BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys

I GUESS IT’S COMING UP ON A YEAR NOW AND THE MEMORY OF DRIVING DOWN MY STREET THE MORNING AFTER HURRICANE IRMA HIT THE FLORIDA KEYS STILL STICKS VERY CLOSELY IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

A neighborhood that was once canopied by beautiful 50-year-old shade trees was now ripped open, brightened with contrast and covered in debris so bad that we had to chainsaw our way down the street and back into our driveway. The most immediate need was for generators and chainsaws, food and water was next, and then finally getting cell service and power back 5 days later.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 3 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: Debris is seen following powerfull Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 4 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: People create signs following powerfull Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

BEING A JOURNALIST I WAS NOT ONLY OBSERVANT ABOUT HOW THE AREA LOOKED PRIOR TO THE STORM,

but I captured the before as well as the after reporting all that I saw to Getty Images every step of the way. The before pictures convey the story just as strongly as the after shots. I shot drone footage of the traffic patterns heading out of The Keys that were used by Google maps during the evacuation of the Lower Keys.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 5 — ISLAMORADA, FL – SEPTEMBER 07: Huuricane Irma, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic , aims for the Florida Coast. The second major hurricane to hit the United Statesin under a month puts the East Coast on the front lines of sea level rise and extreme weather hightened by climate change. (Photo by Marc Serota/Greanpeace)

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 6 — KEY LARGO, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: Boats that cannot be evacuated are tide off in canals to shield them from the storm in Key Largo on September 8, 2017. The entire Florida Keys are under a mandatory evacuation notice as Hurricane Irma approaches the low lining chain of islands south of Miami. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

LEADING UP TO THE STORM, I PHOTOGRAPHED EVERYTHING FROM PEOPLE BOARDING UP THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES, TO BOATS BEING TIED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF CANALS TO KEEP THEM AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

I made sure to photograph many of the antique classic hotel and restaurant signs highlighting them in their glory days feeling that they might not be there after the storm.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 7 — ISLAMORADA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: Iconic Hotels,Restuarants, Marina’s and building sit vacant and boarded up in the Florida Keys on September 8, 2017. The entire Florida Keys are under a mandetory evacuation notice as Hurrice Irma approachs the low lining chain of islands south of Miami. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 8 — ISLAMORADA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: Iconic Hotels,Restuarants, Marina’s and building sit vacant and boarded up in the Florida Keys on September 8, 2017. The entire Florida Keys are under a mandetory evacuation notice as Hurrice Irma approachs the low lining chain of islands south of Miami. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

AFTER THE STORM THE DEVASTATION WAS EVERYWHERE.

There was debris piled up on the side of the road along with seaweed, boats, jet skis, coolers, and ever type of appliance along the tree lines. It looked like a junkyard in a war zone.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 9 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: Boats and debris are seen following powerfull Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

They were iconic images in every direction such as the 70-foot sailboat that ran aground in ocean front backyards which is still there today, and the subject of a lawsuit over who’s responsible.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 11 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: People view debris following powerful Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

THERE IS WHAT LOCALS ARE CALLING “THE SUNKEN HOUSE”

which is an entire two-story home sunk into the ground in the Lower Keys along the Atlantic coast line. This backdrop was used by many of the news agencies that descended into the Florida Keys in the aftermath of hurricane Irma. I happened to be there when the family that used to live there returned to survey the damage. Today, the home remains un-touched, condemned, and the subject of a large insurance dispute.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 12 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: People view debris following powerful Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

OF COURSE, THE HARDEST HITS WERE THE HOMES ALONG THE SHORELINE AND ESPECIALLY MOBILE HOMES AND TRAILERS.

Most of the communities were devastated to the point of no return and many of those people have had to relocate to other states.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 14 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: Debris is seen following powerful Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

THEY HAVE CLEANED UP MOST OF THE MOUNTAINS OF DEBRIS WE CALLED “MOUNT IRMA’S” THAT WERE PILED UP FOLLOWING THE STORM,

but clean up crews are only now starting to clean out the hardest hit canals and waterways. Canals in Marathon Key were filled so high with sunken debris from in-tact Winnebago’s, trailers, and entire motorhomes immersed right below the roofline, that you could walk across them and not get your feet wet.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 16 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

THERE WERE SO MANY FLOODED HOMES AND DESTROYED CONTENTS THAT ONE PART OF ISLAMORADA A HALF MILE STRETCH OF ROAD BECAME KNOWN AS “APPLIANCE ALLEY.”

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of washers and dryers, barbecue grills and smokers, refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers, bait freezers, microwave ovens, and anything else that had to be disposed of in a professional manner lined up on the side of the road.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 17 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE MY INITIAL FEELING UPON FINDING MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERMATH OF THIS DEVASTATING STORM WAS THAT MY SIGHT, MY SMELL, AND MY HEARING WERE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN OVERNIGHT.

The once quiet and peaceful island became abrupt and loud with chainsaws, sirens, and helicopters overhead. The once clean, fresh, and pristine ocean air was filled with the smell of dead fish and animals as well as garbage and rotting food. My incredible sunrise and sunset views turned into war zone type areas along the side of the road and the oceans filled with sunken boats and debris. The once prevalent taste of the freshest seafood in the world turned into Bob’s burgers, canned food, and hotdogs on the grill. We are back to about 85% of where we were a year ago with hotels and restaurants that have re-opened, but our biggest industry, sport fishing and diving, is still hurting with the hotel rooms having been down for so long. No heads in bed = no tourists and no fishing and diving charters.

BLACKRAPID Guest Post by Marc Serota | Photographing Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys 18 — TAVERNIER, FL – SEPTEMBER 12: Boats and debris are seen following powerful Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Tavernier, Florida in the Florida Keys. Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 Sunday, swelling waterways an estimated 10-15 feet, according to published reports. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

WE ARE NOT WORRIED THOUGH, OUR COMMUNITY REMAINS “KEYS STRONG.”

Marc Serota is an award-winning photographer, videographer, and Founder PolaroidUniversity.com. Find out more about him on his website www.marcserota.com, and be sure to follow him on Instagram @marcserotaphoto and Facebook Marc Serota.