25 Bertram Resto

[Tony Meola]

Having a place on the water is nerve wracking. Never worried much about it until Sandy. I figured we were high enough that it would be the wind.we just missed on the water. It surrounded the house and got within 6 feet of the foundation.

Close call, but not it makes me worry more. We also used to be pretty much protected from storm surges, then they went and fixed the inlet so they would get better flow of water to help flush out the sand. Well they increased the water flow, but they still have a shoaling issue. Plus, we now get much higher storm tides. Whicvh has caused from loss of marsh areas.

But as you said having a place on the water helps make it all worth it.

[Carl]

House on sticks over the water, well worth it

House on sticks off the edge of a mountain for a view in earthquake area...not so much.


I agree that a house on the water is worth it if you have a backup plan and willing to live with the results should it ever be needed. Those worst case scenarios do happen, like Tony said, Sandy. I was comfortable having replacement value for insurance....all well and good if your home is totaled. Not so good when you say it's totaled and insurance company says something very different. Live n learn.

I'm starting to rethink the apartment we had after Sandy...not what I want to raise my kids in for lack of space and having friends over. But it was sure nice when the drain clogged, fridge broke, it snowed...call the super, not my problem. Went to the pool and pipe burst...my only concern was when will it be fixed.

Daniel, I was following along with you up to the snake part. I hate snakes...not sure when that came to be. From what mom told me I used to come home with them in my pockets. After the 2nd time pocket were no longer checked...my clothes sat in a pile on the floor in basement a few days before being laundered.

Last snake I saw I kicked in such a way that it went up.... no idea how high, but long enough to think, that was dumb, it's gotta come down with a sinking feeling it would be on me. Nope, in the neighbors yard...I was good and went back to mowing. Around here all mostly garter snakes.

[Amberjack]

Our house was adjacent to a very large wildlife refuge. The very first palmetto leaf I went to pick up after the storm had a rattle snake coiled up under it. Turns out if you scream like a little school girl it stuns them for just a second or two and gives you a little time to whack them with a 2x4. Boy oh boy, I love living the life on the Gulf Coast….always an adventure.

Danny you had me laughing in my coffee on this cool, wet morning (its Memorial Day. In Seattle they're always like this). Thank you for a dose of humor during these weird pandemic times.

[DanielM]

Carl I’m with you on snakes as I’ve gotten older. When I was a kid I went looking for them. Now days…I’m ok with them if I’m kicking around out in the woods or in the salt marsh, that’s their home. But I have no use for them if they decide to invade my habitat.

I feel for you guys going through Sandy. We did pretty well in Ike, as we were about 4 miles in from the coast and on the good side of the storm. I have friends that had a front row beach house. They couldn’t find one scrap of debris that they could identify as being from their house. It was like it was never there. Luckily it wasn't their primary home, but a tough time for them all the same.

Amberjack, I guess it’s all a pretty good trade off to get to spend time on the water. I enjoyed the pictures of your spring migration. Keep warm up there.

[Seapalm]

I know the hurricane code only too well, I am a Building Contractor practicing in both commercial and residential. I have seen too many hurricanes and the wrath they have unleashed upon us. I also have seen the effect of the new building codes and they work. When the only homes in a neighborhood left standing are the newly built, it stands out! But we have always prevailed, rebuilt, and life moves on...
Michael was different, he came ashore as a full Cat 5 and never slowed down. After crawling across the FL Panhandle he hit Georgia as a Cat 3. Unlike anything in my lifetime and I hope to never see another like it. I have moved North of the Coast into rural FL Panhandle with a farm and peace only the countryside can provide. No traffic, fine southern country folk and lots of privacy. The beauty is that the boat is 30 minutes away on family waterfront property and just a run across the Bay to the Gulf. The crazy traffic, tourist attractions, fine dining, and beaches are only 40 minutes away. Now I only experience that from the waterside!
Hurricane Season is less than a week away and we already have had a named storm! Will be an interesting year indeed...
I hope we all stay safe this season.
Cheers!
SeaPalm

[DanielM]

SeaPalm,

I was driving down to the keys shortly after Michael went through. Even up on I-10 in the middle of the night the devastation was evident. For miles the pine trees were knocked down and I guess FDOT had come by with some sort of saw and topped them all out at the edge of the road to clear I-10. They had all blown down at about a 45 degree angle so the saw cut made points in our direction. It was like miles and miles of 12” diameter punji sticks pointing toward us on that side of the road. It was about 3-4am and I was worried about drifting off the road. It would have been deadly.

Here’s hoping for a relatively quite season, like you mentioned, it’s time to start again.

[Seapalm]

DanielM, you are so right, like God had a weed eater and knocked everything off at 20 feet. From I-10 all the way to Panama City and East. Then it went to the direct path where everything was removed, Mexico Beach was ground zero, down to the bare earth, and an ax a mile wide was dragged across the land. It messed with your mind... so many lives lost and families displaced.
That is the down side of living on the coast in any state. The higher the risk, the higher the rewards. But all of us are risk takers if we go 30 miles offshore or more, there are big risks, but there are big gains and big fish. This is my stress relief. When I wonder offshore all the stress and problems stay onshore. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
I know most of you feel the same!