A steady stream of Annapolis residents and business owners lined up on Market Space on Saturday to fill sandbags they hope will keep the water out during Hurricane Sandy.
"I had four feet of water inside of Mangia after [Hurricane] Isabel," owner Charlie Priola said. "I've got plastic wrap. I need to get everything unplugged and up off the floors."
Hurricane Sandy, also known as the Frankenstorm, is expected to hit the Chesapeake Bay area Monday. It's severity will depend on which way the storm turns. If it turns west, the counterclockwise rotation would pull water into the Bay creating destructive storm surges and flooding. If the storm stays to the east, the Bay communities could be spared.
Priola and Bob Schwartzberg, the owner of The Big Cheese, worked together to fill their bags. Water damage wasn't the only concern on either man's mind.
"One of our biggest worries is the power going out," Schwartzberg said.
My Favorite Muffin owner Missy Maglin canceled a Monday shipment in anticipation of a possible power loss.
Annapolis' sand supply was running low just an hour into its distribution, and police spokesman Eric Crane said the officer checking IDs kept turning away county residents.
"The sand bags at Market Space are provided as a courtesy for residents or businesses in low lying areas who may just need a few," according to a press release. "The supply of sand is not intended to be sufficient for larger needs."
The city capped the number of sandbags at five for each city resident and 10 for each business—which were distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Crane said he did not know of any distribution of sandbags by Anne Arundel County.
As of 11:30 a.m. an employee at the Home Depot on Forest Drive told Patch he had about two pallets worth of sandbags left in the store.
Priola said 10 would not be enough. He used more than 40 sandbags to try and project Mangia during Isabel. He's not sure what he will do if he can't track down enough bags.
Neighbors Patrick Murphy and Dana Lebow also plan to seek out additional bags to protect their shared basement—which floods during every major storm. The two worked a team on Saturday morning, taking turns filling their sandbags. They joked as they worked and tried to make light of what could be a severe storm.
"I'm going to make some sand castles when I get home," Murphy said. "I'll pretend I'm at Ocean City."
But now 5 bags as a courtesy?