Marina in Steinhatchee Flooded

Post by **Sir reel** » June 13th, 2006, 2:00 pm

FROM THE DEMOCRAT

Surge floods marina in Steinhatchee
By Aaron Deslatte
Gannett News Service

STEINHATCHEE -- Here comes the water. The Steinhatchee River is flooding at the coast as Tropical Storm Alberto's storm surge continues and the tide is coming in.

Scott Peters' marina is always the first to flood.

Last year, as Hurricane Dennis was pounding the Panhandle hundreds of miles away, Peters' Ideal Marina and hotel in Steinhatchee was a surprise victim. Three feet of water submerged the building then and Scott and his wife, Jody, had $250,000 in damage to the business they've owned for seven years.

Today it happened again. Alberto officially came ashore at 12:30 p.m. north of here at Adams Beach in Taylor County. Steinhatchee is on the brunt side of a storm surge forecast for as much as 7 feet.

At 1:30 p.m., still an hour and a half from high tide, there was already a couple inches of water in Peters' store with water rising. The couple were busy moving inventory to the second floor.

"The guy (who owned the business) before us got flooded two or three years in a row, so I can't complain," Scott Peters said as he sloshed through the water. "It's not Katrina. We've got water, we've got a little damage, and then it leaves. Tomorrow the sun will be out and the water will be gone."