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Island Life
Latest articles in Island Life
Cecil B De-Michael Produces "The Whales of Casco Bay Island":
Michael is having a lot of fun with his new digital video camera and editing tools. Catch his latest 'release"
Michael is having a lot of fun with his new digital video camera and editing tools. Catch his latest 'release"
Flying High: Aerial Photographs of Casco Bay Island:
Michael went flying and captured some beautiful photographs of the island. Do you want to buy and island. This beauty could be yours.
Michael went flying and captured some beautiful photographs of the island. Do you want to buy and island. This beauty could be yours.
Where are those cormorants going and other pressing island questions?:
On the last day of our first month... exploring the mysteries of island life.
On the last day of our first month... exploring the mysteries of island life.
The Last Key West Sunset?:
How do you load up the car and leave the Keys after a sunset in the back country? There's nothing like a Key West sunset to remind you how easy it is to catch 'Keys Disease"
How do you load up the car and leave the Keys after a sunset in the back country? There's nothing like a Key West sunset to remind you how easy it is to catch 'Keys Disease"
Lunch with Grover:
It's always a nice surprise when one of the locals joins us for lunch at Geiger Key.
It's always a nice surprise when one of the locals joins us for lunch at Geiger Key.
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Waiting for Wilma
Posted Sunday, October 23, 2005
Waiting for Wilma
Just back at home in Key West, we join our fellow residents as we prepare and wait for hurricane Wilma.
We've been on the road from Casco Bay to Key West for twenty days, and the thought of holding up in a "dog-friendly" hotel while Wilma whirled around over the Yucatan Peninsula was just too much. So, we came back to the Keys in spite of the impending storm. The empty roads on the way down the Overseas Highway made it obvious that the tourists were gone, but once we got here it was immediately obvious that the residents were staying put.
Dennis, Katrina, Rita.. now Wilma. The first three did a lot of damage to the landscaping but not much more. Perhaps comforted by that history, lulled by the myth that it won't land here, bemused by the ever changing forecasts, or just tired of hurricane preparations and evacuations we're all digging in and waiting.
Michael and I wandered into town today to find a little Saturday morning breakfast and capture the moment with pixels. It was hard to find breakfast, but it would have been no problem at all to find an open bar. Most businesses are boarded up, few restaurants are open, but the icons of Key West, the bars, are ready to help the locals prepare for Wilma's arrival.
Downtown is filled with news trucks and news personalities... the crew sit on the sidewalks in the heat and oppressive humidity waiting to report on flying signs, and flooded streets. As we watched the coverage of the other hurricanes this summer from the safety of Casco Bay Island, it ALMOST seemed that the news reporters were disappointed by the lack of devastation, but perhaps they too were just all dressed up with no place to go, and that is what we saw when the storm mercifully spared the Keys.
The normally busy Duval Street and historic wharf area are basically empty.. just a few locals out getting supplies.. or breakfast at Pepe's. Killing time, a local artist worked on decorating his storm shutters. Many of our large homeless community are also waiting. With no shelters open in the Keys I wonder where they go when the wind howls? The photo above sets the scene accurately.. a weary storm shutter installer takes a brief break from boarding up one more time.
This week is normally filled with BIG celebrations.. Goombay and Fantasy Fest.. two of the largest festivals in Key West. For now, the Fantasy Fest beads just hang on the racks... nobody is celebrating yet.
The photos tell the story.. Hot and tired, Key West and it's colorful residents and little conch houses are waiting and hoping that once again Key West will be spared. Check out the photos on our homepage in the gallery interface. www.ourislands.com.
