TAKE A HIKE, IKE! Hurricane season fatigue setting in as storm looms

So far, the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village has lived up to its name with hurricanes, but Destin fishermen constantly worry about when this fortune may run out.

“We are just beat from Gustav,” said Mike Graef, captain of the Huntress. “But I guess it comes with the territory.”

Anglers have plenty of preparation that goes into a storm, much like any other industry in the area. This cat-and-mouse game tends to be tedious as every wobble an approaching storm makes could mean different provisions or levels of preparedness.

It seems like the Atlantic and Caribbean have been spacing storms perfectly so that we are always waiting for the one that will head our way.

Fay was the lighter, fickle storm that didn’t cause much damage and always kept forecasters guessing. Gustav was the monster that grazed Destin. Now Category 4 Ike looms, leaving Destinites glued to weather reports. The latest forecast track puts the Florida Panhandle in the center of the cone of uncertainty.

Different projections mean that captains must prepare their vessels in different ways. One set of conditions could have a boat with a few extra lines tied in its slip. Another set could move a boat to Choctawhatchee Bay for protection. Or a boat could bug out into the Gulf, keeping as far away from the storm as possible.

“The Weather Channel just scares the bejesus out of everyone,” said Graef.

Over the holiday weekend, there were rough conditions in the Gulf, keeping many of the Destin charter boats in their slips.

But those who have stayed in Destin from the New Orleans area have picked up the business slack as they wait for power to return to their homes. Some areas have a four to six week wait before their power is turned back on.

“I’m just sick of it,” said another Destin captain who wouldn’t reveal his name. “I’ve worked all over Florida, and I’ve always had to deal with it. Maybe I’ll move to San Diego.”