by Anita Benedict
I had a recurring dream in the past that scared me. It was one I had frequently enough that I can actually remember it. It has been several years since I had the dream, but I always woke up knowing I was pretty safe.
That is until the last two years of rain. My dream involved flooding. In my dream it was the tide that had risen with tsunami force and I was on my roof with my pets. I must not have had family in my dream or I would have been panicking. The dreams may have been triggered by watching part of “Waterworld”, a Kevin Costner film that they say was a flop. I could not finish watching it and I hope it remains a fictional
story line.
I was reminded of my dream reading reports of flooding after that emergency alert. Parts of Kentville being evacuated? That is crazy. I watched video of the water at Halls Harbour rushing over the road and out the cove to the bay. As many said, it is a good thing the tide was out. I heard reports of more flooding in areas that are still reeling from the flooding last year. Emergency personnel on standby and others in the thick of things.
Closer to home I see folks who are still dealing with flooding in their back yards. I have witnessed hard packed pathways washing away as if they were foam, waterfalls appearing where none were before. Mudslides that have nothing to do with fun on the Shubenacadie River.
If this is what the remnants of a hurricane will do, what would another full-blown hurricane do? I know some folks know the story of the Saxby Gale in October of 1869. Mr. Saxby was able to predict that conditions would be right for a catastrophic storm; without computers. A perfect storm scenario combined with a perigean tide, when the moon is close to the earth and causes higher tides. That storm caused a lot of damage along the Fundy coast on both sides. 70-foot tides at Burntcoat were recorded,
up from the normal 53.6 feet.
We Maritimers are a tough bunch and those of us here along the Minas Basin/Cobequid Bay of the Fundy have learned to respect water. I, for one, hope the polar ice stays where it is and that the hurricane season is kind this year. It might be a good time to invest in a boat, as well as someone to steer it.
In real life I have family, two cats and a few chickens to keep safe. If I don’t write next week, come check my garden, I may have sunk out of sight. I already lost a shoe in
there.
On a happier note, thanks to everyone for the best wishes on International Town Crier Day! Special thanks to Angela for the recognition in the High Tides Bulletin and Mandy Wood for the shout out on the radio!
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