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Katrina at One Year

Sunday, August 27, 2006

 

Friends and Dartmouth Brethren

 

The Gulf Coast of Mississippi has its Day of Infamy – August 29 – this Tuesday in 2006. There will be no celebrations but a number of remembrances. Since I communicated with you last year as we faced the crisis, an update seemed appropriate to share my perceptions of where we are now. This is not something I send for you to enjoy, since one year later has simply solidified how devastating Hurricane Katrina was and how much work is yet to be done. Still, progress is evident just as the removal of debris and buildings was a constant reminder of what had occurred.

 

For us, Katrina inflicted no major harm. We still have not had our wooden fence put in order but measured against many of the friends and families we know, we are talking a minor and unessential thing. We are still amazed when we travel to think of the impact of the hurricane. Last night, we joined friends for a gathering and a homemade Katrina DVD was played. Such media exist from various sources but a personalized description has effect beyond a Weather Channel, network news, WLOX, City of Biloxi or other source. This man was watching his and his neighbors’ homes disintegrate. What you see now from the same window of a house that survived and was the view for its owner are cleared lots and homes under repair. The residents of that neighborhood, living in their homes or living elsewhere, joined us. We will always maintain that the media coverage shows what happened in part but not the enormity or true impact.

 

An “Arts Notes” in the SunHerald today announces a one-act play by Sarah Cameron Hughes, Dartmouth student who was a volunteer (Hands On USA) in Biloxi (I am aware of the number of students who have come but unfortunately have not met any) entitled “Dreaming Biloxi.” We have set 7PM, September 3, on our calendar.

 

The SeaWolves will hold our first formal post-Katrina event on Tuesday, September 5, at the Gulf Coast Coliseum (no ice). This event puts into motion plans that will culminate in a team on the ice, the staff in the Coliseum offices, and our season ticket holders and others in the stands sometime in October 2007. The SeaWolves Brigade has plans for other hockey-related activities through this year [game ticket package at Pensacola, travel to Huntsville to see Niagara (with one of our former players as an assistant coach) play UA Huntsville, an inline game with alumni, and social gatherings of various types]. Details are on our websites: www.msseawolves.com or www. myseawolves.org. The commitment of our fans is amazing and a reflection of the resiliency we have appreciated over and over in this year.

 

On a Sea(trout) note (rather than SeaWolves), triumph did follow tragedy. Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi had supported a project to spawn spotted seatrout in total captivity (never been done before) for release in our waters when they reach fingerling size. Gulf Coast Research Lab put the project together and at the time of Katrina, the big females were ripe with eggs. They were never laid and the facility was destroyed. GCRL staff moved the project to a second facility (higher ground) and put the first fish (a 10 lb+ specimen that did not survive) back in the tanks within a month of Katrina. I think I relayed my dismay when I visited GCRL after Katrina and saw the devastation and how that visit necessitated the opening of a bottle of scotch to wash away what I had seen. Now I can report that before we reached the one-year mark, GCRL reported a natural spawn (280,000 eggs with an 80% survival). I have not seen the little ones yet but look forward to in the near future. I am so impressed with what GCRL has done with their sweat and dedication that we are preparing an article to highlight the impact of the hurricane, the success of the spotted seatrout spawn, and the state of fishing in Mississippi waters.

 

You have probably seen the coverage of the one-year mark on national media – made more cogent by Ernesto rumbling around the Caribbean and heading for the Gulf. Our folks have been edgy ever since the predictions were made of another bad season and I’m overhearing comments now about plans should Ernesto come within our area. Such is life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast now and likely for the foreseeable future. If you want the local print media coverage of the one-year mark, go to www.sunherald.com for editions from Friday on for special coverage.

 

As a final note, the Beau Rivage (our flagship casino) reopens August 29, 2006, our waters are clean and cleared and fruitful, the only ice is in refrigerators or bought in bags, and we will spend August 29, 2006, with our girls and their families in Jackson as Kathy and Sam (F. J. was in Mobile) did in 2005. We expect the day to have a different character. Our best to all.

 

F. J. & Kathy Eicke

 

 

 

 

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