ALLIGATOR POINT, Fla. (WTXL) - Wild weather impacted much of the Big Bend's coast Tuesday and there's more to come this week. That's why residents in one of the most vulnerable spots are getting ready.
The white sand, the waves and the quiet solitude; it's easy to see why living steps away from the ocean at Alligator Point is so appealing. This time of year, there's one other thing its residents contend with: storms.
"The only we actually got a little scared was when the power went out and we could hear the wind. It got a little eerie," said Alligator Point Resident Tim Aselton.
Aselton and Joanna Garrard have been living at Alligator Point since 2011. They've seen firsthand the damage tropical storms and hurricanes bring. Part of the road right outside their home washed away during Hurricane Hermine and it still hasn't been replaced.
"It's blocked off so only people can walk by and they have to be careful they don't fall off," said Aselton. It's just one of many in the area either blocked off or nearly swept away.
Sean Kearns just moved to Alligator Point a few months ago, but already, he's prepared for the worst.
"We have things in our cars so we can stay in town if we have to," said Kearns. "We have family in town who knows we might need to stay with them. We keep a lot of things in a trailer that we can tow out of here with our vehicle if it gets real bad and you know, you have insurance. It's part of living out here, you deal with the weather."
The folks at Alligator Point say they've weathered enough storms to know when it's time to leave home.
"We feel safe here for anything tropical or category one, but two and above, we're gone. We're not stupid," said Garrard.
Pamela Brown, the Franklin County Emergency Management Director, reminds people to be careful on the beach. Her advice: pay attention to the flags and warnings and stay out of the water when a storm is in the forecast.
