Hurricane Jeanne follows Hurricane Frances

by Michael Verdon/IBI Magazine on 28 Sep 2004 Packing 120mph winds, Hurricane Jeanne came ashore at Stuart, Florida, last weekend, at almost exactly the same spot as Hurricane Frances a few weeks earlier.

The hurricane gives Florida the unfortunate distinction of being the first state since Texas in 1888 to have four named hurricanes hit its shores.

The fourth hurricane in six weeks shut down much of Florida, cutting electricity and phone lines to millions, and prompted recovery plans on a scale never before seen in the nation. The hurricane moved inland to Georgia, losing speed, and is expected to head north-northwest into North Carolina.

According to initial reports, marinas in Ft Pierce and further inland sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Jeanne. ‘What Hurricane Frances didn't destroy, Hurricane Jeanne did,’ said Frank Herhold, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

Photos in the Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel showed Ft Pierce marinas under water again and at least one marina in Pehokee, Florida, near Lake Okeechobee, was lost.

‘This is just devastating,’ said David Ray, executive direct of the Marine Industry Association of Florida, about the four hurricanes.

‘We don't know exactly how bad it's going to be, but I can say without question, that total losses to the marine industry will be in the billions.’

Ray said that beyond marinas being destroyed and boats lost, dealers across Florida have lost most of their sales season. ‘They aren't able to deliver new boats because you can't get insurance while a named storm is out there,’ he said. ‘But beyond that, nobody is even thinking about buying a new boat. Most dealerships have been bare of customers for weeks.’

In the meantime, he said, dealers are still responsible for inventory floor plans. ‘We hope the industry steps up to the plate until we can get back on our feet,’ he said. ‘We hope manufacturers will do something for Florida in regards to pricing, and hope the banks would waive interest charges.’

Ray sounded tired and wary on the phone. ‘Just one storm we could live with,’ he said. ‘But we're going to need the support of the industry to survive all four.’