Pensacola - 15 Months after Hurricane Ivan Landfall

[gulfcoastliberal]

I had today off so I decided to take some pics of Pensacola - Hurricane Ivan devastated Pensacola when it made landfall on 9/16/04, and the area is still a wreck in many places. This set of photos doesn't do all the remaining damage justice. I also headed out to the beach (brr -cold & cloudy today) and snapped some shots of the Gulf, to show the nicer side. Pensacola does not offer nearly as much interesting things to shoot as California, but I did my best for ya.

This is a large, empty lot next to my condo building. It's never been developed (despite offers of millions for this waterfront land). It used to be so thick with trees and vegetation it looked like a jungle. Ivan clear-cut most of that:


Same Lot, different view:


Interesting story behind this house: it is one of the very oldest building sites in Pensacola. During Ivan, the rich attorney who owns it, Charles Libiris and his girlfriend opted not to evacuate (even though as you can see, this bayfront house is not built up on pilings). As the storm surge swept in, he and the GF survived by swimming up into the attic. I think they were featured on "Storm Stories" on the Weather Channel. (All of the following houses are on Harborview Circle off Bayshore Drive - on Pensacola Bay across from the Pensacola Country Club.)


Back of the Libiris house:


A home used to be here. Before it was demolished, you could actually see through the house because the surge tore the walls out.


Waterfront mansion


But no one home


Even some of the rich folks on Harborview still have blue tarp roofs:


Sweet waterfront home for sale:


But...


It is a..


"handyman special"


This is the condo building yours truly lives in. We sustained 8 million dollars worth of damage. Our insurer says it's 1.5 million. Lawsuit filed!


Pensacola Beach, home of the pure quartz sugar white sands:


beach, gentle Gulf waves


more beach


last beach pic, looking West towards the National Seashore


"famous" Pensacola Beach "Ball" water tower


Finally, the view of the wrecked pier behind our condo. Literally 3 weeks before Ivan they spent $25,000 reapiring it from Hurricane Opal.

[RagingInMiami]

1. Cool shots

Good to see another liberal from my state here.