Boats ride high after the storm

Tuesday night's storm, that dumped about 12 inches of rain in a short amount of time, left Destin's charter fleet riding a little high in their slips — but all is well.

"You could read all the names on the boats," said Capt. George Eller of the Checkmate 2 who was down at HarborWalk Thursday afternoon checking things out.

"They probably got within eight inches," of being even with the docks, he said.

"The water was nasty and the water coming down that drive looked like a waterfall," Eller said as he pointed to the driveway on the east end of the parking lot.

However Eller did say he expected a couple of giraffe's, two snakes and two aardvarks to start coming down the hill just any minute on Wednesday.

But by Thursday, the water had already receded about a foot and Eller said he has fishing trips on the books for Saturday and Sunday.

"We do the best we can with what we've got," he said.

Albie Wheeler, booking agent for New Florida Girl's American Spirit, said during the rain Wednesday morning his phone was ringing off the hook with people looking to go fishing.

The American Spirit had a six-hour trip ready to roll Friday.

"We're in full swing," Wheeler said.

Matt Borbely, who books for the Marler Fleet, said the water was mighty high at their end on Wednesday. He said the personal watercrafts were just about even with the docks. Thursday, the water was down about a foot and all was well.

Borbely said Capt. Greg Marler on the Gentle Winds was set to go on a 12-hour trip Friday.

Not only were the charter boats sitting high in the water but the pontoons as well.

John Stephen's of Luther's Pontoons said their fleet of 15 boats made it through the storm just fine.

"As long as you plan ahead, you're OK," Stephens said Thursday afternoon at the docks.

They had all the boats tied and secured. He said the water got within inches of coming over the docks.

"It's down about a foot today," Stephens said as he squatted down to show just high the water had pushed the boats up.

For the most part all is good on the waterfront, just riding a little high in the slips.

See you on the docks.