Pine Island Nine Months After Hurricane Ian

There are lots of things I'll never forget when the sun came up for the first time after Hurricane Ian hit on September 29th. One of those was seeing the Sanibel Causeway as well as the bridge to Pine Island gone, leaving residents stranded. Even getting boats to the islands was treacherous since most of the docks were damaged or wiped out. I drove through Matlacha and Bokeelia yesterday and took a few photos of Pine Island nine months after Hurricane Ian.

In the months following the storm, those who didn't live or work on the island were encouraged to stay off the roads so repair crews could do their job. They are still doing their job but the island is looking better than I had expected. The bridge onto Pine Island is passable but a bit tenuous while it is being fixed. It was hard seeing some of the island's iconic spots gone. Like Bert's Bar.

There is still a lot of damage and need on the island. However, there are signs of life. Many of the colorful shops and galleries have reopened. In addition, the island is home to lots of tropical plant farms. Some damage was still visible but so was new growth. I went to the island for a wine dinner at Tarpon Lodge. It's open for guests and all of the docks have been repaired. I'll have more on the dinner for Wine Wednesday.

Here are a few photos of Pine Island nine months after Hurricane Ian. In addition, click here to see what the island looked like immediately following the storm for comparison.

After ripping apart islands such as Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and Pine Island, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa. Cayo Costa is an island off the coast of Fort Myers, just after 3 p.m.  Ian came in with 150 mph winds, the fifth-strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. Additionally, according to ABC News, “Ian then made a second landfall 90 minutes later, still as a Category 4 storm with 145 mph winds, just south of Punta Gorda, near Pirate Harbor.”

Florida Department of Transportation did an amazing job getting Pine Island's bridge reconnected. The Sanibel Causeway is a much more difficult task. As you can see, Ian washed away several parts of the span.

That being said, the projection is still to have temporary fixes in place by the end of the month. Around 30 days after Hurricane Ian's landfall. Crews are working 24/7 to make this happen.

Currently, Sanibel residents reach the island by boat. There's also supplies delivered by helicopter. There's no power or water service on the island and a curfew remains in place. Sanibel is one of the most beautiful places in Florida. With a lot of work and determination, the island is rebuilding. Miami based Joe Raedle of Getty Images was on the island over the weekend.