
A large tree limb at a home on Middle Street in Fairhaven crushes the top of a truck after the storm on 10/27/21. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
By Beth David, Editor
All of Massachusetts and Rhode Island got socked by a fierce nor’easter from Tuesday to Wednesday, 10/26 and 10/27, that pelted the region with strong winds and lots of rain, resulting in widespread power outages.
Fairhaven and Acushnet had trees down and blocked roads, keeping public works, police and other emergency services personnel working through the night on Tuesday and all day Wednesday clearing roads and routing people away from downed lines. Power outages lasted for two days, with some pockets of power out for up to four days.
Nearly 500,000 customers lost power in Massachusetts, and more than 93,000 in Rhode Island.
The West Island Weather Station (https://www.westislandweather.com) recorded a gust of 66 MPH. Edgartown recorded 94 MPH, Barnstable 80 MPH. Visit westislandweather.com for complete storm reports and SkyWarn recap.
At West Island Marina on Causeway Road the docks broke apart sending several boats crashing into the rocks.
One black center console pleasure boat, a “Regulator” model, was on the rocks for hours on Wednesday, starting in the early morning hours. A cabin cruiser joined it later in the morning/early afternoon. The white boat was tied off and rescue/salvage crews were waiting for the wind to die down to tow it by water. But then the white boat started to sink, so Big Wheels was called in with its large crane and flatbed trucks to haul the boats out of the water and take them across the street to Hoppy’s Landing, where they remained at press time.
Winds were still gusting at around 40 MPH during the operation, but the big equipment got the job done.
Find ML Baron’s YouTube channel for video of the salvage: https://www.youtube.com/c/MLBaron
- Workers prepare the white boat to get hauled up with the Big Wheels crane during the storm on 10/27/21 at West Island Marina in Fairhaven, when some docks broke apart sending several boats adrift and these two into the rocks. Photo by Margie Green Joseph for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
- A boat is hauled up and placed on a flatbed trailer by Big Wheels during the storm on 10/27/21 at West Island Marina in Fairhaven, when some docks broke apart sending several boats adrift, and sent this one into the rocks. Photo by Margie Green Joseph for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
- The sailboat Free Energy, with tattered sails, cuts into the dock like a saw during the storm on 10/27/21 at West Island Marina in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
- Clint Allen of Tow Boat US climbs off a boat that got hauled out of the water after the docks at West Island Marina in Fairhaven broke apart and sent several boats adrift, including this one that got pushed into the rocks on 10/27/21. Photo by Margie Green Joseph for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
- A huge town tree topples over and crushes the roof of a car on William Street during the storm on 10/27/21. Photo courtesy of Catherine Delano
- A massive tree on the corner of Boston Hill Road Roseanne Drive could not withstand the winds of the storm on 10/27/21. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
- Boats are tossed after breaking loose from docks that are breaking up in the storm on 10/27/21 at West Island Marina in Fairhaven. The white boat with its keel on the dock (instead of beside it) eventually broke free and ended up on the rocks and had to be hauled out with a crane. Photo by Beth David.
- A center console Regulator model boat is lifted out of the water by the Big Wheels crane during the storm on 10/27/21 at West Island Marina in Fairhaven, when some docks broke apart sending several boats adrift and this one into the rocks. Photo by Beth David.
- Even after it is cut up and branches are hauled away, this tree on Mulberry Street was obviously huge before it toppled over and crushed an SUV during the storm on 10/27/21. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
- The big tree on the lawn of the Millicent Library, long used as a shade tree for outdoor story times and other events, falls victim to the winds of the storm on 10/27/21. Photo by Glenn C. Silva for the Fairhaven Neighborhood News.
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Click here to download the entire 11/4/21 issue: 11-04-21 Storm
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