To the Florida Peeps

[kevman65]

Hoping that you, your families, your friends, your critters all come through this unharmed.
Yes, personal stuff got ruined, but stuff can be replaced, people and fur babies not so much.
If I was younger and in better shape I would already be packed and heading that way to help with clean up.

I have family and friends in the Cape Coral/ Fort Meyer area (almost ground zero) and all I can do is wait until they can contact the world. 12 foot storm surge and Cape Coral is 8" above sea level......

 

[kevman65]

Well, my favorite dive bar in Matlacha, Florida is toast. Gone, nothing left of it. The owner's house just up the road appears to be gone too.

Matlacha is all but gone. Can't get onto Pine Island, the draw bridge is gone. Some Old Florida history has been wiped from the face of the earth.

 

[cozdude]

Well, my favorite dive bar in Matlacha, Florida is toast. Gone, nothing left of it. The owner's house just up the road appears to be gone too.

Matlacha is all but gone. Can't get onto Pine Island, the draw bridge is gone. Some Old Florida history has been wiped from the face of the earth.

Sanabel island bridge is gone as well. Can’t imagine being stuck on the island with no power water or access to food

 

[kevman65]

Sanabel island bridge is gone as well. Can’t imagine being stuck on the island with no power water or access to food

Sanibel causeway doesn't surprise me. The road bed was just a few feet above water level and any wave action was going to tear that apart. Once the roadbed washed away the bridge didn't stand a chance.

Now Pine Island draw bridge was a bit of a surprise. That had substantial structure to it and the whole thing is just gone.
Most of the buildings in Matlacha were of 1940's construction, shacks really, and it's not a surprise they got washed out.
Some of the properties have newer homes on them and they survived, even though they were right next to places that have been erased.

 

[Dale72]

I was supposed to deliver on the north side of Tampa and Naples Thursday. Ended up dropping off the trailer at our Jacksonville yard yesterday morning and came home. I'll head back down Monday morning and get the trailer Monday night and then deliver in Tampa Tuesday. And then see if I can get to Naples.

 

[Jsouder53]

Sanibel causeway doesn't surprise me. The road bed was just a few feet above water level and any wave action was going to tear that apart. Once the roadbed washed away the bridge didn't stand a chance.

Now Pine Island draw bridge was a bit of a surprise. That had substantial structure to it and the whole thing is just gone.
Most of the buildings in Matlacha were of 1940's construction, shacks really, and it's not a surprise they got washed out.
Some of the properties have newer homes on them and they survived, even though they were right next to places that have been erased.

Just found this video of Matlacha, it is completely devastated. That is sad to see.

Aerial video shows Hurricane Ian damage in Matlacha

Hurricane Ian’s fury destroyed the bridge connecting Matlacha, a small fishing town in Lee County, to Pine Island and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area.

www.local10.com

 

[kevman65]

Just found this video of Matlacha, it is completely devastated. That is sad to see.

Aerial video shows Hurricane Ian damage in Matlacha

Hurricane Ian’s fury destroyed the bridge connecting Matlacha, a small fishing town in Lee County, to Pine Island and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area.

www.local10.com

Mom lived in Cape Coral for 20+ years, I moved her back to Indiana in 2018 after a 2017 hurricane scared the crap out of her.

Matlacha was one of my favorite hangouts when I visited because most of the structures were Old Florida. Most of the residents then were money, but you'd never know it. There wore sun bleached clothes, were tanned and wrinkled, were friendly and would talk to you all day. The island side of Matlacha has been turning hippie the past 10 or so years. Almost guarantee most of those businesses have no insurance. The Cape side of Matlacha was still older money and more conservative. They'll have insurance, but since they were wiped clean they won't rebuild this time because they'll have to do it to the new building codes and everything will lose the charm.

 

[Jsouder53]

Mom lived in Cape Coral for 20+ years, I moved her back to Indiana in 2018 after a 2017 hurricane scared the crap out of her.

Matlacha was one of my favorite hangouts when I visited because most of the structures were Old Florida. Most of the residents then were money, but you'd never know it. There wore sun bleached clothes, were tanned and wrinkled, were friendly and would talk to you all day. The island side of Matlacha has been turning hippie the past 10 or so years. Almost guarantee most of those businesses have no insurance. The Cape side of Matlacha was still older money and more conservative. They'll have insurance, but since they were wiped clean they won't rebuild this time because they'll have to do it to the new building codes and everything will lose the charm.

That’s a bummer, Irma is the last one I endured while living in Sarasota. It’s probably the same one that scared her.

 

[kevman65]

Water is back on in Cape Coral. Got a bunch of texts from a friend there because water was shooting up out of his yard.

Had to talk him through taking the lid off the valve box because he doesn't have a water key, from my end it was funny. I'm sure he didn't find it amusing.

 

[cozdude]

Water is back on in Cape Coral. Got a bunch of texts from a friend there because water was shooting up out of his yard.

Had to talk him through taking the lid off the valve box because he doesn't have a water key, from my end it was funny. I'm sure he didn't find it amusing.

Lol was just coming here to post water was back on as wel. My mom got home earlier today and just about 30 mins ago she said they had water

 

[kevman65]

Lol was just coming here to post water was back on as wel. My mom got home earlier today and just about 30 mins ago she said they had water

Problem is, most of them can't boil it because they don't have electricity back and most of them are total electric.

 

[cozdude]

Problem is, most of them can't boil it because they don't have electricity back and most of them are total electric.

Yea my mom has been using her grill to boil the water then put it in containers she has. Their new generator doesn’t work for more than an hour either without shutting off.