ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Heavy rains, high tides and storm surge produced localized flooding throughout Anna Maria Island Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Shortly after 11 p.m., ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Bob Harrigan noted on TV that the Rod & Reel Pier camera showed the Tampa Bay waters rising nearly to the level of the pier decking and the base of the pier-based restaurant building.
In Bradenton Beach, around that same time, Drift In employee Mike Cook said rising water was crashing over the shoreline and flooding Bay Drive South. A short time later, two Bradenton Beach police officers arrived at the Bradenton Beach Pier to further secure the police boat that sits on an elevated boat lift that was nearly submerged.
At the other end of the floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier, two boats, including one that appeared to be sinking, were pushing up against the recently installed perpendicular finger dock pilings. The owner of the non-sinking boat braved the high waves and rough surf in her efforts to better secure her boat to prevent it from damaging the new finger docks.
A post-midnight tour of the north end of Bradenton Beach revealed street flooding along Gulf Drive North and significant street and yard flooding between 22nd Street North and 25th Street North, from the bay nearly to Avenue C in many locations. Street flooding also occurred in the Sandpiper Resort mobile home park.
In Cortez, the Tide Tables restaurant parking lot flooded.
When the Sun rose on Sunday morning, several areas were still flooded. In Holmes Beach, Marina Drive was flooded with deep standing water near city hall and the Island Branch Library.
In Anna Maria, Ginny’s & Jane E’s parking lot was flooded. So was North Bay Boulevard, where Anna Maria resident Doug Copeland said a couple of inches of water seeped into his house.
When asked about the flooding in Anna Maria Sunday morning, Mayor Dan Murphy said, “Not as bad as Hurricane Idalia, but close. We are pumping on the north end, near Bean Point.”
He also said there was significant shoreline erosion near the Rod & Reel Pier.
