Luke Outtavindo writes:
Anybody have any personal stories of this incredible storm?

My parents took my sister and I to Dauphin Island Alabama for a summer
vacation in 1969. As it turned out we left for home the evening before
Camille hit.

As the storm grew closer to the island the waters at the beach became
thick with jellyfish. Several swimmers including my sister were stung
by the jellyfish in the water. We had to quit swimming and some of the
people attempting to surf the waves had to quit because of the jellyfish.

At low tide we walked on the beach and it was covered with jellyfish blobs.

That afternoon we packed up and left for home. At home we saw the TV news
reports about the destruction. The air photos of Dauphin Island were
unrecognizable. The hotel we had stayed in was gone. Other vacationers
had decided to stay unfortunately.

Years later I took my son to Dauphin Island as a side trip of a summer
vacation just to see how things looked. Twenty four years after Camille
the scars were all to visible. Some mangled beach houses are still there.
The area where the hotel was is still razed and no rebuilding had taken place.

While chowing down in a local seafood place the TV had reports of the Florida
residents complaining that it had been a year since hurricane Andrew and
very little government aid had actually come through to repair the damage
left by Andrew. Floridians were wondering how long it was going to take.
One of the people in the restaurant shouted "well don't hold yer breath!" and
the place erupted in laughter.

Later

Mark Hittinger