RESCUED !!!
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 163
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From: Louisiana
RESCUED !!!
I left my beloved 944 in the driveway of my home in New Orleans during Hurricane Cindy, protected only by a flimsy car cover. A good size tree branch fell on the car and dented the hood a bit. Lesson learned- don't get complacent.
A few weeks later, as Katrina approached and the family prepared to evacuate, I wasn't going to make the same mistake again.
It wasn't possible logistically to drive the car out of town- too few drivers and more important needs, so before I packed up my SUV with people, pets and valuables, I formulated the best plan I could to protect the 944.
I knew of an elevated parking lot a few blocks away...a one-level structure but raised about 20 ft in the air. The garage was right on Lake Ponchartrain, so the car would be exposed to the full force of the winds, but part of the garage was under the office building to which the lot belonged so at least the car would be somewhat protected from debris falling from above. Knowing that the storm would pass to the East and thus the winds would come from the NW, I hid the car up against the wall of an elevator shaft...on the southeast side. ( silly me even put the car cover back on it...like THAT was going to do any good against the force of a Cat 5 storm! ).
Katrina hits. 150 mph winds in the city. 17 ft of flooding along the lakefront.
Family is safe, and that is what matters. But once I'm over the shock of seeing my whole world destroyed and everything my family has lost....I want to find SOMETHING to salvage and want to achieve SOME small victory against this bitch called 'Katrina'.
All I can do is hope and wait from my hotel room in Beaumont.
I find out about some satellite photos available online- theres a picture of the parking lot where the 944 is hidden, but since the car is in part of the lot that is under the building, it can't be seen from space despite the wonders of technology- but there appears to be a water line in the middle of the lot that stops JUST shy of where my baby is crouched.
A week after the storm hits I am able to bluff my way back into the city past the National Guard checkpoints. I work in the media so I was able to con them with an old 'Media' pass- told them I was with CNN. ( in a state of Martial Law, rescuing an old Porsche is not exactly high on the Guardsmen priority list! )
By this time the water had subsided. I still had to cross several downed power lines and dodge boats in the road, but I was able to make it to the raised lot. ( it was located only about 40 yds off the lake, and about two blocks from the infamous '17th St. Canal breach' ).
Along with a buddy, I drive up the ramp to the elevated lot where my 944 hopefully rode out the storm. The first thing I see is several cars with broken windows.....another has a piece of lumber piercing it's passenger door...all look a mess and unsalvagable. Some are 'wet' from being flooded as you can see the fog of condensation on the inside of the windows.
But lo and behold, my baby SEEMS to be alright. She's still tucked up against the building, albeit covered with something that looks like xmas tree flock - turns out it's the insulation from the underside of the garage roof. The stuff has been driven EVERYWHERE, into the exhaust, into every crevice- especially the rear hatch as I faced the car backwards against the brunt of the storm. But no broken glass, no new dents, and the interior is DRY!!
Unbelievably, the feeble car cover is still hanging from one of the side mirrors. Lotta good THAT did!
We clear the car of debirs, wipe it down with some old rags and rinse her as best we can with some water we brought along in 5 gallon jugs. ( felt a bit like doing triage! )
Moment of truth- if she doesnt start the whole mission was for naught and she'll likely fall victim to the looters and vandals....or yet another storm. Climb in, turn key......vroooooom ! First try, just like always!
A tiny victory after so much lost.
You shoulda seen the sight of a little grey and black Porsche cruising in and out of military convoys made up of HUMVEE's and Unimogs as I exited out I-10!! Several times the soldiers would give me a stoic thumbs up as I passed- they KNEW the dirty little sportscar had endured the storm and was being rescued...and I think they were truly happy for me.
So was it stupid of me to illegally enter a Federal Disaster Area only to retrieve an old Porsche that's only worth about $5000 ? yes. Was it irresponsible of me to be on the streets in a state of martial law in a near war zone of a wasted city? definately.
But as I write from my temporary home in Baton Rouge...my little 944, which is about ALL I have left materially in the world, is sitting pretty in the parking lot with a fresh coat of wax and a smile on her face.
She never looked so good....not even when she was new.
No, having rescued an old car won't give my parents a place to live. It won't change the fact that everything my nephew knew has been destroyed. It won't restore all the soaked and molded family photos. It won't change me and my family's new reality in the least.
But THIS 944 is now something more than before. She's now a personal victory, an act of defiance against mother nature, an symbol of survival, the sole remains of a past life that is now obliterated.
'Just' a car?
I think not.
A few weeks later, as Katrina approached and the family prepared to evacuate, I wasn't going to make the same mistake again.
It wasn't possible logistically to drive the car out of town- too few drivers and more important needs, so before I packed up my SUV with people, pets and valuables, I formulated the best plan I could to protect the 944.
I knew of an elevated parking lot a few blocks away...a one-level structure but raised about 20 ft in the air. The garage was right on Lake Ponchartrain, so the car would be exposed to the full force of the winds, but part of the garage was under the office building to which the lot belonged so at least the car would be somewhat protected from debris falling from above. Knowing that the storm would pass to the East and thus the winds would come from the NW, I hid the car up against the wall of an elevator shaft...on the southeast side. ( silly me even put the car cover back on it...like THAT was going to do any good against the force of a Cat 5 storm! ).
Katrina hits. 150 mph winds in the city. 17 ft of flooding along the lakefront.
Family is safe, and that is what matters. But once I'm over the shock of seeing my whole world destroyed and everything my family has lost....I want to find SOMETHING to salvage and want to achieve SOME small victory against this bitch called 'Katrina'.
All I can do is hope and wait from my hotel room in Beaumont.
I find out about some satellite photos available online- theres a picture of the parking lot where the 944 is hidden, but since the car is in part of the lot that is under the building, it can't be seen from space despite the wonders of technology- but there appears to be a water line in the middle of the lot that stops JUST shy of where my baby is crouched.
A week after the storm hits I am able to bluff my way back into the city past the National Guard checkpoints. I work in the media so I was able to con them with an old 'Media' pass- told them I was with CNN. ( in a state of Martial Law, rescuing an old Porsche is not exactly high on the Guardsmen priority list! )
By this time the water had subsided. I still had to cross several downed power lines and dodge boats in the road, but I was able to make it to the raised lot. ( it was located only about 40 yds off the lake, and about two blocks from the infamous '17th St. Canal breach' ).
Along with a buddy, I drive up the ramp to the elevated lot where my 944 hopefully rode out the storm. The first thing I see is several cars with broken windows.....another has a piece of lumber piercing it's passenger door...all look a mess and unsalvagable. Some are 'wet' from being flooded as you can see the fog of condensation on the inside of the windows.
But lo and behold, my baby SEEMS to be alright. She's still tucked up against the building, albeit covered with something that looks like xmas tree flock - turns out it's the insulation from the underside of the garage roof. The stuff has been driven EVERYWHERE, into the exhaust, into every crevice- especially the rear hatch as I faced the car backwards against the brunt of the storm. But no broken glass, no new dents, and the interior is DRY!!
Unbelievably, the feeble car cover is still hanging from one of the side mirrors. Lotta good THAT did!
We clear the car of debirs, wipe it down with some old rags and rinse her as best we can with some water we brought along in 5 gallon jugs. ( felt a bit like doing triage! )
Moment of truth- if she doesnt start the whole mission was for naught and she'll likely fall victim to the looters and vandals....or yet another storm. Climb in, turn key......vroooooom ! First try, just like always!
A tiny victory after so much lost.
You shoulda seen the sight of a little grey and black Porsche cruising in and out of military convoys made up of HUMVEE's and Unimogs as I exited out I-10!! Several times the soldiers would give me a stoic thumbs up as I passed- they KNEW the dirty little sportscar had endured the storm and was being rescued...and I think they were truly happy for me.
So was it stupid of me to illegally enter a Federal Disaster Area only to retrieve an old Porsche that's only worth about $5000 ? yes. Was it irresponsible of me to be on the streets in a state of martial law in a near war zone of a wasted city? definately.
But as I write from my temporary home in Baton Rouge...my little 944, which is about ALL I have left materially in the world, is sitting pretty in the parking lot with a fresh coat of wax and a smile on her face.
She never looked so good....not even when she was new.
No, having rescued an old car won't give my parents a place to live. It won't change the fact that everything my nephew knew has been destroyed. It won't restore all the soaked and molded family photos. It won't change me and my family's new reality in the least.
But THIS 944 is now something more than before. She's now a personal victory, an act of defiance against mother nature, an symbol of survival, the sole remains of a past life that is now obliterated.
'Just' a car?
I think not.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,699
Likes: 3
From: NY
Originally Posted by rickb20
Panzer
I can totally identify as I've been to the MS gulf coast a few times since Katrina.
I love your spirit and don't blame you one bit for defying martial law to protect your p-car.
Sincerely,
Rick
I can totally identify as I've been to the MS gulf coast a few times since Katrina.
I love your spirit and don't blame you one bit for defying martial law to protect your p-car.
Sincerely,
Rick
Great little short story, that was. You should write a book about this. I would read it. Did you get pics? That would be interesting. Glad to see your car made it
, I can only wonder how many didn't... 
At any rate, your story is just one of many reasons now why I fought my parents to let me look for a 944.
-Ian
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 17
From: Somerset UK
thank you for sharing a little of your personal experience. It's difficult sometimes to really appreciate the personal tragedy from news programs in the UK. Your story is a little ray of hope and triumph in an otherwise devastating tragedy
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Race Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,220
Likes: 1
From: Washington, D.C.
What an awesome story! It deserves a pictures posted at the end! That is sooo awesome! Congrats dude. I would have done the same! What you need is a lockable car cover! If you KNOW there is gonna be wind like that, you painters tape up the sides, put the cover on and lock that baby down! It aint going anywhere!
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Wow your mad, truly mad but in a very nice way. The poppy became the symbol of rememberance after WWI perhaps the 944 is your 'poppy'? The VERY BEST to you and your family I hope things get better. Can't believe you went to all that bother, truly remarkable. Well done that man!