Hi All,
It's now day 9 after the eye of hurricane Ian went directly over us here in the Cape Coral / Fort Myers area (Lee County) of Florida. Today the power came back on just before noon along with the internet.
I live approximately 100 yards from Gulf water by way of a network of saltwater canals. I'm less than 3 miles from open coastal bay waters. By most accounts we had a 12 foot storm surge which brought water up to the edge of my front door....and then it retreated. So my feet, and those of my area neighbors, stayed dry - thankfully. Meanwhile 10 miles away in Fort Myers Beach, whole neighborhoods were quite literally erased from the earth leaving nothing but a foundational outline. Both Sanibel and Pine Island to the southwest of me remain inaccessible by land bridge with zero power.
Area winds were clocked upwards of 150 mph. My pool cage was totally destroyed. Sections of roofing shingles are gone and are now covered by temporary plastic tarp. The roof itself held as did most in my area with the newer building codes. All windows (they are not hurricane rated) and doors remained intact and the house is otherwise solid. Based on estimates already received I'm looking at $30-40k of damage/repair. I probably lost my gloriously large Chinese Orchid Tree out front but I've cut it back to bare trunk/limbs in hopes it will rebound.
All my business materials and equipment are 100% intact. No business work has gotten done the past 2 weeks other than post-hurricane demolition and clean-up. Not much business work will get done the next 2 weeks either as my focus continues to be on recovery, cleanup and repair.
But we survived. Could have been much worse. For all too many, it was, and continues to be a life-changing disaster. There, but for fortune, go I.
Best,
Morten
