Hurricane Chasing 101 for 2008

[Brendon Lindsey]

Ok so my goal this year is to chase one Hurricane and get started on my quick road to either death or fame. I dont want to hear any crap, like "oh thats a bad idea, only do it if your experienced, thats not smart, your making a bad name for us" Ok I get it. Im doing it no matter what. But if anyone wants to help me out with my knowledge base on this thats cool. My plan is to chase the biggest hurricane to hit landfall this year nothing under Cat 3 maybe 4. My dream chase would be a brushing of Southern FLA. Could go hang out and use my grandmas house. Good excuse too. I could just say I am saving her. Lol Well she lives south of Naples. I was thinking Rent a car about 150 miles inland. Pay for the little insurance waiver deal.

Get my SUV
HARDCORE Rain Jackets
Helmets
Ropes
Granola Bars haha
HARDCORE Rain cover for Camera and Videocamera (any ideas on where to aquire?)
First Aid Kit
Make a Super Iron Man Type Suite.
Crazy Partner
Blow up inner tube
Windometer... =)

Im doing it... Got any Ideas? No negatives because I could care less.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Here's an idea to be prepared for...

Be ready to be fed to the wolves when you sell your video of "omg I almost died!!" because you haven't a clue what your doing and nearly (or maybe not) escape death.

If you're so high and mighty at your old age that you don't care to hear any possible negatives to your ideas, I don't understand why you care for any feedback at all?

I'm not trying to be an all out douche bag, I just think chasing a high end hurricane alone just because you have something to prove is a terrible idea. Be realistic and get some help. My real suggestion, either go with someone, or if you insist on going solo, start weaker!

 

[Danny Neal]

Here's an idea to be prepared for...

Be ready to be fed to the wolves when you sell your video of "omg I almost died!!" because you haven't a clue what your doing and nearly (or maybe not) escape death.

That's a negative comment Andrew.....can you read ? lol

In all seriousness, more power too you. I am not gonna waste my time saying why I would be against doing it MYSELF since you obviously have shown you could care less what your peers have to say, whether good or bad BUT Would I do it alone? Probably not. Not to say I wouldn't ever do it, but I would definitely want someone with a ton of experience with me like Rich, Jim, George, Chris and all the other hurricane chasers on ST. You should PM them about this.

However, I guess getting your first hurricane will pave your way into your "extreme photography" career as well as the tornadoes you have captured.

I do agree with Andrew though.

 

[Adam Lucio]

Don't forget a parachute for that raft of yours.

Dont wait around for a cat 4...you'll be waiting a long time. Thats like me saying Im only going to go after a tornado if I hear a report of an EF5 already on the ground. Your hurricane may be a 4 when its 200 miles away but it can quickly deteriorate by the time it makes landfall. Go after any hurricane that comes if your schedule allows it. Its better to work your way into the extreme rather than just diving in with no prior experience

Watch out for storm surges too, they're allot deadlier than the wind.

and its ANEMOMETER, not windometer

 

[Matthew Fischer]

first you'll need a ton of code red mountain dew to stay awake! don't forget you'll need a lot of gas cause no gas station isn't going to to be open. and buy munchies! buy sandwiches. make sure you always have an out! Don't park your back towards the wind cause you could get flipped over!

I advise you read up on the forums and learn some things. Because in your picture you look to be 18 and you don't have any stress marks yet!

 

[MatthewCarman]

Why are you in such a hurry to become famouse? I would never chase a CAT 4 or CAT 5 Hurricane because that is like a EF4-EF5 Tornado sitting over the same area for hours and I would rather live and enjoy life while I can then die just for some Hurricane footage. I am not saying you will die but there is always that chance with a Hurricane that strong.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

Pay for the little insurance waiver deal.

Which correct me if I'm wrong, but won't cover hurricane/flood damage.


pet peeve: YOUR = you're

It should be:

I don't want to hear any crap, like "oh that's a bad idea, only do it if you're experienced, that's not smart, you're making a bad name for us" Ok I get it. I'm doing it no matter what.

Don't be an apostrophe hater

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

I will not make any negative remarks, but I know of a post about "Hurricane Chasing" that may be very informative...

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6348

 

[Jason Foster]

Good Luck

See the issue now is getting past the extensively restricted access. Police and other agencies are making it extremely difficult for anyone (media, researchers, chasers) to access areas that are under evacuation. They also are setting up earlier, and staying later to restrict access. Basically only those with government issued access will be allowed to pass. It's not impossible, but going to be really hard.....fewbie or veteran.

 

[Brendon Lindsey]

I try not to throw the apostrophes in there because it registers the conjunctions in my head. In college writing we are told not to use them , and instead to go ahead and spell them out. Seeing how this is ST, I should not be getting graded on my posts. But thanks for wasting your time. Sorry for absolutely any conflicts this caused in your life.

 

[Brendon Lindsey]

Thanks CDCOLLURA that helped me =) Anyone have any Ideas on water proofing for video/photography equipment?

 

[Brendon Lindsey]

Its going to be ok, Death is likely but its whatever haha =) I dont necessarily want to just become famous. Its hopefully going to be adrenaline like the *5 minutes of tornado on the ground* after chasing for a week, but *a huge tornado on the ground for 5 hours*

 

[Danny Neal]

I try not to throw the apostrophes in there because it registers the conjunctions in my head. In college writing we are told not to use them , and instead to go ahead and spell them out. Seeing how this is ST, I should not be getting graded on my posts. But thanks for wasting your time. Sorry for absolutely any conflicts this caused in your life.

See.....this is what I was talking about in my previous post. I don't know it if it is just immaturity or just genuinely a bad attitude, but if you are going to post on ST you NEED to learn how to take criticism and stop acting like you are above everybody else. Any responsible chaser or human being won't sit there idly and watch someone with ZERO experience go out there and put themselves in extreme danger without expressing their concerns.

I don't know anything about you, but based on the impression you are giving me ( your whole rant on junior members being looked down upon by veterans, the only reason you joined was to post reports, going off on Josh Richardson for saying there are hundreds of photographers doing what you want to do, and now saying you don't care about the negatives of this and you don't care about the rules on the forum) it seems as though you are just trying to get attention. This isn't the attention you want to have.

I have seen your work and your web page. You have talent, why waste it??? It is not so much that you want to do what you are trying to do, it's the attitude your taking to do it. GROW UP!!!

I will be the guinea pig on this and may even get an infraction for saying it, but I am doing it for your sake. The ST community is a great place to gain knowledge, talk to people, and make friends doing the things we all love. Don't take that for granted and lash out at us.

I don't know what you have against us, but for sure we have nothing against you.

 

[Brendon Lindsey]

Well I dont have anything against anyone... I promise... I think everyone on here is Bad A$$ for such an interest for the weather. Its just I am a very sarcastic, dry humor, pure logic kind of guy. I think I have all the answers but I know I dont if that makes sense haha. I kinda have split personality too because at night I am a different person than I am during the day. Like now in the morning I look back and wonder why had lashed out at you and others and at night I get into my KickA$$ I dont care mode... Sorry people. I dont get it...

 

[Greg Blumberg]

Brendon, I understand your situation. I myself have personality changes throughout the day and am also pretty dry in my humor. It sometimes gets the better of me too. However, I must stress that in the light of the 21st Century with the Internet and everything, you've got to be careful and clear when you write something (forums, email, chat, etc.) It's a good rule of thumb to live by, especially when you're employed. If you must write something that is going to lash out at someone, type it up, don't send it, and review it the next morning. It saves a lot of trouble and has prevented me from putting my foot in my mouth in the past. I'm pretty blunt, so I've got that as a disadvantage sometimes.

Speaking of being blunt, I've got to say flat out straight that I don't recommend you start chasing a Category 4. It's like Maria von Trapp sings in The Sound of Music: "You start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." To me it seems smart to start chasing with something basic, so you learn how to work with it. I'm a teacher, and I often start with something basic so my students have a foundation, and then they can build upwards. I myself plan on starting chasing hurricanes, and I plan on starting basic with someone who knows what's going on. IMO I believe that is the most logical way to go about it, and with you being a "pure logic kind of guy" I would hope that you agree with me.

Remember that safety is our number 1 priority. I'm pretty sure ST does not discourage hurricane chasing, it encourages smart hurricane chasing. I have a great respect for Mother Nature, and anything my peers say about it, my ears are open. I'm sure you have that same respect from looking at your website and the photography.

I hope I don't receive an infraction for this, but if I do, so be it. At least I spoke my opinion.