Gulfsails
Encyclopedia
Gulfsails is the name of a blog
, written by Troy Gilbert, that documented the effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
following that disaster. In the early aftermath of the hurricane and the 2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans, it was one of the few reliable communications links between the city and the rest of the world.
Gulfsails was originally created for New Orleans Yacht Club
members, ten days before Hurricane Katrina
made landfall. Operating off of generator when power was lost, the operator provided a continuous stream of reports of what was actually happening, and through photographs, text messaging and audio feeds gave the outside a chance to see the looting and destruction firsthand before other media arrived.
The Gulfsails blog quickly became a widely recognized and cited source from inside New Orleans, appearing in the New York Times, the Times Picayune, and MSNBC
. Even after the media arrived, the Gulfsails blog was still commonly cited as a reference to the events ongoing in New Orleans. When a police-enforced evacuation of New Orleans was ordered by Mayor Ray Nagin
, the operator of the blog continued to travel through many parts of the city, including by canoe, documenting the worst natural disaster to ever befall the United States
.
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, written by Troy Gilbert, that documented the effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans
The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans have been long-lasting. As the center of Katrina passed South-east of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds downtown were in the Category 3 range with frequent intense gusts and tidal surge. Hurricane force winds were experienced throughout the...
following that disaster. In the early aftermath of the hurricane and the 2005 levee failures in Greater New Orleans, it was one of the few reliable communications links between the city and the rest of the world.
Gulfsails was originally created for New Orleans Yacht Club
New Orleans Yacht Club
The New Orleans Yacht Club was founded in 1949 and is dedicated to further the sport of yacht racing, marine safety and seamanship. The club is located at West End's Municipal Harbor on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain and is a member of the Gulf Yachting Association.Since its founding, New Orleans...
members, ten days before Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
made landfall. Operating off of generator when power was lost, the operator provided a continuous stream of reports of what was actually happening, and through photographs, text messaging and audio feeds gave the outside a chance to see the looting and destruction firsthand before other media arrived.
The Gulfsails blog quickly became a widely recognized and cited source from inside New Orleans, appearing in the New York Times, the Times Picayune, and MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. Even after the media arrived, the Gulfsails blog was still commonly cited as a reference to the events ongoing in New Orleans. When a police-enforced evacuation of New Orleans was ordered by Mayor Ray Nagin
Ray Nagin
Clarence Ray Nagin, Jr. is a former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Nagin gained international note in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the New Orleans area....
, the operator of the blog continued to travel through many parts of the city, including by canoe, documenting the worst natural disaster to ever befall the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.