The 1987 Storm -20th Anniversary -I was there!

'Batten down the hatches there's some really stormy weather on the way' -Michael Fish, MBE, broadcasting on the BBC, October 15, 1987.

The B.B.C. is publishing on the net a special section dedicated to the great storm of 1987. I therefore thought, for posterity's sake to post about that extraordinary night, a memory that is still dear to my heart.

At the time I was living with my grandfather on the Isle of Thanet, in Kent, and I was attending College in Canterbury. My bedroom, which I vividly remember, with its stripes and roses wallpaper and a lovely hearth and gas burning stove, was overlooking the rear garden and from my floor to ceiling window I could see the Atlantic, grey, dark and mysterious.

Upon listening to the warming, we duly closed all windows (no shutters), and nested inside, waiting for the storm to arrive. By all accounts it was a terrible night. Fifteen million trees were lost in the South East that night, houses and cars were damaged, ships and boats were washed ashore.

But time mellowed the memories. In my life's book, that was a magical night.
The most striking memory I have is that I could see from my window the wind lifting in the air my grandpa's steel and glass greenhouse, and turning it round and round in the air, then crushing it to the ground.
I could hear the sounds of the wind and the ocean as a unique musical symphony and I was spellbound.
When the roads were opened and transport restored, I went to the city. The College's third floor had all gone!For the whole of the year we had to take classes in caravans and trailer. But young as I was, I didn't mind. It was so exciting and novel.

Let me say here how proud I am of the people of Sevenoaks who, after the storm of 1987 did not give up and replanted the seven oaks. That is the Anglo-Saxon can do-will do spirit. Take a look at this page to see what this historic town has to say about it. Excellent sense of humor, too.:

"During the hurricane of 1987 six of these [oaks] were blown down and Sevenoaks became "Oneoaks". Surprisingly, seven new oaks were planted which means there are now eight oaks!"


Another account of that "once in 200 years" event, from the Met Office, can be read here.


Although I wouldn't like to go through a thunderstorm again, or a tsunami for that matter, I admire the force of Nature and feel humbled by the powerlessness of man but also of his fierce drive to master the elements. Happy Anniversary, England!

(All illustrations are from the BBC).