It is November 9th and Hurricane Nicole is headed toward Florida. We rarely get an East coast hit by a strong storm, so my son and I took a ride to see the waves at the beach.
Usually I stay home and do nothing when a storm is approaching, but this one is taking forever to arrive. We’ve had wind and occasional rain since yesterday afternoon.
I checked the tides on my phone on the way to Flagler Ave., and found that it was about 1 1/2 hours from LOW tide.
This water is very high for low tide.
I did not get photos, but as we drove along Riverside Drive, the water was higher than I’ve ever seen it – even at high tide in the river. The boat ramp and small park were both roped off along the river so we couldn’t stop and get photos. Because this was nearing low tide, I’m guessing the place will be flooded once high tide arrives.
Breakers
I really don’t know how Breakers Restaurant manages to remain throughout all the storms it’s seen. (Someone on Instagram mentioned that the owners at one time invested a lot of money into a sea wall for Breakers.) We visited Breakers and had food and drinks after Hurricane Charley came through. Frances and Jeanne came right after and eventually I think Breakers had to close due to damage.
The bottom corner of the pink building has some noticeable damage. I don’t know if it was from Hurricane Ian, but a lot of the coastal buildings have not recovered fully from Ian. That hurricane just passed through a little over a month ago.
It is almost 5PM as I type this and Nicole is hitting land around midnight as far as I know. She is bringing 70mph winds and along with high tides along the beach, there will be lots of damage. My house is as ready as it will be. I hope I can sleep through the wind, but I really hope the power stays on.
Stay safe Floridians.
Update: Power stayed on for us. Haven’t seen the beaches, but I know they took a pounding.
Pass it on
Hello David, I appreciate you sharing your story about traveling to Florida as a kid in the 1940’s and 50’s. I had to look up Delray Beach as it is further south so I’m not familiar with it. I’m sure Florida has changed so much that you wouldn’t recognize any of it. I moved here in 1979 and them went to NH for 11 years (I know about Lake Winneipesauki and Wolfboro. We vacationed once on Lake Sunapee.). By the time I moved back to Florida, I couldn’t find my way around the area I’d lived in for years! The growth is ridiculous. My goal is to get back to NH, where I long to be. I’d love to hear more about your Sanibel trips too. I visited Sanibel years ago, but have no inclination to return because of crowds. Feel free to leave comments whenever you are so inclined. ~ Pam
I remember stopping at New Smyrna and especially DelRay Beach when I was a kid, in the 1940s and early’50s. my parents had money, and had a lovely Spanish house I looked up about a year ago which had been changed so much, with so much glitz I coudn’t recognize it. what a shame! it was pegged as not for sale at somthing like $3,600,000 look it up if you want, it’s the 2nd to last house on Stewart Ave in Coconut Grove, Fla.
we had a summer home in Wolfeboro NH, a family compound on the North Shore of Wolfeboro Bay, which is now the largest singly-owned piece of shorefront on the Bay, perhaps the whole lake (Winnipesaukee) considering the countless ugly condos that have been put up on the lake.
the train trip took 2 1/2 days and was probably unlike anything today. we had a whole fairly large comparment with a separate bath, and a choice of upper or lower berth. we had that all to ourselves, my mother and father and my sesiter Lee and I. Lee and I used to fight over who got the lower berth, so we could look out at night and watch the county roll by in the darkness.
anyway, we could get out and stroll along the platform at DelRay, but not for lone before the train left. I also remeber the station at DelRay (am I spelling that right?), it was Floridian pink, I didn’t think much of that at the time, but now, I’d love to see that station again…
I have lots of stories about Sanibel too, but maybe later…
thanks for listening, –david carroll
I don’t know how the place remains with all that wave action, but I’m glad it always seems to do okay!
Those resturant owners must be good at fixing it up after storms.
I doubt they can get insurance cover for it!!
It is sad. We are fine.
So sad; as per the previous comment, stay safe.
Be safe