Hurricane Idalia at ground zero leaves trail of damage

STEINHATCHEE — Tracing Hurricane Idalia’s treacherous march across Florida’s Big Bend region, signs of damage became clear with roadside debris, formidable oak trees toppled and telephone poles snapped like toothpicks.

Idalia stormed ashore early Wednesday as a strong Category 3 storm, bringing with it estimated winds of 125 mph and dangerous storm surge that was forecasted to rise by up to 16 feet on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

In Steinhatchee, a coastal community with about 1,000 residents, the streets were eerily quiet after the storm’s departure, punctuated by the occasional passing truck and chainsaws working in the distance. Metal roofs were sheared, canopies collapsed, tree debris scattered and one catamaran wedged into a vertical position near the bank of the Steinhatchee River.

Travis Ross, who grew up in the town, took his wife and four kids to stay with family in Hillsborough County. He returned around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to find his newly built home on stilts all in one piece.

“I didn’t sleep none … There’s a bar and restaurant that blew all to pieces here,” Ross said. “This was the first storm I’ve ever left for.”

His neighbor, Dave Ebert, who moved to Steinhatchee four years ago after retiring, heard a large, 100-year-old oak tree limb snap and land on his roof just after 1 a.m. He said he lost power, but the branch didn’t put a hole in the house.

“My neighbor stayed and had a foot and a half of water inside his house,” Ebert said. “I stayed to protect my house.”

Ebert said another neighbor registered a 143 mph wind gust on his weather station.

Along the scenic Steinhatchee River, the town’s focal point, the hurricane’s force and storm surge downed awnings, crunched docks and tossed boats awry. The waterfront Steinhatchee River Inn and Marina suffered a number of storm-related damages.

A man who identified himself as the owner walked up to assess the damage and said he didn’t have time to talk with so much work ahead.

“As long as everyone is safe,” he said, placing a premium on human lives and livelihood over property damage, which can be fixed in time.

Despite officials urging everyone to evacuate, Cedar Key resident Michael Bobbitt told MSNBC that he chose to ride out the storm. He said he did it because he knew the other people who didn’t leave would need help in the aftermath.

“All of our commercial buildings downtown are underwater and a serious percentage of our homes have been inundated with water,” said Bobbitt, who huddled in his 117-year-old house on a hill.

Bobbitt was one of an estimated 100 residents who chose to hunker down and ride out the storm. By noon Wednesday, Gulf Search and Rescue and American Yellow Cross — both volunteer groups with members from as far away as Texas and Idaho — were staged near the causeway leading to the island.

“I came in for Hurricane Ian last year. In the last 19 years, I’ve worked every hurricane that made landfall in the U.S.,” said Jake Stovall, Gulf SAR’s founder and director. “If we don’t have any rescues, that’s a great day.”

After boats from both groups launched into the white-capped waters lapping at Cedar Key’s shores, they were called back with the news that most, if not all, of the small city’s hurricane holdouts were accounted for.

In the early afternoon, Cedar Key Police Chief Edwin Jenkins stood guard at the bridge, controlling entry while the island remained closed to assess storm damage.

One longtime resident, 82-year-old Herman Wells, evacuated to escape Idalia’s rage but found he wasn’t allowed to return home.

“I’m not moving … I know how to swim,” he told Jenkins in a tense exchange before yielding and turning back inland.

Cedar Key City Commissioner Sue Colson said the island shut down overnight as the worst of Hurricane Idalia approached the island community.

“It’s not the city’s call, it’s the [Florida] Department of Transportation. Bridges are vital for entry and FDOT needs to make sure they are safe,” she said. “We’re out assessing today and getting debris removed so electric trucks can get through.”

Colson anticipates that the island will reopen on Thursday if FDOT deems the causeway safe for passage. She said that efforts were underway to check houses where residents chose to stay.