Straight-line winds

[mikewint]

I remember a post a while back about the Florida air show and the effects of very powerful wind gusts and what they did to aircraft. Two weeks ago I experienced these first-hand. A very violent thunderstorm struck my new home in the late afternoon. For a brief time winds of 80 - 90mph struck the area along with golf-ball+ sized hail. Cars and boats were under roofs so no damage there. One particualrly violent gust blew one of the steel garage doors inward bending it like tin.
Going down to the dock to check on the boats I found that another gust/series of gusts had literally lifted my 3 ton steel dock out of the water and deposited it on land. Fortunately both boats remained in the water. Using the motors on both boats plus several neighbors we managed to pull and lever the dock back into the water with no major damage.
In the backround you can see two very large trees that were shattered like matchsticks

 

[RabidAlien]

Ouch. Yeah, it usually sucks when Mother Nature has to remind us of just how insignificant the human species really is.

 

[Wayne Little]

Lucky you had no major damage Mike.

 

[mikewint]

Boy, you can say that again. Those black plastic bottom floats are encapsulated Styrofoam. If the outer plastic capsul is breached and the styrofoam is released there is a large fine and the entire float has to be replaced, upwards of $500 for just the float. I have insurance, but you know how that goes

 

[Thorlifter]

I'm glad you made it through the storm with no major damage Mike.

 

[mikewint]

Thanks Thor, it came out of nowhere very suddenly, no sirens or warnings of any kind

 

[Readie]

It frightening to see the power in nature. We don't get extreme weather like you experianced Mike very often. The waves after an Atlantic storm can be awe inspiring and a reminder that the sea is no place for the foolhardy...but, I see them out at sea with no life jackets, radios, satnavs or even ( dare I say it) a compass and chart....

Like the others have commented , glad your property survived.

Cheers
John