The last decade or so of hurricane seasons have been fairly uneventful here at the Inn; however, that was not always the case. In August of 1991 Maine saw one of the most severe summer storms to make landfall here in the last half a century. Hurricane Bob was the first major storm to hit since Gloria in 1985. By the time it reached Maine it was technically at Tropical Storm, with gusts of up to sixty one miles per hour recorded in Portland, and a storm surge of almost three feet. It had swept a path of destruction through coastal New England, and police were warning anyone on the water to head inland.
It being the middle of August we had a full house, and the question quickly became whether or not we should evacuate to the Bath emergency shelter. Sebasco began vacating immediately. We decided to wait out the storm. We knew the storm was going to hit the east side of the Phippsburg peninsula, opposite our shoreline, making our cove and shore fairly safe. Of course we offered to help any guests who wanted to go, but we had no takers. So that evening we served dinner by candlelight, passed out flashlights and lanterns, and battened down the hatches.
As the storm drew closer winds howled across the property, rain poured down, and waves crashed over the rocks and onto the lawns. Safely ensconced in their cottages, guests built up fires and gathered round to play cards, talk, or simply to watch the sea and storm. We woke the following morning to branches scattered across the grass, buoys and traps sitting atop the ledges, and one or two fallen trees. Everyone came into breakfast un-showered but elated with the feeling of shared danger passed. Power, and Sebasco's guests, returned a day or so later.
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