Wednesday January 10th 2024

Yesterday’s much discussed storm was complete clear of this area by 9PM last night. This morning was the time for checking out the impact and doing any necessary cleanup. My main observation was the amount of tree debris on the ground and the amount of standing water. On the plus side, the debris stayed clear of my motorhome and car. On the downside, my car was parked in three or four inches of standing water. By early afternoon it was just squishy ground, so I was able to drive into town.

Elsewhere in the campground I saw a couple of tents in puddles of their own and lots of things hanging or draped on branches to dry out. Camping in a tent yesterday afternoon and evening was clearly an adventure. The biggest challenge for everyone in the campground was the muddy roads. The gravel roads had many scattered pot holes filled with water. It was impossible to drive in or out of the campground without getting mud all over the sides of your vehicle. After I move on next week I may have to find a car wash.

The rate of flow in the Hillsborough River was a little more energized this afternoon. All of the runoff from yesterday’s rain was having an impact. The current looked stronger and there was a lot of debris floating down stream. The water level at the bank didn’t look any different, but there was water running into the river from back areas that were dry or just swampy earlier in the week. The place the river looked different was at the area called “the rapids”. Last week it just looked like an area with a few boulders in the river that the water channeled around. Today there was white water flow over and around the boulders.

I only saw one of the typical water birds along the river today. The timing of the walk was a little later than usual, so that could have been the reason for the scarcity. Yesterday’s weather might also have caused the birds to move to a more sheltered location. I think I’ve been seeing and photographing the same birds in slightly different locations each day.