GULFPORT, Fla. — In Gulfport, one of the communities hardest hit by Tropical Storm Eta in Tampa Bay, they’re still cleaning up from the storm.
Most businesses have managed to re-open now, but the main street along Gulfport’s popular waterfront was closed Monday as heavy equipment was brought in to remove sailboats blown ashore by the storm.
Dawn Traver and her father Bruce watched closely, nervous: a 30-foot sailboat dangling from a massive crane was also their home.
“We’re pretty satisfied so far with what’s going on,” said Bruce Traver, who fortunately has insurance.
“Nothing like wanting to go home and can’t,” his daughter Dawn joked, anxiously.
Over the weekend, two of six boats that had washed ashore along Gulfport’s public beach were removed. The Traver’s boat would be number three.
For hours, people stared in amazement as workers pulled, pushed, lifted and eventually floated the boat free.
“As it goes it looks like they did a pretty good job of getting it off of there without doing any more damage that’s been done,” Bruce Traver said.
“That’s where it supposed to be,” Dawn Traver said smiling. “Ecstatic. We’re floating.”
In order to bring in the heavy equipment, parts of Gulfport’s popular Shore Boulevard had to be closed-off. For businesses, that would’ve normally been a pain, but the beached boats have also been attracting a crowd.
“It’s a plus and a minus. You know?” said Christian Guenther, who manages the beachfront O’Maddy’s Bar and Grille. “It brings some people in and then there are other people that want the easy access parking.”
The city’s marina will still need some repair. Railings and docks were damaged when the boats broke free of their moorings.
That likely happened, says Marina Director Denis Frain, because ropes weren’t strong enough to hold the boats in place.
“We’re going to go back and do some inspection again to make sure the lines are using your sufficient for any storm,” Frain said.
City workers say the final boat to be moved will likely be the Hai Long, a 50,000-pound steel sailboat which is too heavy for the cranes.
Frain says instead they’re working with the county’s contractor to pull the boat back into the water with a much larger vessel, probably sometime next week.
- Florida COVID-19 cases reach highest single-day increase since mid-July
- Liftoff! NASA, SpaceX successfully launch Crew 1 mission from Florida
- Brothers arrested in connection to body found in Polk County orange grove
- Thousands of invasive pythons removed from Florida Everglades
- Gunman wanted after mother of 2 gets shot in St. Pete, police say
- Hurricane Iota, 2020's first Category 5 hurricane, maintains 160 mph winds before landfall tonight
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter