Aug 31, 2008 7:47 pm US/Eastern
Key West Speeds Return To Normal After Gustav
KEY WEST (CBS4) ―
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Vacationers wander down the beach at Key West following a close clip by Hurricane Gustav.
The sun came out Sunday in Key West as Hurricane Gustav left the area
of the Keys on the way to New Orleans. Many felt the city had dodged a
bullet as they watched Gustav grow into a dangerous storm, but beyond
some street flooding,
CBS4's Peter D'Oench found the city was eager to get back to normal.
"In the blink of an eye, it can turn from paradise to this," explained one resident, motioning at the winds and high surf left from Hurricane Gustav. When a heavy storm comes, the surf becomes a spectacle, pounding the edge of Key West and spilling over onto Duval Street.
For those in houseboats, like Henry and Sandra Hill, the storms can cause some tense moments. "We did not sleep much," said Sandra, "The winds kept coming in gusts, and the rain would come and we would bang against the pylon."
The Hills successfully secured their houseboat, riding out another storm. "In the middle of the night, we're out here with the lights on, stringing this line in between squalls, tightening it and then checking it to make sure it's tight enough," said Henry.
Most tourists say they're glad they did not cancel their holiday plans to visit South Florida. "We looked at the weather reports. It looks like tomorrow's going to be a beautiful day. Today we get to experience a little of this," said one visitor, enjoying the high winds on the beach. No storm would keep Kim Paul and her husband from enjoying their 15th anniversary.
The squally conditions are more fun for surfers, as well. Most find the waves irresistible. "You can't ever surf in Key West," one said to D'Oench, "but now we've got waves!"
But conditions good for surfing were bad for business. One store owner said sales were down thirty percent for Labor Day weekend. Officials say Tropical Storm Fay lead to a staggering loss of $10 million in business because of evacuations. While there were no evacuations this time, losses were significant due to hotel room cancelations.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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