Good luck down there guys!

[conchxpress]

Things here in Cayo Hueso are calming down. No, I didn't fly the plane down. I had a week off and drove. When I left last Friday the NWS was predicting that the storm was going to follow Hanna up the east coast. Seemed like a good scenario at the time. There would be plenty of wind in KW and by the time I was ready to drive back, the weather would be good for my return. Best laid plans etc. I would have evacuated if the storm had turned northward, but Ike did us a favor and continued west. Probably the worst conditions were last night with 60 mph gusts and heavier rain, and even a tornado further up the Keys. Power outages were minimal in light of the conditions. There should be riding conditions later this afternoon and for the next few days, out of the east/southeast. Seas will still be somewhat choppy. South Roosevelt Blvd. that goes past Smathers is covered with mud, seaweed, and other debris but is usually cleaned up fairly quickly. There were a few intrepid individuals surfing yesterday near the Casa Marina pier. And in true Key West fashion there were a number of bars that didn't close. We were 110 miles from the center of the storm, and I certainly wouldn't want to experience a direct hit. Relieved it didn't hit here, but worried about the folks in Texas.

Frank