Well we lost power for 6 hot sweaty nights, came back on last Saturday morning. I think the eye passed about 20 miles west of Sebring which put us in the worst place, the NE corner. I was told the wind was 80 gusting to 110, out of the south-south east, which is the worst direction for my dock/beach, being on the north side of the lake. The heaviest winds came over around midnight Sunday night, our power had gone out about 9pm so I couldn't see on TV exactly where it was going, but I was looking out the back window at the lake, using a high powered flashlight I could see huge waves were breaking over the dock and coming way up the back yard. I told my wife the dock wouldn't be there by morning and I was right.

Every dock on the north side of the lake was wiped out, lots of pontoon boats that were up on dock lifts were washed up on shore, I had one in my backyard that belonged to a neighbor two houses over, along with half his dock boards. The waves were huge and the lake level came up about 3 feet above flood stage. LOTS of trees down all over the place, my pool cage (south side of house) was completely crushed up against the house, half in the pool. Tree branches down blocking the roads and driveway, two days of cutting up limbs and piling up same at the edge of the road, in 92 degree heat. Great fun.... but then try sleeping in 90 degrees with no air, no generator, no fans and no breeze. At least the beer was cold.... until all the ice had melted by about day 2 of 6 without power.

I had taken the masts down and flipped my cats upside down in the grass, put them up against the solid fence to protect them form the wind, my biggest fear was a tree landing on them. They survived fine, two trees came down and the H14 and P18 were just in between them, but I did see a H16 down the road that was cut in half by a huge pine tree that had fallen on it. There were tall pines down on top of houses, cutting trailer homes in half and power lines down all over town, many power poles down too, blocking the roads and of course taking out the grid too, which is why it took them 6-8 days to restore power, depending on where you live.

As the lake was draining, it flooded many neighborhoods on the south side of the lake. Luckily I live on the higher ground on the north side, but the guys on the south side all kept their docks

Dermot, thanks for the thoughts, I do need to get back home! Maybe after I get the house all repaired I can get away from the swamp and get over there to see you, I hope all is well with you and the family.