Florida Keys Strong

We drove through the Florida Keys on our way back to the airport in Orlando. There was damage from Hurricane Irma all along Route 1 with the worst of it in the middle Keys. The foliage in Big Pine Key was shredded! The road was lined with piles of garbage and debris. The Marathon mooring field in Boot Key Harbor was almost full during our visit with friends aboard Mucho Gusto. During Irma, there were 300 boats in the harbor. Over 200 were lost in the storm, or salvaged after recovery. It is estimated that 1,300 boats were sunk in all of the Keys during the storm. Boot Key Harbor was hit the hardest! Second was the Key West anchorage. The "Welcome to Key West" sign was found 300 miles North on Ft. Meyers Beach. It was loaded onto a private boat and returned to Key West. A group of AGLCA Loopers are helping with the clean up. There is much yet to be done. The people of the Conch Republic are resilient and proud. They are Keys Strong and they will recover!

Damaged Boats

Debris pile

Cleanup work along the Keys

Damage to buildings

Boat on southbound side of Rt. 1

Cleanup piles lining Rt. 1

Sidewalk covered by trees, tipped over in the storm

Northbound trash piles

Pieces of a trailer

Active cleanup

Sand piles on Rt. 1

Shredded trees

Piles along the median, waiting for pickup

Brush piles

More garbage including mattresses and personal belongings

It will all be gone soon...

Bike path branch piles