Tropical Storm Debby impacts vacationers from Western Pa.
Some Western Pennsylvanians hoping for picture-perfect vacation weather this week in the coastal Southeast are experiencing a Debby downer.
Candi Stewart of Leechburg had the flight of her life on Monday, due to turbulent conditions caused by Hurricane Debby.
Her flight departed two hours late Monday out of Pittsburgh International for Savannah, Ga.
“The flight was really rough for the hour before landing with rocky turbulence and it was quite dark out for the afternoon,” Stewart said. “It was the first time I was truly frightened on a flight.”
After landing safely in Savannah, Stewart had a white-knuckled driving experience with her friend from there to Bluffton, S.C.
“We had torrential rain and extreme ponding that sometimes splashed up over the sides of the car when driving through,” Stewart said. “I was such a nervous wreck.”
On Tuesday, Stewart said she has yet to leave her friend’s house.
“We’re hunkered down. It’s raining hard now and it’s the first time in South Carolina that I’ve encountered a hurricane,” Stewart said. “So far I’ve been inside the whole time. Last night we had very heavy rain.”
Stewart said she was determined to see her trip through and is making the best of the situation by playing cards and watching movies.
“I did consider canceling but wanted to see my friend,” Stewart said. “It was more rain than I’ve ever seen.”
“Friends trump hurricanes — that hurricane wasn’t going to stop me from visiting my lifelong friend,” Stewart said.
She’s doubtful whether or not she will even see the beach on this visit.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Bluffton had received almost 10 inches of rain, with a predicted forecast of up to 30 inches of rain for coastal South Carolina.
“I might get one sunny morning but this trip is a bit of a washout,” said Stewart, who will fly back to Pittsburgh Friday.
The National Hurricane Center reported some areas will see record-setting rainfall, with 30 inches of rain possible in some areas.
Rachel and Jeff Adams of Pleasant Hills own an oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach.
They arrived for a two-week holiday on July 22.
On Tuesday, they reported a deserted boardwalk and rough seas during a high tide along the pier near their condo.
“It’s really disappointing because we have our kids here with us and we love the beach. That’s what we come here for and we’re not able to do that,” Rachel Adams said.
Rachel’s sister, Melissa Musial, and her two children of Baldwin are there as well. They’re all taking the hurricane hoopla in stride.
“My kids say a rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day at home,” said Musial. “We just really like to go to the beach.”
Instead, they planned to shop and maybe visit an indoor arcade on Tuesday to entertain the kiddos.
Jeff has weathered his share of hurricanes because he previously lived in South Carolina for more than 20 years.
“It’s more of a rain event and I think people were getting nervous because it was on national news,” Jeff Adams said. “It’s so hyped up.”
The Adams have secured loose items on the balcony in anticipation of winds expected to reach 60 mph Tuesday night into Wednesday.
They’ve decided to extend their vacation by several days after the storm moves through.
“In my 40 years of coming down here, this is the first time I’ve had to deal with this,” Rachel Adams said.
Miranda and James Martin of Elizabeth Township have an annual summer tradition of vacationing in Myrtle Beach.
“We’ve only seen sunshine one time,” Miranda Martin noted. “It’s been rainy and cloudy every day since we arrived. We are trying to turn a negative into a positive.”
The beach was closed by authorities Tuesday morning.
“We’re hanging out in our room and we’re playing board and card games. We stocked up at Total Wine and it’s like the Walmart of alcohol. We’re just going to hunker down and I don’t feel like we’re in any grave danger,” Miranda Martin said.
The couple said their 10-year-old is especially excited to experience Debby.
“He’s so into weather,” Miranda Martin said. “He’s wishing it was a big hurricane.”
The family is keeping abreast of the latest Debby developments and made a grocery store run Tuesday and said their oceanfront condo rental is non-refundable.
“We watching the news and that’s keeping us updated. Usually, we always have good weather — this is the first time for us. We’re sticking it out no matter what,” James Martin said.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.