‘A vast, communal anxiety’
Cape Breton snowbirds relieved after Irma passes
Seasonal residents who divide their time between Canada and Florida are looking to put the anxiety of hurricane Irma behind them.
After pummeling parts of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys, a weakened system caused severe flooding to Florida’s northeast corner on Monday.
The storm also brought winds reaching 215 km/per hour, torrential rain and a life-threatening storm surge. In anticipation of the event, an estimated six million people were evacuated from their homes.
Big Pond resident Helen Doherty, who spends five months of the year on Anna Maria Island, along Florida’s Gulf Coast, spent the weekend in a frantic state as she waited in Cape Breton for word on her Florida trailer.
“We were on schedule to get a pretty direct hit and then Irma veered to the east,” said Doherty. “I was absolutely 100 per cent sure (the trailer) would be flooded. It seemed like the storm surge didn’t happen like they predicted. We were very grateful we were spared.”
When the park’s full-time residents were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday, Doherty said neighbours found
only minimal damage.
“I feel so bad for all the people in the Caribbean and everywhere who are homeless,” she said.
“I’m in the situation that even if it was completely destroyed
it would be an emotional and financial hit, but I wouldn’t be homeless. I still have a beautiful place in Cape Breton and I would still be here. I feel very lucky.”
Doherty said she was comforted over the weekend by a friend who rents a trailer on Anna Maria Island, who drove three hours from Truro to Big Pond to offer some her support.
“I just came down to comfort her,” said Neila McCabe. “We thought for sure we’d be flooded out. We were very fortunate.”
By Tuesday afternoon, Irma had been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone that was expected to bring moderate rainfall to parts of the southeastern U.S.
About 30 kilometres inland from Daytona Beach, Little Bras d’Or resident Ken Jardine spent the day Tuesday cleaning up some fallen branches and debris.
Jardine had flown to his secondary home in DeLeon Springs on Sept. 3 to attend a competition in mounted shooting. He has been without power since Sunday night after a large tree fell on power lines near his neighbour’s property.
There was an ominous feeling driving through the streets of Jacksonville on Saturday night, said Jardine, as there was very little traffic on the road. The city is now recovering from heavy flooding.
“It was like a vast, communal anxiety,” said Jardine. “We’re inland and luckily here it wasn’t that bad for us but the wind was howling.”
By Tuesday evening, international news organization Reuters had reported that Irma is responsible for the
deaths of 43 people in its rampage through the Caribbean and at least 12 in Florida,
Georgia and South Carolina.
Irma follows soon after hurricane Harvey, which barrelled
its way into Houston late last month, killing about 60 and causing some $180 billion in damage.