SCITUATE, MASS. (WHDH) - People up and down the coast of Massachusetts were making sure their property was ready to weather the storm Thursday.
Local boaters scrambled to get everything tied down to the docks within various marinas. By mid-afternoon, the tide was coming in and the winds were whipping.
“Extra lines on the boat, you know, and just hope for the best,” said Lou Horvath, who has two boats docked in Scituate. “I’ll come down during the storm and check on it. The harbormaster will be up there. Sometimes they’ll let you on the dock, sometimes they won’t.”
Plymouth harbormaster Chad Hunter said he expects very few boats will be out despite the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
“We don’t have a ton of recreational boats in at this time,” Hunter said. “A lot of commercial boats and they take precautions during wind events. Add extra lines, check their bilges, ensure nothing will blow off the deck.”
Wind gusts could reach upwards of 50 miles per hour; the National Weather Service said the fast-moving storm could cause isolated flooding near the shore.
“DPW crews are out now, just checking the catch basins, especially the ones that are problematic most of the time. We sent out a notice to all the boaters who have their boats in the water, make sure you’re tied up good,” said Scituate Town Administrator Jim Boudreau.
Hunter’s message to boaters is simple.
“Make sure they understand the potential dangers in going out, and maybe they decide to leave it on the trailer as well,” he said. “Prevention is key.”
For Horvath, this means keeping his boats right where they are.
“Last time my boat was in the yard for a nor’easter and a tree fell on it,” he said. “I think it’s safer in the water.”
And with Memorial Day weekend approaching, Plymouth’s harbormaster is urging residents who have already put in for the season to secure their vessels and double-check their lines and batteries. He hopes most residents heed the warnings.
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