Sanibel and Captiva islands continue recovering from Ian

Weeks after Hurricane Ian, people are still in shock over the enormous damage on Sanibel and Captiva islands.

Some of the most beloved, classic, and treasured spots, like the lighthouse, took the brunt of Ian’s force.

Mark Delagado is one of the people that is lending a helping hand to the area and assisting in the cleanup.

“Thank goodness, the lighthouse stood, so that was durable. But everything in that whole area seems to be totally destroyed,” Delgado said.

The former red hue emitted from the lighthouse that so many loved has shifted to look rustier. The buildings that once stood strong alongside the lighthouse lay in ruins.

But the posts that held up the lighthouse withstood the massive force of nature and resolutely stood their ground.

WINK News asked Delgado the difference between how the area looked before and how it looked on Friday.

“It’s night and day. You know you had picturesque buildings and scenery and vegetation. Now it’s just desolate. It looks like a bomb went off,” Delgado said.

The Sanibel Causeway is one example Delgado’s learned from. From being ripped off the core lowlands to Friday, where it’s possible to cross over from the mainland.

“It’s kind of cool to see the roads because he just knew you saw the pre-stuff before you got here and then just seeing all of the work and everything that’s been put in to really try and get it to where people can put their houses in their homes all back together again,” Delgado said.

While some stages of recovery do seem to be going faster than others, the debris that lines the streets isn’t all that’s piled high.

“We had a massive blizzard here of sand, and that’s what it looks like. we have four or five-foot piles of sand on each side of the road,” Delgado said.

The debris trucks are in the area picking up the scraps and pieces on the Island. What’s next is a stronger and better favorite island stop.

“Keep up the faith, God’s good, and he’ll take care, he’ll provide, and get this place looking like it should again,” Delgado said. “It’ll be a little bit different, a lot newer. A lot fresher. And maybe that’s a great thing.”