 September along the fishing banks off the coast of South Carolina a good time and a good place for catching fish The crew of the dragger Dante know well that if you don't mind hard work and long hours you can earn a good day's payout here Maybe we should have a hold today captain. You're dreaming we got three four days out yet. Come on, let's get those fish in Another three or four days if the weather holds September can bring calm and sunny weather to these waters. It can also bring death and destruction Within the next 48 hours this tiny fishing vessel will experience the full horrors of perhaps nature's most terrifying natural disaster A few days ago off the coast of Africa a small event took place a Common thing that would be insignificant in most times and places, but not here It began simply as an area of low pressure But in this part of the world between June and November these innocent low pressure areas are known as weather breeders As air moves into the low pressure spot to fill a vacuum it begins to spin as the earth turns on its axis Little by little over a period of days the spin gathers intensity the winds grow stronger the storm area grows larger The center becomes tighter more violent as the winds top 74 miles per hour The storm becomes a hurricane Men of the sea have fished these waters since the days of the first settlers and Always they have lived in fear of being overtaken by the ravaging surprises of nature By the hurricanes born in the tropics far out of sight in the Atlantic or in the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico Throughout man's history these giant storms have arrived with little warning and more frequently as deadly surprises We can't stop hurricanes But now we can at least be forewarned more quickly and accurately and hopefully better prepared Since 1960 weather satellites have given us the ability to observe and track a hurricane from the time of its birth Predict its course and sound a life-saving warning These satellites developed and launched by NASA and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA feedback vital data that can be incorporated into forecasts and warnings The space age has enabled us to witness what no man has ever before seen The development of a tropical storm and its growth into a hurricane No, a national hurricane sent the marine advisory number 24 Storm Mimi changed gale warnings to hurricane warnings from marathon to Vero Beach Gale warnings and a hurricane watch remain in effect reports this morning indicate that Mimi strengthened during the night It's become a full hurricane highest sustained winds near the center or 90 miles per hour with gusts to 110 At 6 a.m. Eastern daylight time hurricane Mimi was located by satellite pictures coastal radar and reconnaissance aircraft near latitude 24 degrees north longitude 79 degrees west It is moving northwest to 10 miles per hour and is expected to reach the coast early tonight It is a frightening and wrenching experience to flee in approaching hurricane Nothing can make this any easier However, modern technology makes early warning possible and has helped save many thousands of lives Get down and buy a hurricane here storm sitting to the solid. We're staying out No, she ain't coming this way. You do the cooking. I'll do the fishing Mimi slams the shore with un-ladylike violence arises in a storm surge a wind-driven tide of rapid flooding It will account for nine out of every ten hurricane deaths Every now and then a tornado with even stronger winds will leap off from the advancing storm front and Lash havoc across the landscape The eye of the hurricane a deceiving love with gentle winds and almost clear skies Suddenly the full fury begins again With winds now howling from exactly the opposite direction sending objects flying like toy airplanes yet The hurricane's cruel energy is being spent as long as it remains over land The longer able to draw power from the warmth and moisture of the ocean the storm will slowly die But Mimi has some tricks left Instead of dying over the land. She veers back again to sea She leaves behind a battlefield of aching memories Fisherman like the crew of the Dante Mimi is still a threat Even as it passes far to the south of them for the path of a hurricane is erratic forever Uncertain it must be constantly watched No a national hurricane sent the Marine advisory number 32 Hurricane Mimi gale warnings and a hurricane watch are an effect from Charleston to Cape Hatteras Satellite pictures and reconnaissance reports confirm that Hurricane Mimi has veered during the night and now poses a serious threat to the Carolina coast The danger that has been distant and remote now comes closer to the men of the Dante The storm has veered back toward them The warning gives them no time to lose. They must cut away their precious nets and make a dash to the north Their only hope of survival in spite of advanced warnings. There are always some who foolishly stay behind It just came down through this area Just like an ocean wave more or less these people right in here They just didn't have a chance and just took area all these houses through here was anyone living in the house Yes, and there's all over boy and his wife and two little children The little children they got down In my house was under 12 feet of water And I've seen that if nobody all my family has to head destruction of their homes and it and we and I'm never I haven't ever seen nothing like this again. I'm out of your own, but it takes this hard blow It's down to be in here somewhere because all these are the houses that came from in this vicinity They're all ready in here in this neighborhood, but mine was wrapped on the corner For some the tragedy has been immediate for others. It is a time of suspense Thank God, but my husband's out fishing The storm came right through him before it hit shore and I can't get him on the radio All I can do is pray here the weather report and got out of there. All I can do is pray The rising Sun finds the Dante fishing her way toward home. The storm has died It's fearful winds dissipated at last many miles inland The fishermen through careful sailing escaped the storm last night just fairly Call the station 8, but daddy is calling station 8 Sure, I couldn't get you before I had to run to the east We're fishing again now one more dragon we come in Sure, soon we unload, but daddy is off Last night he had all he could do to keep the Dante from swamping But now that the storm has passed the captain has time to think to think about modern technology Ship to shore communication and earth satellites especially about weather satellites which far above his tiny vessel in the blackness of outer space Helped him and thousands of others on land escape from the horrors of the hurricane below. I hope everybody in town Takes it on the chin and starts all over again. It's gonna be tough I don't know but everybody can afford it or not, but I'm gonna give it a whirl Everyone seems to be in high spirits. Why is that? You got a beautiful country down here. We'll make it beautiful again