Hurricane Ian

Waiting for roads to clear around Arcadia. Seems they are flooded and in some places, Peace River, eroded according to Florida Highway reports which are updated regularly. Hope to go back to Englewood tomorrow. Initial report is total destruction of carport, lanai and incorporated shed housing washer and dryer. No info on huge oak trees in side yard and no report on sun room but main house is livable except siding gone from back.
Totally new appreciation for manufactured home construction after this storm.

Currently no power and according to information received, it will be some time before it is restored mainly because of flying aluminum cutting through wires and concern for people being electrocuted while picking up debris. No water and no sewer (this is where a septic system is good) and no idea when they will be back on line. Typical mushroom farming process concerning information.
When I get pictures I'll post them but that must wait until we can return.
Once we return, if things are not back in service, we'll head for Mooresville, NC and stay with our son. We just came from there and were only home two days before evacuating to the east coast!! From what little we have learned, we are some of the fortunate ones when it came to damage. A lot of pictures seen on facebook show homes damaged along with cars left to use during snowbird season that were damaged by flying debris.
A wannabe meteorologist in the community reported high winds lasted 20 hours due to the slow movement of the storm and sustained speeds of 85 to 150 mph. I'll bet his little home-installed weather station wind gauge blew a fuse spinning that fast!!

Englewood skirted the eye of the storm but it looks like Lake Placid and/or Sebring took a direct hit. Hope everyone from that area is safe!!
Sounds like you made the right choice to leave.
 
Haven’t heard from my friend in Cape Coral. Very worried now.
Not hearing from your pal in Cape Coral might be due to no power and cell service. Just have to be patient as I read on local comments of people searching for friends and relatives is difficult. Charlotte and Lee Counties have a hot line where you can try to locate family but not sure if they use it for friends.
Last night they showed cell towers twisted and bent in half in that area. They really took it on the chin.
Everything is a jumble there and I'm the last one right now to be patient. Like the two vultures sitting in a tree, one turns and says, "patience my ass! I want to kill something so we can eat."
 
I’ve seen way too many clips of buildings flooded entirely or up to the second floor.

Sanibel Island is only reachable by helicopter.


I'm like 90% sure I was on that beach once holy ****
 
I ripped the splitter off of my challenger today driving through a flood.

I will NEVER have good feelings towards anyone named Ian.
 
Another day of sitting on my azz waiting for flood water to recede. Keep checking Florida highway road reports but manageable routes to home are blocked. Chomping at the bit to get there to salvage what we can and clear debris.

Info received this morning from friend in community said there is so much destruction and debris the roads in the community are impassable due to fallen trees, limbs, aluminum and other items of unspecified origin. Photos of one house had entire side ripped from it exposing the interior yet nothing inside was disturbed. Amazing how Mother Nature can be so discretionary as to rip open the box but not disturb the contents. :idunno:

Hoping tomorrow the flood waters will have dissipated somewhat. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself until seeing and thinking of the misery of those older and in poor health, the ones who saved a lifetime to retire then lost everything, and reflecting on that makes me realize how fortunate we are to have what we do and to know we have friends and family wanting to reach out to us. There are many elderly here that have no one.

Best thing people can do is donate to Red Cross, Salvation Army or to other known reliable service organizations that assist those who are in desperate need.
 
Here in Lake Placid we came through great, home is fine, leaves and limbs in yard, power out for 4 days. We were prepared with 2 generators, plenty of gas ahead of time, plenty of food . I have a whole house plug in on our house that goes into the main breaker box and switch from line in to the plug in for the Generator. This lets you run what is necessary, in our case refrigerators and the deep freezer, ceiling fans and floor fans and lights, without using extension cords.

The east eye wall of the storm went 20 miles to the west of us. We had big winds, 50 to 80 MPH for 14 hours, but, not the 125 to 130 on the west side. This thing was huge. Reminded me of Hurricane Donna I went through when I was 9 years old, (I'm 70 now) big wind lots and lots of rain. Hurricane Ian's west side of the eye was producing 5 + inches of rain an hour for hours on end.

Venice, Sanibel, Ft Myers beach, Captive and charlotte harbor are totally devastated as you have probably seen on TV. They had 12 to 14 feet tidal surge and long term winds. A lot of misery ahead for those poor folks.

We got our power back last night around 9PM. I have to say our Governor Desantis and the Utility companies are doing an amazing job.

The Peace River drains to Charlote Harbor in Ft. Myers, every tributary south from the Green Swamp, the head water of the Peace River, which is north of Lakeland Fla., drains into Peace River. I feel for Whizzer, but, it may be a while before the water recedes to traverse levels.

This was a Trillion Dollar Storm, plain and simple.
 
@Whizzer , I thought I would send you a photo of Hwy 70 and Hwy 72 intersection in Arcadia. The photo shows the flood from Peace River. It is an issue for sure.

Hwy 70 and 72 in Arcadia Fla 10-2-22.png
 
Great photos!! Where was the one of the patio doors holding bak the flood water taken?
We managed to return home by taking the southern route from Stuart to Palmdale then 74 to I-75 north and exited in Venice and backtracked to home in Englewood.
Here are before and after photos of our humble abode that were taken July 14, this year and yesterday, October 1st, 2022.

We consider ourselves blessed as damage wasn't greater. I got out at 7 this morning and worked with other residents to clear debris off the roadways inside the community. Roads are covered with screws and nails. One guy got three flat tires on his golf cart helping out.
The house across the street suffered no damage other than to lose a shutter while five or six houses down the lady lost the entire roof and her place is a total loss. Many people have no insurance coverage. Luckily we did but now we'll see how good the company is.

There are three large oak trees on the property and they got pretty much decimated but are salvageable.
 

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This is the beginning of piling of debris from our three oak trees as they trimmed them out in an effort to save them. One is questionable as they had to cut 50% of it away because of broken limbs. We'll know in two years if it needs to come down but it is a tough old tree and and hopeful it will survive. Now all we need do is pray no more hurricanes like Ian. Will post more photos of the mess.
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I would hope no one feels I am trying to show distress for the damage to our home. My Bride and I feel we are among those very fortunate to have minimal damage and offer thoughts of hope and good fortune going forward for those so greatly affected, the ones who lost loved ones, their homes and who have nowhere to turn because their entire life has been turned upside down. It is especially difficult in our community to know those people whose home was totaled and no insurance and are left wondering where they might go. Many are subsisting on a small pension and social security leaving them with barely enough to provide food and medicines let alone shelter. It nbreaks my heart to see a widow lady walking her dog as if in a trance because she lost her home and has no where to turn. Until you see this it is difficult to embrace the internal pain and anguish these victims are dealing with.

We are so blessed in the respect those who lost everything are able to sleep and live outside. The days are in the 80's with temperature drops into the 70s at night, sunny days andstar filled nights, unlike people who lose everything in a tornado or hurricane with rains or snow that lingers for days. At last we have weather that is accommodating. But that alone does not make up for the loss the victims suffered, it just makes it a little easier to deal with.

I ask those who are fortunate to please donate to the Red Cross, Samaritans Purse, Salvation Army, any organization equipped to deal with people in this type of situation.

Instead of having a night out or stopping for a beer, use that money to donate to those going through this trying time. These are not people looking for a handout. Granted there are those who will try to take advantage but the mass majority are people who have been independent, always worked and provided for their family and are now basically destitute and could use help. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and religions. Many are trying to hold out to show their independence but sooner or later the reality of the situation will hit and they will need the help of those organizations. Please, please, donate. Until you see first hand the devastation wrought on them you could never grasp the effect mentally, physically and financially.
 
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