Waiting for the Storm

Well, here we are waiting for Tropical Storm Isaac to either pass us by, turn into a Hurricane, or turn inland and come ashore in Naples.  Living in Naples Florida, one of the many things that worry many homeowners moving to Naples, or thinking of purchasing a winter vacation home in Naples is the threat of hurricanes during the rainy season.  I have to admit, when I first moved here over 15 years ago,  I too, was concerned about the possibility of hurricanes,  I remember my very first hurricane,  I also remember how very calm my Floridian neighbors and friends were, they had been through this a few times, they all had their stories,  but the most reassuring thing was, no one was panicking!

 The USA has its share of wild and dangerous weather and natural catastrophes, from the always present threat of an earthquake in California, the ice storms and freezing weather that occurs every year in the North of America, to the towns that lie along the unpredictable Tornado alley across Texas and the lower states.  By comparison, hurricanes in Florida are actually quite obliging, they at least give us plenty of warning and time to make our own decisions where we would like to be should a hurricane threaten to come to our shores.  Years ago, there was no Doppler radar, no satellites watching us from outer space, no weather channel alerting us every five minutes sending texts to our mobile phones showing us exactly where the hurricane path is expected to go.  Of all the natural disasters that may occur, the one where we at least get some warning and the chance, if we decide to take it, to get out of harm's way by driving in the opposite direction, is the hurricane.

So with this in mind, I sit here today knowing that I made my own decision  to stay and watch Tropical Storm Isaac make its way across the open waters towards the east of Naples,  others put up their  hurricane shutters and left town, but the vast majority of us just put away our garden furniture, stocked up on gas and water and planned to have a couple of days at home watching good movies.   We are lucky here, we have a road system that allows us to leave, less lucky are the inhabitants of the islands that sit to the south of us, it's not so easy for them to escape a hurricane's wrath.   But to all of you out there who are thinking of buying a vacation home in Naples Florida, don't let the threat of a hurricane, which may never happen, stop you from moving here and enjoying, one of the best places to live in the USA.

By Joe Epifanio