When you can't get information in the information era

The two days after Irma struck the keys were very nervewracking for us.  Thanks to ingenuity, SAT phones, cludged together land lines and one intrepid radio station information started trickling out.

Key Westers stated: We are fine, we've survived.  Lots of trees down, a few demolished houses and the mooring field took a hit.

In the meantime, the media and statements by our own government kept trying to paint a drastically different picture. DoD said all remaining Keys citizens will have to evacuate (like to see that go down).  FEMA said 90% of all Keys homes were destroyed.  Not. True.  Was there a presidential mandate that everything has to be posted in untrue superlatives?

Tuesday morning the notice goes out:  NOAA/NGS has released the photo aerial map of the Key West area.  I took a deep breath and started searching for Elysium.

THERE SHE WAS! FLOATING. MAST INTACT.

I let out a war whoop, scaring the hell out of Tim who was still asleep.

She was a little crooked in her slip, we could tell a piling was in bad shape, but all her lines still looked attached.  OMG OMG OMG.  Still didn't know things like, is the bilge going off, are the salon windows intact?  I pointed out that if they were broken we'd be seeing the white of the headsail in the salon where we put it.

All in all the marina looked to be in good shape.

But our baby was there--like a boss!

Now the wait starts until they allow us to go back to the Keys. Road block in effect to further notice.