First I want to explain why I rode out this historic storm waiting for a direct hit alone in my home,  last week when I hear about a storm that would surpass the great storm of 1962,  that happened when I was only 2 years old , I don’t remember it but my grandmother always talked about the bay meeting the ocean and the devastation, so I told by blogmate Bob Ingram I wanted to do a documentary about this historic event, and that is the truth about why I stayed, because I usually leave which I will explain later in this blog.

I prepared for this event and the unknown it would bring with food, drinks, flashlights, back up power, tools, duct tape, plastic sheeting, a first aid bag, a floating device, waiters, 4 laptops, 2 cell phones, 2 iPods, radios, police scanners, weapons, batteries, warm clothing in different locations,  keys to the house next door, keys to the house across the street and keys to the house down the street,  my family at their motel right up the street, the Cardinal Motel, 2 guys next door with wet suits to support me in case of an emergency and others shooting pics around the island., also  personal cell phone numbers of city rescue workers and officials.

The have been home alone since Saturday Oct 27th, my wife and son left that day, my friend  Mike stayed at his home on Pine ave in Wildwood and my cuz Steven DeRitis was at his home on 19th,  both on the 100 block west, they both have someone staying with them, I was alone. On Sunday October 29th we all talked and made a plan in case one of us had to abandon our homes the following 2 nights, that night the water came up the highest, 4 1/2″ in my garage and back utility room. Mike had no water and Steven lost his ground floor apt and utility room with 5″ of water destroying everything inside.. think about it !!

Monday October 29th was the day I decided to break through the wall upstairs that has been there for 15 years blocking off my inside steps downstairs  that lead to the 2nd floor. I had used that space on the stairs inside for storage boxes, so on Monday October 29th I went upstairs and unscrewed the door, took a sheet rock knife,, cut through the wood and ripped it out with my hands, then the insulation and then I cut the sheet rock and ripped that out with my hands also,now I can see the the boxes, about 30 of them from the top of the steps, then I has access to the downstairs and could bring my important thing up  in case the water came into my home, I set up everything I needed and called my support team to let them know where I was, and so I waited for the historic storm on my couch with a chocolate martini, a miners flashlight on my head and a bag to take with me to the 2nd floor, we did not get a direct hit and the flooding was not as bad as the night before  but a nervous time for sure and always alert and ready to go… and that’s how it ends. Oh yea !! I took a few pics and videos along the way. today I was stopped by the cops in N wildwood and Wildwood…they said their was no driving around.. but I showed them my press pass and on my way I went !!

I want everyone to know that it was great having you follow me while I rode out the storm, my wife and son were in Philly  but we are usually all together..  I always said if one of us goes we all go together…this time we were all in different locations and the last phone call that last night was upsetting for them and myself, I am sorry for putting them through that, last call before the storm and having to say goodbye and I love you.. the reality is that we were all thinking the same thing, we might never see each other ever again in the event of a direct hit.

I want to make this very clear, “DO NOT EVER TRY THIS ..PERIOD”. always, always, always leave no matter what,  I know people on Facebook supported me and were concerned about me, and I appreciate that very much, but the truth is I risk the lives of the brave police and firefighters who would have to save me in an emergency.. like during the height of the storm. I wanted to document the storm first hand,  but it is selfish and not smart to stay during a mandatory evacuation.

I want to thank everyone who supported me, it really meant a lot being here alone, I hope everyone enjoyed the pics and videos I shot while the event was unfolding, I hope to someday do turn this into a  documentary about the storm and my time riding it out,  god Bless all of you, see you on the boards in the summer of 2013.