Fort Myers Beach Decimated

'Absolute devastation' about sums up the aftermath of Hurricane Ian to my island paradise, Fort Myers Beach (FMB). I posted yesterday about the threat posed to the 7-mile island. Well, it became a worst case scenario. As Ian gained strength over the warm waters of the Gulf, he curved northeastward, nearly imitating the track of 2004's Hurricane Charley. He went right up Charlotte Harbor after decimating Lee County's barrier islands.

The problem for Fort Myers Beach is that they escaped the eye. There was no respite from the winds and waves churned by Hurricane Ian. It was a constant barrage from the approaching eyewall, which first inundated Sanibel to the north. But as the cyclone scooted east, it brought the southeast quadrant of the eyewall over FMB. And once hurricane-force winds were onshore, it never let up. FMB remained in the eyewall even after the storm made landfall. While other areas, like Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte got the reprieve of the eye, FMB did not. It was a constant barrage.

The reported 16-foot storm surge did most of the damage. High winds took care of the rest. It really was absolute devastation. The aerial footage that has come in all day, from drones and helicopters, has shown the breadth of the damage. It's breathtaking. It took me half the day to wrap my brain around it.

The pier is gone (left). Yesterday morning I was watching foolish beachgoers navigate the rough surf under that pier. The downtown area known as "Times Square" along the shoreline at the pier is also gone. The area I frequented, the outdoor plaza where my band played several "sunset festivals," is a mass of debris and empty foundations.

One of the town's councilmen, interviewed on CNN, said, "There's nothing to come back to."

But back is where I was headed. Back to my beach, my happy place, my home.

Now?

Will they rebuild? Will corporate resorts take over the town now?

It's lost all of it's character and small town charm. My favorite beach bars are gone. The locals who staffed them will go elsewhere.

Coast Guard helicopters have hovered over FMB all day looking for those needing airlifted to safety. Everyone's car is flooded, damaged or gone. And even if residents DID have transportation, the roads are impassable. The island is a literal dump heap of debris...and boats...lots of boats.

On the approach to Matanzas Pass Bridge, aerial coverage shows the Shrimp Fleet all piled up on the east edge of the bay. Like toy boats, these large vessels are stacked haphazardly. Besides tourism, the shrimping industry was the other piece of the beach's economic puzzle. Now that's gone, as are all the locally owned businesses.

I'm beginning to believe the councilman is right. There really is nothing to go back to.