PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Months after Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, the Gulfport Marina is still recovering.
Boaters are now doing all they can to prepare as hurricane season begins June 1.
While much of the Gulfport Marina is repaired, some parts remain eerie.
Watch full report from Casey Albritton
"We had boats on top of boats, we did have boats on boat lifts that the owners didn't tie down, and when the tide got high enough, they floated right off the boat lift," said Denis Frain, Harbormaster.
Last year's storms destroyed many boats in the Gulfport area.
"Lots of boats washed ashore in the bay there…the Boca Ciega Bay…I think we had like 30 or 40 boats sink or wash ashore," said John Anderson, who has a family-owned boat charter.
Anderson docks his boats at the marina.
When he came back after Hurricane Helene, he was shocked.
"It's very sad to see people's homes…these are some people's homes, it's very sad to see them completely destroyed…we were one of the lucky ones," said Anderson.
His boat was safe…and he attributes part of that safety to how he prepared for the storm.
"We hauled our boats out of the water or made sure they were tied up very well," said Anderson.
Frain said boaters need to start preparing now.
"Make sure your batteries are charged, make sure your insurance is up to date, make sure your lines are in good condition and doubled up," said Frain.
Anderson and Frain said that when the wind starts to pick up, it's better to be safe than sorry.
"At this moment in time, again, we just need to be prepared…we know that it can happen," said Frain.
"You do not want to be the ones that lose your homes or your business or anything like that," said Anderson.
FL Governor vetoes ‘free kill' law
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday followed through with his plan to veto a bill that would have repealed FL’s ‘free kill’ law. But families promise the fight isn’t over.
