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Key West Meets Hurricane Michelle: An Unanticipated Adventure

A first for the Photojournal - experiencing a potential hurricane firsthand. We arrived for our traditional Key West visit with old friends Victoria and Peter on a balmy early November day in the 12-seater Gulfstream airplane.

The little Key West airport looks normal in the early afternoon sun

. . .and Victoria greets us at the house.

However, we see that Hurricane Michelle is aiming toward Cuba, just 90 miles away from Key West.

Just in case, the storm shutters, heavy plywood that screws into the window frames, are taken out of storage and propped up against the house. Preliminary boarding up begins.

Vicki and I go shopping, but when we see that the Hard Rock Cafe is closing up for the storm, we realize that it is a serious situation.

While we eat at dinner, our waiter is cheerful, but cautious - he tells us that the staff will spend the night in the cafe. Meanwhile, the local police drive by announcing mandatory evacuations of the island.

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The little Key West airport looks normal in the early afternoon sun	. . .and Victoria greets us at the house.
However, we see that Hurricane Michelle is aiming toward Cuba, just 90 miles away from Key West.	Just in case, the storm shutters, heavy plywood that screws into the window frames, are taken out of storage and propped up against the house. Preliminary boarding up begins.
Vicki and I go shopping, but when we see that the Hard Rock Cafe is closing up for the storm, we realize that it is a serious situation.	While we eat at dinner, our waiter is cheerful, but cautious - he tells us that the staff will spend the night in the cafe. Meanwhile, the local police drive by announcing mandatory evacuations of the island.