Rising Seas: Can the Outer Banks, NC Survive?

March 2017

Melting Polar Caps & Sea Level Rise

The Outer Banks of NC are a series of thin, barrier islands that separate the Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound & Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean,that runs from the very southern tip of VA. down the East Coast of NC. If there was ever a reason to understand the profound effects of 'Climate Change' it can be viewed right here on a daily basis. 97% of Climate scientists believe we are at the critical tipping point of addressing what is happening to Mothers Earth and I'm going to share what happens when a series of barrier islands are directly impacted.

"Development and climate change are causing the islands to slowly vanish, scientists say."

A great article by Sara Peach, for National Geographic, can be found here: 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/special-features/2014/07/140725-outer-banks-north-carolina-sea-level-rise-climate/

At one time there was 1000 ft. of beach but today at times of high tides the beach disappears.

At times of extreme weather the already trouble beaches sustain further erosion that impacts homes, roads and the Bonner Bridge which connects several of the islands with the mainland.

Bonner Bridge

https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/coastal-management/coastal-management-hot-topics/sea-level-rise

A BIRDS EYE VIEW: Hurricane Matthew, Elizabeth City, NC

FEB. 2017

EXTREME WEATHER

DROUGHTS, FLOODS, HURRICANES, TSUNAMIS, TORNADOS

I live in Elizabeth City, NC on the Rasquotank River which flows into the Albemarle Sound and then the Atlantic Ocean at the Outer Banks which is a barrier island. Hurricanes are common, along with Tropical Storms and the good ol' Nor'Easter. In the 12 years that we've lived here approximately 3 EXTREME WEATHER storms pounce on this area every year.

This year was DIFFERENT! HURRICANE MATTHEW was on the way, almost 12 days of weather reporting about this monster storm and although we would be on the tail end of it...going to move off shore we still would feel the impact. 

Little did anyone know that the unpredictable storm was going to do the most devastation in NC. This community received over 12" of rain in a 24 hr. period (the most in the Hurricane)...the ground was already saturated from Tropical Storm Hermine that dumped 9" in Sept.

Although Hurricane Preparation is pushed in this area and the people know that from June until Nov. there will be some that will make landfall here. We  really weren't ready for the impact that Matthew would take on this area! Oh we had our water, canned foods, batteries, candles, matches etc. we still were not prepared.

This month I will be sharing how my husband and I were personally impacted by the storm. I'll share my Art Journal JOURNALISTIC Page 1st.

Hurricane Matthew Highlights

In NC Hurricane Matthew damage is estimated to be $1.5 BILLION

• Its diameter is roughly the distance across the state of Pennsylvania.
• Mandatory evacuations spread for over 500 miles along the Southeast coast.
• Hurricane Matthew will be remembered as a historic storm and residents along the Southeast coast and In the Caribbean will be talking about it for decades.
• 5: At peak intensity, Matthew was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph late Sept. 30 into early Oct. 1.
• 6: Counties in Georgia that have mandatory evacuations in place in anticipation of Matthew's arrival.
• 12+: Days that meteorologists have been tracking Matthew. Invest 97L was designated by the National Hurricane Center on Sept. 25. The invest became Tropical Storm Matthew on Sept. 28 and quickly strengthened into a hurricane by Sept. 29 in the eastern Caribbean Sea. 
• 13: Matthew will likely be the 13th billion-dollar weather disaster in the United States this year.
• 155: The peak unconfirmed wind gust recorded in eastern Cuba from Matthew was 155 mph.
• 250: Miles of Matthew's diameter while off the east coast of Florida, which isn't a terribly large hurricane, but is roughly the distance across Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.

We were amongst the luckier of homeowners as we are out of the flood zone by 25 feet...it literally ends at the beginning of our property line. Although the winds were fierce we only sustained minimal damage...a new roof, exterior rain & wind damage unlike others!

Although Matthew hit here on Oct. 8th it wasn't until the 1st week in Feb., 2017 that we were able to replace the roof on our house. Damage in the storm meant a complete tear-off and replacement. The insurance adjusters and contractors were so backed up this was the soonest we could get it done.

The job gets started...dumpster, shingles, workers!

Tear off completed!

Now our neighbors across the street weren't as lucky. A huge limb came down on & went through their roof and was sticking out the back side by a good 50 feet. Luckily their bedroom was on the other side of the house! The damage was extensive and the cost was exorbitant as evey room in the house suffered damage...cracked walls & ceilings that required being plastered and painted again!

Tree Limb Through the Roof

Looking inside out...yikes!

Hurricane Matthew Storm Total Rainfall

Satellite Image over North & South Carolina

From THE DAILY ADVANCE

To sum up the EXTREME WEATHER in the 2016 ATLANTIC Hurricane Season are these facts:

• Most active
• Costliest
• Above average season
• 15 Named Storms
• 7 Hurricanes
• 4 Major Hurricanes
• Strongest, Costliest & Deadliest.....HURRICANE MATTHEW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Atlantic_hurricane_season

Thanks for stopping by! I may or may not have the completed ART JOURNAL page up so I encourage you to check back for the project!

I encourage to hop on over to the Sustainable Souls Project blog and you will be able to check out all the other artists involved and the projects they created for this month!

The Sustainable Souls Project Jan. 2017

PLANET EARTH

WE ARE ALL CONNECTED

ECOSYSTEMS

https://thesustainablesoulsproject.blogspot.com

Welcome to the 1st month of the 2017 year long SUSTAINABLE SOULS PROJECT. This collaboration was created by Tina Walker with the assistance of 28+ artists. We will tackle different themes each month, create projects and share them via blogs, FB, Instagram. 

So here is my idea for the year as I'm in the process of packing my studio & home to move back to Buffalo, NY from NC. I found my very 1st art journal that I never finished so using this as my starting point and with very few supplies I will finish this journal using what I have. The following quote gave me the impetus to go forward.

"Start Where You Are

Use What You Have

Do What You Can:

....Arthur Ashe

It was fun to go back in time and look at my beginning pages in this art journal. I started this in 2009 with very little knowledge but wanted to expand my skills. I worked in the journal for a couple of years but put it aside as my skills expanded. While packing I found it and realized I needed to finish the pages left blank. 

Snippets of Pages

My first order of business was to create a collage for the journal cover and SSP with magazine cut-outs I've collected over the years. It's funny when one goes back and finds perfect images for the cover!

My 2nd order of business was to do a little research on sustainability and I stumbled across the work that the UN is involved in around the world. Fascinating, thought provoking and an eye-opener. I'm going to keep this journal and pages as catch-all for the info. I find through this year. I'm also on a mission to recycle and use up what supplies I have.

"Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. 

All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems

 and precious resources, 

and each of us has a role to play in preserving them. 

If we are to go on living together on this earth, 

we must all be responsible for it." Kofi Annan

Here is the link to the UN website: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/

Here are the 17 GOALS developed for the UN Project. Plenty of great information and also teaching tools for each of the 17 Goals. 

"On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.There is also an APP that you can download from the app store on IOS & Android.

I thank you for stopping by, taking the time to view my art journal pages and maybe even check out the sources I found. I hope you also join me in this year long discovery! Keep up with all of the incredible artists involved and their projects here;

https://thesustainablesoulsproject.blogspot.com