Need help! Stuck in large urban area crazy idea to bug out to an island?

[Mark1107]

Hey prepper community. I’m fairly new here and it’s been a steep learning curve. We kept 30 days water and food on hand before covid19. We live in Southern California near the San Pedro South Shores area. In February I got a bad feeling about covid19. We started buying toilet paper, a years worth of canned foods especially meat and veggies and fruits. We have 6 months of water now. 90 gallons of gas between our suvs and a gennie that can run most of the House.

It took me 30 days of getting up at 4am. We have two handguns and a tactical shotgun and lots of ammunition. Many sleepless nights and 10 day waiting periods to get up to speed.

First floor of our house is stucco first layer then river rock stone and brick so we can propel most gang bangers and assault weapons. House exterior is fireproof. Roof is stoneslate tile. I’m going to buy sheets of cement backer board to cover every window and door and the house will truly be a fortress. Easily defendable from 2nd story windows. Full perimeter 8 camera security system on back up power. Display monitors in 6 rooms.

We live in a cul de sac and an almost gated community with only 1entrance in and out. My neighbors own guns lots of guns. If we band together we “could” defend our neighborhood. But here’s the big old but:

There are about 300 of us in my immediate neighborhood. The San Pedro area has about 15,000 broke gangbanger angry ignorant types.

How long is 300 neighbors, hell probably maybe 20 of us armed, going to hold off 20 hardened criminals armed to max? 1000 cholos? 300 MS 13’s? 1500 angry hungry desperate dock workers? 15,000 broke hungry desperate people?

So the neighborhood gets over run. We folded like a cheap Sunday suit at a storefront church.

There’s no way with a shtf or teotwawki we can get thru LA urban center and make it to the sierras or out past Vegas into Utah Colorado or Arizona.

I’m one guy with a wife and 3 yr old daughter.

We live a block from the beach. Catalina Island is 30 miles by boat. Small community self sufficient plenty of food and water and hunting and easily defended.

Should I buy a small inflatable boat with an outboard engine? Have a 12 gallon marine tank? If tetowaki comes try to make a run for Catalina island versus trying to navigate all of LA gangsters rioting to get to the high sierras?

What say you guys and gals? Is it time to research boats fuel outboard motors ? Or get 15000 rounds of 00 buck shot when the desperates come for my fireproof fortress?

I’m just trying to think ahead. If we’re first to the island we should find a vacation house empty for the taking.

Thank you in advance for any perspective or help.
Cheers, Mark

 

[Mark1107]

One more thing, house sits 6 feet above the street with 3 foot concrete bunker retaining walls, so no vehicle can ram the house even a dump truck, or school bus can breach the built in the ground 3 foot retaining walls and landscaping and mature oaks trees at street level.

Maybe a tank, but no civilian vehicle could ram my house!

 

[Proud Prepper]

Hand guns and shotguns will not be enough. I would get more neighbors armed and prepared and bug in. Have a plan to escape unnoticed if things get to bad.

 

[tmttactical]

Okay, just playing devil's advocate here and NOT trying to pee in your pool. You are trapped, so the boat and motor is a lost cause. Remember one way in and one way out works for both sides. Too easy for the gangs to block your exit. Next problem, what makes your think the folks on Catalina Island are going to allow you and your family to land, much less take up residence in one to the vacation homes? How many supplies could you get to the island? You would be a liability to the island residents, just three more mouths to feed. And last but not least, I could probably drive you out of your house in just a few minutes. Your bathrooms or built-in microwave probably have exhaust fans. The exhaust vents lead to the outside. Your roof most likely has vents too. Your security cameras are just something to shoot at and then your house will have blind spots. I am willing to bet, your attic is not fire proof. A lit road flare tied to a pressurized paint can (something most taggers and gangs will have), toss it into the attic (through the bathroom vent). Pop off a 22 lr. round into the paint can and your house will be instantly on fire.

There are no fortresses that can't be taken and you solid home is not exception. If your home is the last house standing and there are enough hungry people, your home will be history. Just an example: I have a millionaire friend who built a "Retreat Fortress" on top of a Plato. The only way in was by helicopter. Spent millions building and provisioning it. Long story short, his "Retreat" was discovered by some of the local's while out hunting. They were able to simply follow an unknown (to him) trail, right to his front door. You will not be able to stand off the Golden Hoard and you will not be able to flee, once it hits the fan. The island might be a good idea, IF, you lived there and could move all your supplies there, before it hit the fan.

I do think your place is better fortified than most and you do know that you will not win if a determined group wants to drive you out. You have to understand that if the mob can't have your supplies, they will do what ever they have to to make darn sure your family doe not get to enjoy them.

 

[Mark1107]

Arming the neighborhood is a great idea. It should be brought up NOW.

Urbanprep thank you for the bitter truth. I would rather live and take my medicine now versus being buried later. I do appreciate and want the ugly truth. We do have vents in the roof. Now if civil unrest starts, I could cut off and cement the roof vents. There’s no attic vents but any determined group is going to get in. We have a steep backyard that we could sneak out of and it’s 500 feet of 45 degree chaparral to climb down cross the street jump a fence and we’re a block from the ocean but there’s no way I can get a boat any supplies out that way. It’s the one entrance in or out that is my handicap.

Now if we got 10-20 cars fortified at the entrance with high powered weaponry and 10-20 smartly placed guys, we could hold off the mongol hoards for a while and then bug out.

Next plan: what’s the cheapest house to buy on Catalina when the depression hits?

Next plan: it’s time the neighborhood grows up to the have nots coming for us. Hell they come every night and break in our cars steal our packages and canvass our streets.

 

[Mark1107]

Small condos start at 615,000 on the island. There’s no real good options unless I hit the lottery.

 

[tmttactical]

I like the buying house on the island plan. Standing off the golden hoard with your neighbors, would not be on my list. An escape tunnel in back yard and a very short march to beach is a possibility. If you can cache the boat, motor and fuel. Those are some very big If's. You would need to study the tides. The currents. Make many practice runs, Getting plenty of practice retrieving the boat from it's hiding place. Inflating the boat, mounting the motor and then launching the boat with family board, in the the dark of night. OR move to a safer location now before the depression hits. Take the profit from your California house and move to a much lower cost area, with property.

 

[Stevo5657]

Moving now even at a loss would be the safest route. May be too late. Im gonna sell my house if and when this shit blows over and get out of the hood.

 

[Helen Back]

So, you bought the nicest house in the ghetto? Rule #1 be the grey man.

That "cement backer board" is worthless, unless you are going to tile your windows. It's heavy and won't stop anything. Sheets of 3/4 ply screwed into the framing studs will go MUCH further. None of it is stopping bullets.

It sounds like you did really well in prepping, but your location sucks. When the first wave of this blows over, sell that place and move to a non gang infested, rural area where your neighbors are more like yourself. Well/septic/gardens/fruit trees/few roads in and out/off the hwy ten miles...

 

[Mark1107]

Thanks everyone! Brutal honesty is the only honesty I need.

When I was single I had a mentor who helped me with dating issues in a town as 性交ed up as LA. He used the Cary Grant role model of dating which taught me to be a man, rely on myself, be completely comfortable being alone. Develop a personality become interesting. I had more dates than I could handle and met and married the best most loyal generous woman I could hit the lottery and find.

But I had many many brutal nights alone and lots of Monday morning quarterbacking from him after gold diggers ran up expensive bar tabs until I found my soul mate.

Brutal honesty now is what I need.

We live in a nice area. The problem is every nice area in LA is surrounded by ghettoes. Even Beverly Hills is a couple of miles from Korea town with huge gangs controlling drugs and prostitution. You can’t escape the ghetto in LA.

 

[DrHenley]

We live in a nice area. The problem is every nice area in LA is surrounded by ghettoes. Even Beverly Hills is a couple of miles from Korea town with huge gangs controlling drugs and prostitution. You can’t escape the ghetto in LA.

Time to call Snake Plissken, LOL

 

[Helen Back]

Thanks everyone! Brutal honesty is the only honesty

One of my favorite quotes, “The trouble with most of us is that we'd rather be ruined by praise, than saved by criticism.” ― Norman Vincent Peale

Nobody here judging you, or trying to bust your hump. You are right about La La. The message stands. Get out if you can, before SHTF. Otherwise, staying in the fortress you made makes the most sense, or you become to someone else, the people you want to defend from. Why go into the wild without all of your preps? The Cul de Sac is good, especially with other neighbors ready and willing to return fire.

I grew up in the ghetto and can tell you the vast majority of those folks are looking for targets with no resistance. It's why crime goes down when states inact a concealed carry law, or burglars pass on houses with alarm signs, motion sensing lights, barking dogs.. When the gangs see dead bodies in the yard, they aren't coming to get them and then you. These aren't Army Rangers, and they aren't as loyal as they pretend. When the bullets are flying from a few homes at the same time, they will run. They aren't known for their planning, or military tactics. Many still shoot with their gun sideways. These are folks who can fire dozens of bullets and not hit their target. Having said that, get a long gun with a good scope if you still can.

Don't forget, failing to plan is planning to fail. You and your wife should have code words for various situations. Teach her how to pie off a room if you have to clear it in the middle of the night, etc..

If water may be cut off, fill the tub, buckets, drain and refill the pool without the chemicals (get Lifestraws, or learn how to filter), etc. Have a plan if the sewer stops working. Have a plan if the garbage stops coming; one that doesn't include a fire that signals people you are there. Spray paint a biohazard logo on your garage. Deter deter deter

 

[BillMasen]

Think Molotov cocktails and Chlorine bombs made from pool treatment chems,

 

[recon503]

of course you shoot your gun sideways,,,,,,, thats the way it came out of the box!!!

 

[Mark1107]

Just watched Off The Grid about self sustaining peeps in Canada. Power water food and waste and shelter are constant battles in the cold. One guy had 3000 gallons of water in the crawl space of his house.

I think we're going to start looking for a cheap vacation home in Idylwild or Lake Arrowhead. Both communities can be defended with limited ways in and out, small communities lots of water and hunting and cabins that start around 75k. Mainly gun owners self sufficient types and anti government peeps.

 

[Brittany]

Hey prepper community. I’m fairly new here and it’s been a steep learning curve. We kept 30 days water and food on hand before covid19. We live in Southern California near the San Pedro South Shores area. In February I got a bad feeling about covid19. We started buying toilet paper, a years worth of canned foods especially meat and veggies and fruits. We have 6 months of water now. 90 gallons of gas between our suvs and a gennie that can run most of the House.

It took me 30 days of getting up at 4am. We have two handguns and a tactical shotgun and lots of ammunition. Many sleepless nights and 10 day waiting periods to get up to speed.

First floor of our house is stucco first layer then river rock stone and brick so we can propel most gang bangers and assault weapons. House exterior is fireproof. Roof is stoneslate tile. I’m going to buy sheets of cement backer board to cover every window and door and the house will truly be a fortress. Easily defendable from 2nd story windows. Full perimeter 8 camera security system on back up power. Display monitors in 6 rooms.

We live in a cul de sac and an almost gated community with only 1entrance in and out. My neighbors own guns lots of guns. If we band together we “could” defend our neighborhood. But here’s the big old but:

There are about 300 of us in my immediate neighborhood. The San Pedro area has about 15,000 broke gangbanger angry ignorant types.

How long is 300 neighbors, hell probably maybe 20 of us armed, going to hold off 20 hardened criminals armed to max? 1000 cholos? 300 MS 13’s? 1500 angry hungry desperate dock workers? 15,000 broke hungry desperate people?

So the neighborhood gets over run. We folded like a cheap Sunday suit at a storefront church.

There’s no way with a shtf or teotwawki we can get thru LA urban center and make it to the sierras or out past Vegas into Utah Colorado or Arizona.

I’m one guy with a wife and 3 yr old daughter.

We live a block from the beach. Catalina Island is 30 miles by boat. Small community self sufficient plenty of food and water and hunting and easily defended.

Should I buy a small inflatable boat with an outboard engine? Have a 12 gallon marine tank? If tetowaki comes try to make a run for Catalina island versus trying to navigate all of LA gangsters rioting to get to the high sierras?

What say you guys and gals? Is it time to research boats fuel outboard motors ? Or get 15000 rounds of 00 buck shot when the desperates come for my fireproof fortress?

I’m just trying to think ahead. If we’re first to the island we should find a vacation house empty for the taking.

Thank you in advance for any perspective or help.
Cheers, Mark

I live in DTLA, and I face the same dilemma. I cannot imagine asking my neighbor to defend our building, majority are into vegan, yoga tree hugging snowflakes. But, I’m definitely into Leaving once SHTF. At least you are lucky and know people that has guns and lots of ammo.

 

[BillMasen]

Thanks everyone! Brutal honesty is the only honesty I need.

When I was single I had a mentor who helped me with dating issues in a town as 性交ed up as LA. He used the Cary Grant role model of dating which taught me to be a man, rely on myself, be completely comfortable being alone. Develop a personality become interesting. I had more dates than I could handle and met and married the best most loyal generous woman I could hit the lottery and find.

But I had many many brutal nights alone and lots of Monday morning quarterbacking from him after gold diggers ran up expensive bar tabs until I found my soul mate.

Brutal honesty now is what I need.

We live in a nice area. The problem is every nice area in LA is surrounded by ghettoes. Even Beverly Hills is a couple of miles from Korea town with huge gangs controlling drugs and prostitution. You can’t escape the ghetto in LA.

Son, if you think LA is bad now, just wait and see if half of south america's hungry and dispossessed starts to head north towards the US, because they all want to go to Sunny Socialist California. You need to be long gone BEFORE they arrive.

 

[BillMasen]

I live in DTLA, and I face the same dilemma. I cannot imagine asking my neighbor to defend our building, majority are into vegan, yoga tree hugging snowflakes. But, I’m definitely into Leaving once SHTF. At least you are lucky and know people that has guns and lots of ammo.

Relying on neighbours you do not have long established friendships with is only going to get you killed. If it get hairy then its time to be somewhere else.

 

[grayghost668]

you might not like this but why the hell are you in California ,it's a shit hole ,,,cut your loses and get the hell out now

 

[DrHenley]

you might not like this but why the hell are you in California ,it's a shit hole ,,,cut your loses and get the hell out now

Same reason 24 million other people are in Southern California. Sun and fun. The sun ain't goin' anywhere, but the fun might.