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The Barrier Islands Parks Society (BIPS) reported damage from Hurricane Helene, which struck the island on September 26, 2024. BIPS, a non-profit organization, manages several properties, including the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum, the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, and the Amory Memorial Chapel. The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum’s steps were partially buried by a sand dune. Although a structural engineer will be hired for a formal assessment, initial evaluations suggest that the structure is intact. Similarly, the Gasparilla Island Light (Range Light) will undergo a site inspection but appears to have escaped damage.
However, the Amory Memorial Chapel sustained significant damage and is currently buried under six feet of sand. It will need to be dug out by hand before a structural engineer can assess the full extent of the damage.
BIPS had only just regained access to its offices in February 2024 after suffering damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022. Unfortunately, they have once again lost everything in their office, except for their personal laptops.
Just weeks later, in October, the area was hit by Hurricane Milton. At the time of reporting, we were still awaiting updates on any additional damage.
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2024 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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