Weather Channel folks said the worst of the storm surge would happen after 6 PM. It’s already nuts. I can’t imagine worse.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Cantore just got drilled by a small tree limb. That guy deserves a medal for his years of service.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

If I recall you're on the East coast and it looks like the storm will now hit on both sides of Florida. Hope you're safe.
Looks like the Gatorville area will be relatively spared. Seeing about 1 to 1.5in of rain per day and winds not expected to be higher than 35-40mph
Still everything closed, just in case the storm changes path again.

A question to the thread in general, if you choose not to evacuate when you are told to do so, can insurance deny your claim when your car is totaled? I get you may have to evacuate and leave a car, but that isn't the same as just saying F it and watching it float away.

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Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes

Probably not IIRC

The highest point on Ft Meyers Beach is 3' above sea level, and the widest point is about 2000 ft. A lot of it is only 100 ft wide. It going to get bad down there.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

I need to stay off the internet and away from the Weather Channel for a while

https://www.winknews.com/...a/#/rounds/1/gallery

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

my parents in venice beach. last I heard no water or power. luckily they filled all dishes and pots with water day before.

Lots of water. Just not potable.

I'm pretty sure it was named after the Blockheads frontman.

I hope this is just a blip but I lost power already. The storm is nowhere near northeast Florida yet.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

A friend has a house on a waterway in Cape Coral. He and his wife have been up here (Mass) most of the summer. He's waiting to hear what the damage is.

Checking in from Fort Myers. Been riding the storm out with wife and one kid in my small office two story office building that includes a back up generator. Its located just south of downtown Fort Myers. The building has performed well, its built like a concrete bunker with hurricane windows. As of 7:40 PM, the back side of the storm is still giving us an amazing blow so its not quite over.

The rain before the storm hit probably has flooded the eastern half of Lee County. It was already saturated in that area and was above normal water levels before the storm hit. The pics and stories we are getting from Naples friends are bad. Lots of storm surge ruining houses in Naples. Getting similar texts from coastal FT Myers friends.

Not sure what we will wake up to tomorrow. I don't know yet how my house fared. It has a new roof but did not come with hurricane shutters. Fingers crossed. Decided to ride out storm at my office due to its bunker like construction and back up generator. Power has been down since around 2PM, internet since around 4 PM. Cell service not bad yet but that tends to fade after cell tower generators/batteries die.

The County and the City have issued county wide boil water notices. Now I know why we stockpiled all those bottles of water earlier this week.

Glad you're safe.

If you don't mind a question.... why did you decide to ride it out? Why not evacuate?

I would love nothing more than to pack up and head north for a week when one of these hit my neighborhood. But I am a co owner of a business and need to be able to reopen the business as soon as practical after one these. Most employees prefer that was well as soon as the have power.

I rode out Charlie and Wilma in place, We evacuated on the spur of the moment about 48 hours before Irma came through.

I have my wife and my daughter the option of going to east coast or riding it out in my building. They choose to stay. It’s a really sturdy building so that helps.

I stayed and rode out Hurricane Michael which hit us as a Cat 5. I understand why you stayed. For one, I would rather take my chances in a well built house than traveling on the road with hundreds of thousands of others, and looking for a place to stay.

For me, I couldn't leave town. My wife had to work at a storm/evacuation shelter, my father was in an extended care place after having fallen the week before and breaking 13 ribs, and my mother had early dementia. I sent my kids to stay with my mom (half mile away) as they have a concrete reinforced storm room.

My house has a storm room, though it isn't as well built as my parents' room. I almost retreated to it a couple of times, but I was glad that I stayed. I had an upstairs window blow in. I felt the change in pressure and was able to go put it back in place and board it up from the inside. If I hadn't been there to do that, my kids' bedrooms, closets and bathrooms would have been ruined.

I am happy that you are okay and hope your house suffers no major damage.

Initially, they were on Clearwater Beach…. Near me. They went south and most locals took that as a sign of relief for our area.

I spoke with a friend in Fort Myers and all I can do is feel for the people in that area. Unbelievable the destruction a hurricane can cause.

Adding details…. Initially, weather channel was on Clearwater Beach and they said this was point of impact. I believe that was on Sunday/ Monday. Kind of a blur as I was preparing. On Tuesday, yesterday morning, the neighbor stopped boarding his house when they said they moved the point of impact to Fort Myers area and Weather channel apparently was there now.

People were evacuating Clearwater/ St Pete/ Tampa and DeSantis was in Largo Monday speaking… I’m stating this as I am guessing Fort Myers area didn’t have as much time to plan as this area was the expected impact area.

I checked flights myself Monday morning and there was nothing and Tampa closed the airport Tuesday.

I was told by locals if you try to leave too late, you risk running out of gas and no way to fill when power goes out and gas stations are worthless.

Not all areas are evacuation zones either, depends where your house is located in the area.

No word yet from my sister or bro-in-law in Cape Coral. Looks like power is still down in their neighborhood, can't tell if cell service (Verizon) is still down.

On the bright side, my mother-in-law up in Polk county got it pretty easy, lots of rain but winds looked to top out around 50 mph.

ETA: on the more positive side I have read about any deaths related in Florida related to Ian.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

Anyone heard anything from the barrier islands (Sanibel, Captiva, Boca Grande)?

It looks like Ian made a direct hit to these, and they are at a super low elevation. Perhaps it's better that they are islands, and the surge passed right around them?

It basically just exited Florida and will turn north and head up the coast with the eye 50+ miles offshore. I hope that means less wind and rain for me.

Looks like will come ashore again around Hilton Head.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Bridge to Sanibel was destroyed looks like most of the island was underwater.

My parents lived there during Charley and bridge was down then for a long time- but did not look nearly this bad.

I feel for Naples - it wasn’t supposed to be hit bad and got a ton of flooding. My brother has friends who evaced from Tampa to Naples based on the earlier path.

Saw bridge connecting Sanibel is gone, collapsed yesterday. County officials do not know how many stayed out there after the evacuation order. Could be a while before rescue crews can get there.

Crews are in Cape Coral this morning going door-to-door. Still haven't heard from my sister.

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

When my parents and brothers evacuated for Katrina; I knew that they were leaving but I didn't hear from them for almost a week since all 504 numbers basically didn't work.

I am confident your family members are fine but understand exactly how you feel.

My MIL lives in Cape Coral and my wife has not heard from her yet. I have to believe there was significant flooding, they live right on one of the canals.

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