Dad and I went out after one of the feeder bands passed over us to quickly go and assess the lines on the boat to make sure she was riding the storm well.

I suppose the only thing I can say is that we are terribly grateful that our family is doing well. It certainly isn't the same for everyone. Trees are down in many places, two huge banyan trees just blocks from my house, in fact. These things are several stories tall, and thankfully didn't crush any homes when they fell. We even saw a roof demolished and laying in the street in pieces.

I'll show you some of the photos I took. I'm just glad to be south of the eye, but damage is being handed out everywhere, even here. This picture of the wind speeds should say it all, I think.

	The nursery down the block won't have their windscreens much longer, even though they are tied down quite firmly.
	Trees limbs like this are down on just about every block
	You have to admire how well designed the simple palm tree is. They can grow anywhere, and take these storms very well.
	Here on Isle of Venice in downtown Fort Lauderdale, it seems that Frances got her hand in one of the apartment building roofs. She never did stop ripping chunks of it out and tossing them to the street below.
	Here is Dad checking out the lines, they look good.
	Some friends of my parents asked me to post this picture so they could see their boat; I took this yesterday. If we go over to check the lines again, we'll take another picture for you.
	Traffic lights are out everywshere
	More plywood humor on display
	Here is a Banyan (Ficus) tree over by the cemetary, only two blocks from our house. It survived the last 50 years, but not today.
	Here is another large Banyan Tree. When this fell, it blocked the entire road like a gree wall. This is about 4 blocks from my house in the other direction.

Posted by Michael at September 4, 2004 04:29 PM