Port Royal Residents Face the Wrath of Tropical Storm Helene
As the winds of Tropical Storm Helene began howling through Port Royal, the once peaceful town of 16,000 residents found itself grappling with the unexpected consequences of nature’s fury. Expected to hit Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday, Helene stirred a tropical storm watch across the Lowcountry, leaving many residents bracing for the unpredictable.
A Frothy Welcome
At precisely 2:45 a.m. Friday, local resident Mark Sutton experienced a rude awakening. “I heard a loud bang,” he recalled, “and within seconds, the winds from Helene were roaring outside.” Amidst the chaos, a 60-foot pine tree met its unfortunate end on Sutton’s property, crashing into his utility shed and leaving it in total disarray. “It got clobbered,” he remarked, sharing that his shed, measuring 12-by-24 feet, now lies in ruins.
However, not all news is gloomy. Sutton discovered that the fallen pine housed a bustling hive of honey bees. “This big pine, it turns out, was filled with thousands of honey bees,” he said, a mix of astonishment and concern in his voice. His twin brother, Mike Sutton, is now on a mission to contact a beekeeper in hopes of rescuing the buzzing inhabitants and collecting their sweet honey. “If they can get the queen, they can lure the rest to the box and relocate them,” said Mark. As of late Friday afternoon, the bees remained close to their toppled nest, creating a small spectacle for the scene.
The Storm’s Fury
“It was actually pretty scary,” remarked Mark, who has weathered many storms throughout his life in the area. He estimated that winds were gusting over 65 mph as Helene swept through. The high winds didn’t stop at just his utility shed; they also snapped off a cherry tree in his backyard. “It snapped off up high, like severe wind would do,” he added, noting that perhaps a weakness within the pine tree was a factor in its downfall.
The aftermath of the storm painted a picture of destruction throughout Port Royal and Beaufort. Numerous downed trees littered the landscape, while the waterfronts of both communities faced severe damage. A section of the boardwalk in Port Royal floated away, and several boats moored at the Beaufort marina found themselves stranded on the shores of the Beaufort River.
A Close Call
Fortunately for Mark Sutton, the tree fell just shy of his new house at 1703 Edinburgh Ave. “It missed my house by about 20 feet,” he noted, highlighting a silver lining amidst the wreckage. Although his utility shed was laid to waste, the leather couch and chair he had inside survived the storm unscathed. “It wasn’t even in its final location before the tree squished it like a bug,” he said with a resigned chuckle.
As port residents come to terms with the impacts of Helene, it’s clear the storm will be remembered not only for its force but also for the small silver linings—like the potential for honeybees to relocate and thrive. Mark Sutton’s experience stands as a testament to the unexpected ways nature can affect our lives, often leaving behind stories to tell in the midst of the wreckage.
With cleanup efforts underway, many are left pondering the resilience of their community, while eyes remain peeled to the sky, always watching for the next twist Mother Nature might throw their way. “I’ve been through countless hurricanes and tropical storms,” Mark reflected, “but Helene definitely rattled me.”
A Community Rallying Together
In the coming days, residents will undoubtedly share in the clean-up process as they restore their homes and businesses while possibly saving some of the storm’s unexpected treasures, like a honeycomb filled with golden nectar. It’s moments like these that bring neighbors closer together, demonstrating the strength of community when faced with the unpredictable forces of nature.
