Ike, threat to USS Texas ??

[Predreadnut]

The media is reporting a possiblity of a 20+ft. storm surge, any possibility of damage to the Texas? Is she in shallow enough water that she could be picked up and slammed down against the bottom?

Unforturnetly, it doesnt sound like everyone is listening to the warnings and leaving. The news says that up to 50% of the population of Galveston is staying. Do they know what a 20ft storm surge will do to an island that is at sea level? Do they know there own history? In 1900, 8000 people died, mostly from drowning. Im saying a prayer for the ones who stay.

[pimp_squeak]

I've been watching CNN, not 5 minutes ago they said that they were expecting a 12 ft surge with 18 ft waves on top of that....

[P_J_Glor]

I though Texas was up on the land with a pool around her. I have a picture of the memorial in a battleships book somewhere.

Pete G.

[Predreadnut]

I just did a google eath search and zoomed in on the Texas. She is setting in a inlet off the shipping channel, wide open to the elements. I'd post a picture but I cant figure out how to save pictures from google earth.

[Ironman929]

Do they know what a 20ft storm surge will do to an island that is at sea level? Do they know there own history? In 1900, 8000 people died, mostly from drowning. Im saying a prayer for the ones who stay.
It's called Dawinism. Stupid stuff dies. Look at a cow. :)

[P_J_Glor]

Thanks for that input on USS Texas. It did occur to me that they would have had a hell of a time getting her up on the land, and I doubt that Ike will be able to do that, either, but there still could be a lot of damage.

As to those who are staying around saying, "God will look after me" I am reminded of the story of the man who arrived at the pearly gates complaining about being left to drown and was told, "We sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter! What else did you want?" As my dad used to say, "God helps those who help themselves, but God help you if you get caught helping helping yourself...."

Pete G.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

I know of one person not called up for evacuation, and unable to drive beyond the storm's reach. He feels he is stuck for it and is hunkering down for the hit....

[P_J_Glor]

I drove from New Orleans to Glencoe Georgia just about 4 hourts ahead of Carmen. Places we had passed on the way in Mobile and Pass Christian were on TV that night and some of them were gone...

Pete G.

P.S.

So many people say they wouldn't live out here in California because of Earthquakes, but they are over so fast, and at least when they are over your stuff may be broken, but not flooded and covered in mold and mud. We lost one glass during the last earthquake out of two hutches and two shelves loaded with china and glassware.

[420TEE]

This is my sister-in-law,s back yard in suburban Hartford, CT. Her neighbor estimated him at 500-800 lbs. He comes for the bird seed then moves on to the next feeder. The authorities say there are getting to be so many they won't do anything unless he causes damage or eats somebody.
Opps, sorry, this wasn't supposed to be under this thread. Anyway, enlarge the picture and look at those eyes. I don't think he likes having his picture taken. :eek:

[Ghost 2501]

as for uss texas, if they open the sea cocks and have it deliberately flooded in its lower sections, and fill the ballast tanks full of water, wouldn't that give enough weight to sit her on the bottom without totally sinking?

[TugboatTom]

This would be just like what happened with the USS Alabama during Katrina. Its just like the Texas. Its up on the land in shallow water. But it survived to my knowledge. When the storm hit it was rocking around alot but it survived. If the Alabama can survie Katrina the Texas should be able to survive this.

[W.L Upshaw]

This is Apples and Oranges gents.

The USS Alabama got rocked alright; she floated for the first time in about 30 years. Alabama was silted in to the depth of about 20 feet up her hull.
The environmentalist suddenly got very paranoid about the remaining fuel oil in the Alabama's fuel tanks and made the Museum group remove this as it was deemed an environmental time bomb just waiting to wreak havoc on the bay. The black oil in her tanks had the consistency of tar. A lot of tons of this stuff was removed at great cost and this lightened the ship. At the same time other repairs to the ship were necessary and a cofferdam was erected around the whole ship and the water pumped out so the hull could be worked on, they excavated about 10+ feet of the silt / dirt around her hull to weld doubler plates where corrosion had taken its toll, they also painted the exposed hull with protective coatings to preserve it.

They flooded the area around the ship and left the cofferdam in place, when the 20 foot storm surge from Katrina came up the bay, it hit the battleship and actually lifted her severely damaging the aft gangway and she settled back down with a list to port of about 4 degrees due to remaining silt flowing under her hull.

The USS Texas has large steel pilings driven deep into the bottom of her inlet that can hold the ship in place but also allows her to float up and down. To flood her lower compartments would do a great deal of Damage and could also hinder the proper movement of the ship and could indeed cause even more damage to the ship.

By now the storm has already passed over Houston and is in the Dallas area. So now it is not so much about what could happen, but what did happen to the USS Texas.

[Swift16]

Here's a couple of photos of the USS Texas. Lee is correct. Note the rig to starboard of the ship, allowing her to move up/down.

John

[johnmca72]

One of the newspapers mentioned this morning that damage could have been a lot worse, had the surge gone up the ship channel (which it apparently didn't). Port of Houston is considering reopening Tuesday. No specific mention of BB-35, but I think this is a case of "No news is good news".

JM

[W.L Upshaw]

There are a couple of photos taken late Sat afternoon on the Texas Parks Dept site that show the Texas straining to pop the stays off the top of her morring pilings, she actually looks like she has a slight list to starboard from this. The parking lot is part of the ship canal and it looks like the ships store may have a couple of feet of water in it. The ship is fine but the area around her is a mess.

[Shaun Hendricks]

Well, she is a battleship, despite her age. Might have been a fun ride to be on her during it.

Any chance of us seeing those photos W.L.? :D

[seaphoto]

Here are a couple:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/news_images/?g=hurricane_ike&i=battleship_texas_dsc00144--andy_smith.jpg

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/news_images/?g=hurricane_ike&i=battleship_texas_dsc00148--andy_smith.jpg

Kurt

[Shaun Hendricks]

She doesn't even look scratched. Can't say the same for the surrounding flotsam...

[Cap'n Jack]

http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2008/09/23/pasadena_citizen/news/091808_battleship_texas.txt
She's fine...Seawolf Park didn't fare so well...
http://blogs.chron.com/ikeanswers/2008/09/post_21.html