Island digs out in the wake of the wind

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Some homes were still dark early in the week as power crews mopped up damage.

In the yard of Alec Vassiliadis’ Crystal Springs home, one gargantuan inconvenience begat several others.

By way of wind came the first – a 120 – foot tall white pine tree that in the course of its fall knocked out power, “nibbled” at Vassiliadis’ rooftop and tore up the family’s septic system.

Darkness, cold and one rather unsightly imposition – a portable toilet – have since made appearances at the residence, which along with the home next door was the only one in the neighborhood still without electricity Monday morning.

“Everyone around us has power,” said Vassiliadis, in good spirits following what turned out to be a very close call. “We were very fortunate. It’s a big tree.”

Big trees caused big problems across the island, blocking roads, knocking out power and, in some cases, destroying property after record winds toppled them last week.

Puget Sound Energy crews, with help from some 170 crews brought in from across the western United States and Canada, have been working overtime to repair damaged transmission lines that feed local power. Still, as of Tuesday morning, some 3,500 Bainbridge Island residents remained in the dark, with little assurance as to when service might be restored.

About 5,000 residents were without power countywide.

“The scope and severity of damage to Puget Sound Energy’s electric system from Friday’s windstorm is unprecedented,” said a statement released Monday by PSE. “In many hard-hit areas, our crews are having to rebuild the system from the substation to customers’ doors.”

Pockets on Bainbridge Island – 46 locations in all still require repair – likely won’t see power until today or tomorrow, according to the company. Outages continued to plague residents of Manitou Beach, where on Monday spaghetti-limp lines lingered in treetops tilted askew.

To the sound of generators rumbling nearby, Hyla Avenue resident Theresa Collier walked with her dog beneath a leaning utility pole on Falk Road. She didn’t lose power until 11 a.m. Friday, much later than most.

“We thought we made it through okay,” Collier said. “It was a shock when the power finally went out.”

It hasn’t returned since. Her home has stayed warm courtesy of its wood stove, important especially because most Seattle hotels, where she might otherwise have sought respite, were crammed to capacity over the weekend.

Like hotel rooms, supplies such as propane, lamp oil and batteries were in high demand following the post-storm rush.

“It’s hard to find what you’re looking for,” Collier said. “A lot of things are sold out.”

Some islanders were running out of water, according to Deputy Police Chief Mark Duncan, a fact that prompted the city to make available water at each of the island’s three fire stations.

The Red Cross opened a shelter Monday at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, offering warm meals between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. The shelter will remain open as long as people need it, officials said.

Public Works Director Randy Witt said both the swimming pool and local health clubs have offered their shower facilities to people without hot water at home.

Meanwhile, traffic problems persisted through the weekend, especially along State Route 305, where a trail of cars stretched from the darkened casino intersection to Day Road.

Power there has since been restored, easing congestion.

Most of the blocked roads are now cleared, or are at least passable, said Bainbridge Fire Capt. Butch Lundin. Emergency calls have dwindled as well, from 29 on Saturday to 18 on Sunday. An average day nets about seven calls, Lundin said.

“Things seem to be getting better,” he said Monday. “Hopefully, today will be a normal day.”

The days have been anything but normal for Baker Hill resident Jim Peek, who along with 70 of his neighbors, still doesn’t have power.

“Every time there’s an outage we seem to be the last ones to get our power back,” said Peek, who said the storm, despite the inconveniences it caused, has also helped unite his neighborhood.

He recalled that his phone rang Saturday morning. Calling was a neighbor down the street who said two trees had fallen across Buckskin Lane.

Peek brought his handsaw to assist other neighbors, who had already begun clearing the boughs. Through scattered sawdust, waiting cars were soon able to pass.

“It’s really brought a lot of people together,” Peek said. “I’ll bet that scene has been duplicated 100 times across the island.”