Buffalo Rising Online

Feb 18th 2006, 12:29pm By Mike Calanan

Like many of you I had been hearing about yesterday's high wind warning since mid-week and I looked forward to it with great anticipation. A few years ago Buffalo had a similar warning where winds gusted at 60 MPH and the lake levels shifted due to the strong, consistent winds. Back then I decided play hooky, face the storm and try to take some photos of the turbulent lake. Here's my favorite image from that day:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calanan/88646482/

Yesterday morning I decided to go into work lake; I waited for the winds to peak then drove down to the foot of Porter Ave to check on Lady Lake.

There were several cars parked at foot of Porter and LaSalle Park closed. The roads and sidewalks were covered in a sheet of smooth ice, created by the spray of water breaking over the shore.

When I reached the shoreline I could see that two people were at the end of the Bird Island Pier. Water was spraying over them and people on shore were sharking their heads, calling them idiots and other choice words.

The water level was very high, it looked to be cresting at the breakwall and the two appeared to be trapped. Just then a Channel 7 cameraman arrived followed by several city trucks and two police cars. Apparently someone else had seen this before I arrived and called the authorities - and the media.

City workers were now next to me and the camerman, incredulous at the stupidity of the waterlogged pair. One worker told us that the Coast Guard had been called and he chided the two for putting others in such danger.

By this time my face and hands were numb but I wanted to see how this played out! However, before any rescue boats made their way to the river the two began the long walk back to Broderick Park, periodically halting as they were sprayed by large waves. Those of us on shore were amazed.

Seeing that the two would make it back to land the workers, the police and the cameraman packed up, likely heading over to Broderick Park to have a few words with the adventurous duo.

By then I had spent 45 minutes in bone chilling wind and decided to take a quick look at the Erie Basin Marina then head to work. I don't know the outcome of the drama at the pier but I haven't seen anything in the news about a rescue and assume they made it back safely.

Conditions at the marina were certainly foul but nearly as wicked as they were in November of 2003. The lake was whitecapping, water was spraying onto land covering everything within 20'-30' in a coat of ice but the winds were markedly less furious than they were a couple of years ago, impressive nonetheless.

There was no drama at the marina, just a couple of media trucks (Channel 4), some fellow sightseers and plenty of gulls playing in the wind, waiting for a quick lunch of wind-tossed fish. By now I was severely late for work and despite the onset of frostbite I had to force myself to leave the fury of nature for the comfort of an artificially-lit cubicle.

Here are some of my photos of the action:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calanan/sets/72057594065841682/