pretend we do not hear them. We have to answer the call.”
National Geographic summarized the three most important outcomes of the summit this way:
A movement to fight climate change has real people power.
More companies are recognizing that halting deforestation is good PR.
There’s growing pressure to help the world’s most vulnerable countries.
For more see: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140924-united-nations-climate-change-summit-world/
On to the UN’s next Climate Change meeting, scheduled for Paris next winter.
Read Full Post »