PHOTOS OF HURRICANE WILMA ON DUCK KEY  2005

 

K Mart Whaling Wall with flooded parking lot after Hurricane Wilma

Flooding on Duck Key

Hurricane Wilma's storm surge from the bayside sent flood waters down the streets of Center and across part of Harbor Drive so fast that residents had little to move their cars to higher spots for safety. Flood waters penetrated deep into Center Island and exited over canal walls.
As a result a number of residents lost vehicles to the flood waters of Wilma. Tom and Robin Neville, Jerry and Sheila Fortier, Jim Privitosky and several other quick thinking Center Island residents sought refuge for their vehicles on raised driveways along Indies Drive.

Residents on Harbor and Bimini Drive on Center Island received the worst of the storm surge with flooded downstairs enclosures. Wet and moldy furniture was piled on the right-of-way along Bimini.
The winds of Wilma also did damage to homes on Duck Key. Many homes had parts of their roof blown away very likely to a tornado which crossed Plantation and Center Island. A number of roofs lost portions of soffits.

Homes with Spanish barrel tiled roofs did not do as well as homes with flat cement tiled roofs. All along West Seaview Drive and West Seaview Circle roofs are missing tiles in spots, edges and ridges. Inspections will be needed to see if repairs can be made with tiles replaced or if tiles are loosened to the point which will require a complete tile replacement. Under a statewide code adopted in 2002, roof tiles should stay in place in 130 mph to 150 mph winds. Homes with roofs tiled dating after 2002 seemed to do better, but even some new roofs suffered ridge and eave tile damage with the curved aerodynamical barrelled shaped Spanish tiles stripping away in high winds.

Code changes now call for ridge tiles to be nailed or screwed down and tested after installation. Tiles on the eaves would need metal "storm" clips as anchors.

Some flooded downstair enclosures will no doubt need wallboard torn out to above the flood mark so as to avoid mold growth.

Club Duck Key located on Center Island had 12 inches of water in the social and recreation hall. An equal amount of water covered the Club's pool and tennis courts. The tennis courts are playable. The Club Social is again in use. Members have since used the club for a Halloween Party, a Tiki Tuesday gathering, a membership get-together party and a Thanksgiving Dinner for seventy plus people hosted by Jerry and Sheila Fortier. The Club has started replacing damaged equipment and appliances. The Cabinets and wallboard material that suffered damage will also be replaced.

The water in Club Duck Key's pool has been replaced and chemically treated and members are able to utilize the pool again.

On the whole Duck Key was fortunate. No lives were lost, power was restored after several days. Phone service took a bit longer and cable TV service improved day by day.

PHOTOS BY SHERRY POPHAM

Ocean from West Seaview Drive

Photo from Yacht Club Bridge

 

Photo from Yacht Club Bridge

 

136 Indies Drive Canal side

 

 

PHOTOS BY GARY JONES

Bimini from the Truman Bridge

Tom's Harbor and North Indies Drive

Tom's Harbor and North Indies Drive after Wilma

 

Bimini Drive Home with flood surge

 

Bimini Drive with County works sign entitled Duck Key Drainage Improvements

 

Bimini Drive

Interior of Center Island

 

PHOTOS DICK ADLER