As Hurricane Ian roared across Southwest Florida, it damaged homes, the Sanibel Causeway and some popular restaurants on the islands and nearby Fort Myers Beach.
Many on social media have been reaching out, wondering whether popular spots known worldwide for their chill island vibe survived the relentless wind, rain and storm surge Thursday afternoon.
Fans of the various Sanibel and Captiva restaurants began posting on social media before and during Ian, many hoping the businesses would pull through.
Here’s the latest on these popular places known for fine good, exotic cocktails and gentle Gulf breezes.
Live updates:Free food and water available at several sites throughout Lee County
Supplies update:What’s open and where to get what you need after Hurricane Ian
How to get help:How to get help in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lee County after Hurricane Ian’s destructive path
I-75 closure:I-75 closed in south Sarasota County because of flooding brought by Hurricane Ian
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille
Randy Wayne White, a best-selling author and a partner in Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille restaurants on Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach, can report both survived.
He said he and his wife, Wendy Webb, made it off Sanibel Island after riding out Ian for four hours Thursday.
“Some Navy SEALs picked us up off the beach,” he said Friday. “I went through Hurricane Charley in 2004 on my house on Pine Island. This one was worse. It lasted longer. The winds were extraordinary. My wife and I were absolutely safe in our house.”
He said both Doc Ford restaurants were damaged but are fixable. Doc Ford is the name of the popular character in his novels by him, Marion “Doc” Ford, a marine biologist and former CIA agent living and working in Southwest Florida.
White said the Sanibel restaurant sustained mostly mud and damage, while the Fort Myers Beach restaurant on San Carlos Island “did great.” Other nearby Fort Myers Beach businesses weren’t so fortunate, with storm surges pouring through its downtown streets and leveling many businesses and homes.
“We’ll be cleaned up and better than ever. That’s our plan as of now,” White said. “The restaurants have done great.”
He said he stayed on Sanibel after the storm to help neighbors, especially those in medical need, to evacuate.
“I was very happy to be there and help some neighbors who were in trouble,” he said. “That’s what we do.”
The Pecking Order Fried Chicken and Pies
Bridgit Stone said she and her husband, Dan, rode out Ian and survived along with their restaurant, The Pecking Order Fried Chicken and Pies.
Their restaurant, like some others on Sanibel and Captiva, found muddy sludge “coated on everything.”
The couple — she’s from Wisconsin, he’s from New Jersey and they met during Hurricane Charley — plan to clean the restaurant and throw out all the food.
“My plan is to at least stay until we can get the restaurant cleaned out and presentable,” she said from the island Friday. “If we do leave here, we don’t want to leave someone with a stinking mess.”
She said their three children evacuated to Miami and she, her husband and mom stayed as the hurricane brushed the shoreline and eventually made landfall just north of them, on Cayo Costa.
“The things that surprised everybody on this one is every hurricane we’ve had so far, including Charley, everybody always puts the fear of storm arising on us,” she said.
“Holy crap, the surge really came fast. Believe it or not, I napped whenever I could hoping it would be gone whenever I woke up. We sat on our front porch like we did for Irma.”
Bridgit Stone called Ian five times stronger than Charley, as they watched powerful winds roll in “and trees snap in front of you” Thursday.
“I know I could keep hearing tornadoes all around,” she added.
The Bubble Room
Aerial photos and video of Sanibel show that The Bubble Room appears intact.
Without seeing ground-level photos, it’s tough to determine the extent of damage to the colorful restaurant for locals and tourists, some referring to it as the “Beloved Bubble.”
“The Bubble Room still stands! A Captiva institution, many Shirley Temples and chicken fingers were consumed there by yours truly on family vacations in the late 80s through the early 2000s,” wrote Jenna Laine, who covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN, on her Twitter account @JennaLaineESPN.
“They survived Irma too. Godspeed.”
Mucky Duck
Down the street from The Bubble Room, the Mucky Duck on Andy Rosse Land and on the Gulf, took a hit from the hurricane but the exterior appears intact.
Opened in 1976, the restaurant has long been a popular spot for downing cocktails and watching sunsets outside on picnic tables.
Doc’s Beach House
Anyone who travels west along Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs knows where the road curves northward. And right there, standing out in vibrant colors stood the two-story Doc’s Beach House.
You could enjoy a meal and drinks and even rent a personal watercraft. Sadly, Ian wiped out the restaurant. Photos show the building intact but the inside completely gutted.
Doc’s Beach House on its Facebook posted a photo looking out from inside the skeletal remains of the restaurant, looked toward the Gulf with a message: “Sunset felt a little different tonight. Thank you everyone for the overwhelming love and support! We will be back soon!!!”
Status of other Sanibel, Captiva nearby restaurants
Other popular restaurants that appeared to have survived, at least from the outside, include: Keylime Bistro, Green Flash, RC Otter’s and Sunset Grill.
Restaurants that look destroyed or heavily damaged include the Blue Dog Bar & Grill on Matlacha and The Mad Hatter Restaurant and Lazy Flamingo on Sanibel.
Restaurants along Periwinkle Way on Sanibel especially were hit hard, as storm surges gushed through the main thoroughfare. Other restaurants along Periwinkle include the Sanibel Fish House, Schnappers Hots, The Whale, Sanibel Cafe, The Clam Shack, Salty Crab Bar & Grill, Cafe Bar @ Bailey’s and many others.
What’s next for island restaurants
Ultimately, restaurant owners will have to decide whether to rebuild, Bridgit Stone said. With no main access point because Ian destroyed the Sanibel Causeway, it may not be practical to keep a business going.
“We know that we have to leave eventually,” she said. “My husband is in construction and he can’t even get supplies.”
She said she could “make it happen” if food vendors could resupply her by boat. But even after they restore the restaurant and make it customer-ready, she’s unsure that island officials would let her reopen in the near future.
Sanibel is a special place, she said, one that would be tough to bid farewell.
“The weather is perfect, the nighttimes are quiet.”
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter and on Twitter @NDN_dosborn.
www.news-press.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism