I Can't Wait to Leave Florida

The anticipation and fear was growing. I’ve never been through a hurricane before and it’s finally here. 

I hate it. 

Everything about it and everything leading up to it. Over the last few days, hell, even weeks, the media and local meteorologists have been non-stop reporting on the potential outcome and damages. It’s supposed to be the worst ever recorded, or so they say. That certainly did NOT make me feel great. A cat 4 already just miles away in the Gulf? How the hell can Floridians live like this for four or five consecutive months out of the year? 

I found myself, in the coming days, opening and closing, opening and closing my phone for the latest updates. You can’t open any social media app without the first pop up to be Helene related. It’s funny that a name so simple and innocent sounding is about to wreak havoc. My body and mind have been so tense, filled with these never before felt overwhelming nerves, along with some justified nausea. I haven’t eaten well. I can’t sleep well. All the while the natives are just getting on with their day as if nothing is going to happen. I’m trying to take a leaf out of their book but what the hell am I supposed to feel when government officials are advising to pack up and get the fuck out?

Sitting in the beach house lounge I see the winds picking up through the large lanai windows. It’s gotten much darker, cloudier, and more gloomy. Shit, I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared. Even seeing the trio of birds across the way, sitting above the water just letting the increased waves and winds push them idly along to the west, doesn’t uplift my spirits like it normally would. I can’t sit for too long and start pacing and roaming from room to room looking out the windows. Nervously questioning if staying put was a good idea. It was only yesterday we got a text alert to evacuate our zone A area. We are only a half mile away from the coast of the Siesta Key and it’s definitely heading in this direction. My husband Chris is so sure we will be fine. “There’s no need to evacuate or panic,” he insists. 

HA! Oop, here I am checking my phone again.

He is way too cool, calm, and collected through all of this but then again he’s lived here before, for many years, and if there’s one thing that comes with the hurricane prep territory, it’s the inevitable party mode mentality. “Just stock up on booze, hunker down, and get through the night with your loved ones.” He says. 

Okay. 

It’s about the time when our area should be getting hit. There isn’t much rain and the winds are high but not very scary like I had envisioned they would be. And right as I think it’s not going to be as bad as everyone was saying, I glance out of the master bedroom window and see the surge of water approaching. 

Oh. My. God. 

My stomach drops and my emotions start to rise. It’s coming in fast and it’s getting closer to the garage. I rush to tell my husband and although he’s smiling as if to say he’s not scared, trying to show me it’ll be okay, he’s actually in disbelief. In the 30 years his parents have owned this place, not once has a hurricane ever brought flooding and water surge like this. 

THEY JINXED IT! 

Just earlier I could hear them on the phone, “Oh it never floods there. You both will be okay. Tell Janel to calm down.” Ugh, the nerve. For a moment I get mad remembering that. Don’t tell me to calm down when you’re comfortably safe thousands of miles away and we’re now stuck here doomed to float away I’m sure.

We see a neighbour walking through the growing water also in disbelief. It’s now at least 2 feet deep. I run to the lounge and shift the channel to ABC 7 News. “We need to keep this running until this passes.” I shout to my husband. 

I am freaking out internally. Still frantically pacing while my heart beats so fast I think I’m going to have a heart attack.

Although I shouldn’t, I go back to the bedroom and see the water is still rising. I recall them saying our area would get about 7-9ft of storm surge from ground level. Ugh, I’m filled with dread thinking if it got that high it would definitely get into the condo. My husband can see my stress and fear and takes me to the couch to sit down. 

“Don’t worry.” He says in his calm, collected tone. HA! I think again to myself.

“Easier said than done.” I softly respond. I feel like crying because I don’t want to be here. I can’t handle this. 

The next 8 hours are spent keeping tuned in to the tracking of Helene. The lights have flickered on and off a few times but luckily our power never went out. I don’t even wanna imagine going through this in total darkness. 

Bob Harrigan is still reporting on the telly. He is now my favourite meteorologist and human being at the moment as he really has been on the ball with keeping us posted on the progression and timelines of this storm. It’s getting later in the night and all the intense commotion we got was lots of unwanted water. It only rose up to the steps of our condo, roughly 4 feet, but the garage certainly got flooded. Goodbye rental car sitting inside, likely filled with the sea’s damaging salt water. 

My nerves have significantly calmed but this storm is headed straight for Tennessee and North Carolina and it’s not looking good. I worry for the residents and hope they are prepared or have ventured far away to safer areas.

It’s nearly 2am and the winds seem back to their normal sway. The water outside sits still at around 2 feet now, with loads of random stuff floating around. Bob says it should recede soon. I’m really curious to see how this will all look in the morning.

I think I’m ready to get some sleep now. All that adrenaline, all those nerves building up for the past week, have dropped like a ton of bricks and I’ve never felt more exhausted and relieved at the same time. Only 2 more weeks here and we’ll finally be heading to our new chapter in the UK. I’ve never been so happy about leaving a place in my life! I kiss my husband goodnight and before getting all snuggled in bed, I pop open my TikTok one last time. 

A popular weather guy pops up and starts in, “We’re tracking another system in the Gulf that could be headed our way next week.” 

WHAT?! Nooooooooo, not again.