Fay hits Marco Island
By
Mike Essian, WINK News
Story Created:
Aug 19, 2008 at 2:18 PM EST
Story Updated:
Aug 19, 2008 at 5:39 PM EST
MARCO ISLAND, Fla. - Three 'o clock Monday afternoon, wind surfers flirted with tropical storm Fay.
"I'm just having fun sailing and the winds should be building and I'm excited because it's thrilling for me," Jess Tateo said.
He was windsurfing near the Jolley Bridge on Collier Blvd., in Marco Island.
But in less than 12 hours, Fay flared and by three Tuesday morning, the tropical storm drenched Marco Island, harassing buildings and landscapes with winds reaching 60 miles-per-hour.
"We were a little bit concerned," resident Bill Dallmann said.
"We set the alarm clock to get up about 2:30 before the high tide was, because it was supposed to be about three in the morning so we thought we'd get up then and see how high it was."
Streets on the south end of Marco Island and Caxambas Park flooded. City officials said it is unusual for that part of the island to flood during heavy rains.
Later Tuesday morning, much of the storm had passed, but not before leaving a scattered path of branches, debris, and standing water.
An estimated 8,000 people lost power during the storm.
Most of the waters receded by noon. And while city workers cleaned up the mess, the beach became scattered again, not with debris, but people.
"Well, you've got to, you know, stuck in the house for a while, because you couldn't go outside or anything," surfer Christina Llamas said.
Saturday, Sep 13 at 12:35 AM Chester S. Nicklos wrote ...
I am too praying that the residents of Galveston are safe tonight. The residents of Marco know little of hurricance damage. They have been very fortunate in recent years. I lived through Andrew many years ago, while a member of the Air Force. Homestead was destroyed. I was transferred to Langley AFB after the storm with my twin boys and wife. I have to say, the coverage of tropical storm Fay was a little overblowm....no pun intended. Marco took a little hit compared to Andrew. God bless.
Friday, Sep 12 at 10:54 PM Michelle J. Bailey wrote ...
Marco residents, such as Bill and Bailey, should consider themselves lucky. With a recordbreaking five landfalls in Florida, she was the storm with little publicity but lots of damage. With Ike's sight set on Galveston, I suppose we should consider outselves very fortunate. Perhaps we should all pray that we will not have to set the alarm for 2:30 a.m. just to "see the high tide" but rather that our homes and loved ones remain safe during the remainder of the Hurricane season.
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