Gulfport boaters say 'everything was taken' after Debby leaves behind damage
GULFPORT, Fla. - When Tropical Storm Debby brought strong winds, whipping rain and rocky seas, it damaged part of the Gulfport boating community. A view from Sky FOX showed boats slammed into each other, and others on land.
Nearly two dozen boats were pushed ashore in Gulfport as the storm ripped through the Tampa Bay area. Ten were a total loss, and many were houseboats where families lost everything.
"If you’re on anchor, and you start to slide, you’re kind of at the hands of God… if the wind kicks up, it's gonna pull you," said Captain Ryan Newkirk. His partner Ashley adding, "when everything is taken from you… it’s been really hard."
They said FEMA isn’t getting enough help out to boaters in the area. Greg Kasal also lives on his boat, and his home no longer floats.
"My line finally broke, which was probably a little bit of a savior for my life, because it was very scary with big masks coming down. I sailed into shore and hit shore really hard, I got a hole in the bottom of my boat, my boat is a total loss," said Kasal.
He said towing companies won’t come get his boat because of FEMA processes either.
"I’m not able to get my boat fixed or pulled off, I have to hope, to wait for FEMA, or sign all of my belongings and home over to the county. They will take it, and I'll have nothing," said Kasal. "There’s a lot of people who have lost their home, they’ve lost almost everything. At this point, it's help your neighbor. I'm alive, and I can deal with my boat later."
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