With Laura upgraded to a hurricane in the gulf, what a lot of residents at Cypremort Point on Vermilion Bay are dealing with right now is anything but calm.
Wrapping, tying up, picking up and boarding up. That's what residents are doing ahead of Laura.
"We were here for Rita, which was pretty bad. We were here for Barry - this last one," said Weldon Taquino.
Taquino is one of those residents preparing, having lived on the bay for about 25 years. He says he has seen four or five total in his years out at Cypremort Point
Although he's no stranger to taking on the full force of a tropical storm or hurricane, he's not afraid to admit that Laura is scary.
"Everything is projected to come pretty much where the worst would be, so yes, we have to prepare for the worst."
Taquino still has damage from Hurricane Barry in 2019. One project after another.
"This is about pier number 3. One was just about totaled and the roof had blown off and went to Delcambre as I understand it," Taguino said.
The biggest threat is the storm surge. Laura is expected to pack a similar punch to Hurricane Rita from 2005.
"We had water three or four feet deep on the road way back and wave action that did a lot of damage and brought in a tremendous amount of mud in our workshops and garages, etc. that would be the worst thing for us is the high water with the storm heading to the west of us."
His neighbors have opened their garages and first level doors to let the water flow through easier. It is one of the sad realities of preparing for a storm like this.
No matter what happens, we will rebuild," Taquino said.
He hopes he and his wife can get back into Cypremort Point on Friday at the earliest. What will await them when they return home.. time will only tell.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Download our free app for Apple,Android, Roku and Amazon devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
