How's Sanibel now?

[MaggieAllan]

Does anyone know how Sanibel is now since the hurricanes? Friends have asked and I would like to suggest a stroll along the beach collecting shells and watching the wildlife (sea & land) but after the storms is it worth them going?

Maggie

[lisi]

I was wondering that too Maggie - we fly out on Sunday to Rotonda and I dearly want to visit Sanibel & Captiva. Perhaps someone can kindly enlighten us [8D][msncool]

Lisi

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lisi
I was wondering that too Maggie - we fly out on Sunday to Rotonda and I dearly want to visit Sanibel & Captiva. Perhaps someone can kindly enlighten us

Lisi [8D][msncool]
[/quote]

We were out during Charley and news reports then were saying the one of them, Captiva I think, had become 2 islands due to the storm!

[poet123]

It was North Captiva that was cut in two by Charlie. Captiva itself had minmal damage, mainly to trees on the Bayside. Everthing is up and running now or so I have been told. Sanibel too sustained only tree damage, the causeway was under threat but came through unscathed. Power was off for some time and the residents were not allowed back on either for a week but hopefully all should be back to normal or near enough by now. I dont think the other hurricanes affected this area.

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:It was North Captiva that was cut in two by Charlie. Captiva itself had minmal damage, mainly to trees on the Bayside. Everthing is up and running now or so I have been told. Sanibel too sustained only tree damage, the causeway was under threat but came through unscathed. Power was off for some time and the residents were not allowed back on either for a week but hopefully all should be back to normal or near enough by now. I dont think the other hurricanes affected this area.[/quote]

I don't think this quote is quite correct in some aspects. I have friends who visit Sanibel twice a year and they have been speaking to local friends there about the situation.

True North Captiva suffered worse but all of Captiva suffered considerable damage. Given that it is only a very small island that is not surprising.

Even on Sanibel there was considerable damage and there is a website listing the many damaged buildings that are listed by the Police/local authority as unsafe to enter. Several hotels/motels are still closed in Sanibel because of the damage. The hotel my friends usually stay in is not forecast to open until November. That information was before Jeanne which brought tropical storms winds to that part of the coast and could have caused further damage.

[Robert5988]

Probably this quote will describe the situation - Note 90% of structures on Sanibel sustained damage.

News Release
September 17, 2004
For More Information, please contact the City Manager’s Office at: 472-3700
Sanibel’s Hurricane Charley Structural
Damage Exceeds $700 Million--663 Building Permits Issued in first 30 days of
Reconstruction
The City of Sanibel Building Department has completed its initial damage assessment
calculations from Hurricane Charley, stating that approximately 90% of the structures on
the island sustained some level of damage. This includes single, multi-family,
commercial and public buildings.
The City of Sanibel has submitted its initial damage assessment figures to the FEMA
disaster recovery agency, estimating approximately $704 million dollars in structural
damage. This does not include damage to landscaping, utilities, bike paths, roads, City
parks, beaches, or to the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This also does
not include the $6 million in debris clean-up expenses.
There are approximately 4,200 structures, including 150 businesses located on Sanibel.
The hardest hit buildings on the island appear to be gulf front condominiums with flat
roofs. Estimated damage figures could continue to rise if further water damage occurs
before roof repairs are completed. All repairs and replacements to damaged structures
will be required to meet the Florida State Building Code.
In the first 30 days following Hurricane Charley, the City of Sanibel Building
Department has issued approximately 663 building permits, for an estimated $14 million
in repairs and replacement work currently underway.
Representatives of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge estimate that
structural losses as a result of Hurricane Charley are approximately $2.6 million. The
wildlife refuge suffered damage to numerous buildings and walkways. Neither the 6,300
acre wildlife refuge nor the City of Sanibel have yet been able to calculate the monetary
value of the thousands of trees lost on the island.