Hurricane Irma was one of the biggest storms ever to hit the U.S. Key Lime Sailing Club, on the bay side of Key Largo, took wind damage — felled fences and trees, and damage to some cottage roofs. The storm even sucked the water out of Buttonwood Sound, stranding anchored boats on dry ground for a time.
The ocean side of Key Largo saw worse — surge flooding streets and canals, with boats breaking loose. Overall, though, Key Largo was spared the brunt of Irma's devastation, and Key Lime fared reasonably well: heavy cleanup and repairs, but the sailboat fleet survived with only minimal damage.
Our South Dade Marina in Florida City wasn't as lucky — under 3.5 feet of water, about 40% of the docks destroyed, boats sunk and scattered, and parts of the building damaged. The Middle and Lower Keys took the worst of it, with residents returning to lost homes and livelihoods.
In the days after, our staff and volunteers worked hard to get seven cottages back online — and we opened our doors to first responders, a woman who'd lost her house, and a family of five who'd lost their houseboat in the storm.