- December 30, 2024
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After Hurricane Helene's storm surge hit Longboat, residents were filled with anxiety waiting to go back to their homes after Hurricane Helene.
"I am really tired of hotel life," said Longboat Harbour Condominiums resident Karen Pashkow before she could return. "This is way later than many of us expected."
Residents weren't allowed back on the island until Sunday, Sept. 29. Pashkow didn't return home until Monday but was grateful when she heard from her friends who said the condominiums were not flooded.
Some Longboaters tried to get back on the Key by boat, such as resident Shawn Leven. She spent all day Friday asking people on the docks to see if they could stop by Longboat Key.
To her luck, a lady dropped her off by Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub in the afternoon and she walked to her condominium, which was also dry when she arrived. Not everyone was as lucky as Pashkow and Leven.
Walking around St. Armands Circle on the morning of Sept. 28, people cautiously stepped around the debris, puddles and glass left from the storm scattered on the sidewalks.
Numerous business owners expressed sadness around the Circle through sobs and shock after seeing their life's work destroyed.
"There was probably not one business on the circle that wasn't affected by the storm," said Cigar Paradise Manager Carolyn Conner.
Green Zebra Cafe Owners Vasil and Elena Ianakiev said in their 10 years at St. Armands, they have never had damage like this. Not knowing what to expect, they came to the cafe on Saturday morning and saw the entire interior ruined, including their refrigerators flipped upside-down.
"There really is nothing we can do now," said Vasil Ianakiev. "We just have to be positive and move forward, hopefully opening back up soon."
Like most businesses, Cafe L'Europe is closed indefinitely due to the damage caused by around four feet of water. Director of Catering Sales Ashley Watts compared the site to a war zone.
Crab and Fin Owner Scott McDonald echoed others that the damage is far worse than they ever experienced.
"We've been here over 40 years," said McDonald. "The worst we have had in other years has been a couple of inches of water. We had five feet of water from this hurricane. Our floors, windows, everything is completely destroyed."
When preparing for Hurricane Helene, it was a mixed bag of thoughts for Longboaters.
Some residents thought it would be a Thursday rainstorm and an excuse to stay home for the rest of the week. When most Longboaters were preparing to evacuate, resident Ken Brostron leisurely went to Publix on Bay Isles Road to fulfill his cravings and said he didn't plan to leave the island.
“I honestly had a hankering for chili today,” said Brostron. “But when I came to do my normal shopping, I thought I might as well buy some water bottles just in case. I have gone through a few of these, so I’m not too worried about it.”
On the other hand, business owners on St. Armands Circle decided to be extra cautious, especially after the flooding from Hurricane Debby that took everyone by surprise. The Beaufort Bonnet Company and Armel Jewelers called up their remodeling company, Ramate Construction, to install hurricane shutters on the morning of Sept. 25.
“We just helped them finish with renovations,” said Justin Robins from Ramate. “We are a company that has been around for 30 years, so we know what it is like to be a business in Florida with these crazy storms. It is all about that trust, and they trust us to prevent as much damage to their businesses as possible."
Even with the rigorous preparations, nothing could have stopped the damage that Hurricane Helene left. Sonia Gauthier from Gauthier Salon & Wellness Spa said that the Salon has little damage thanks to it being on the second floor, but she couldn't help but feel sorrow for her neighbors around the circle.
Wanting to lend a hand, she plans to start a Go-Fund-Me page to raise money for the businesses affected by Hurricane Helene.
"85% of these merchants don't have flooding insurance, especially the small businesses," said Gauthier. "This will greatly impact people going into the high season when all the snowbirds come back. So, we are hoping to help our friends out and save some of these businesses that don't know how to move forward."
