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Vol 5 No. 1 - September 22, 2004

Hurricane Ivan bruises the Island

Ivan was the third hurricane to threaten anna Maria Island in five weeks. It went further west than originally predicted and stirred up the beaches with strong winds and high waves last week before landing in the panhandle, where it did major damage and took more than 20 lives. Anna Maria Island suffered some beach erosion, especially in the city of Anna Maria north of where the 2002 renourishment project ended. Homeowners there paid to place sand on the beaches behind their homes but Ivan washed it all away the two days later.

STAFF PHOTOS BY MIKE FIELD, ELAINE STROLLI AND TOM VAUGHT

Left and right: waves lash at the sand behind
homes in the 700 block of North Shore Drive,
in Anna Maria, where homeowners had sand placed earlier last week to protect theor beachfront
property.


The storm surge meant good surfing to many locals and surfers from around the region who came to the Island last week.		Water was up to the back door at this beachfront home along North Shore Drive, in Anna Maria.

This boat sat high in the water last Wednesday at high tide during the height of the storm surge.		The surf ate away at the beach on the north part of the Island, causing these cliff-sized escarpments.

High tide Wednesday afternoon caused water to flood the outdoor eating area of Rotten Ralph’s restaurant.		The surf pounded this seawall behind a home in the 700 block of North Shore Drive, in Anna Maria.