How High's The Water

It was a warm and sunny afternoon in April. We knew our rainy season was approaching but it wasn’t here yet. At least, not according to the meteorologists. Florida’s rainy season is supposed to begin June first of each year and just like our hurricane season, end on November first of each year. A meteorologist will also predict our water levels.

So, then, in April of 2012, we were surprised to see the water in our canal start to rise.

There was no storm in the area, no rain clouds were present, just a gentle breeze was blowing, and no high tide predictions had been announced. Yet, the water continued to rise.

Under normal circumstances, our water can rise just over our docks which usually sit approximately two feet below the top of the seawall. The seawall capping is about twelve inches high. While it can happen, it’s still unusual for the water to get as high as six inches below the top of the capping. It’s even more rare for the water to rise higher than that.

Yet, there we were in the middle of April and the water was already reaching the bottom of the capping. There were no waves, no wind, no storms – just a steady rising of water. This was much higher than our usual seasonal high tide.

I ventured out with my camera and snapped the photo. Not wanting to step down on the dock (yes, we have alligators and sharks that swim in our canals), I could only get a picture from one angle but by this time, the water had reached the middle of the seawall capping. A few more inches and would be over the capping and on the backyard grass.

Looking across the canal, I noticed the water was already over the seawall of my neighbors. It was now just a matter of time until the water level rose over ours. There was nothing to be done but watch the rise of the water. At this point, I began to wonder just how high the water would go.

There was no rushing surge, no indication that the water was rising. It was as though the ground was slowly but surely sinking into the water. All that could be seen was a slow but steady rise of the brackish water that seemed to hardly move. As I said, it seemed more like the ground was sinking rather than the water rising. You could see the slightest ripple in the water, but it wasn’t even as rough as the water you’d see forming in the tub as you filled it for a bath.

At this point, I knew enough not to hang around in the backyard watching the inevitable. I could do that from my lanai which is exactly what I did. As I said, in addition to the fish that have taken up residence in the canal, we also have the alligators and sharks that venture in looking for their next meal. I didn’t want to take the chance and tempt fate that I might become that meal.

I’d seen my share of the water rise over our dock, but this was my first experience with the water over the seawall and yes, I was worried. My husband was out of town for a few days which meant that securing the house for what might be a flood was up to me.

Where to begin? Oh my! I began with the closest to the water. Anything in the backyard that could float, was moved to the garage. Anything on the lanai that could float, I moved inside. Anything inside the house that might get ruined by the salt water, I pushed as far as I could across the rooms to the far wall. All that was left to do was wait and see what happened.

It seemed to take hours for the water to reach its final height which ended up being about three feet onto our backyard grass where it sat for about an hour before slowly starting to recede.

As time passed, the sky was beginning to darken, and the sun slowly descended behind the horizon. However, I still had work to do.

As the water kept receding, I pushed the indoor furniture back to its normal position, then did the same to the lanai furniture. By the time that task was completed, and the hours had passed, the water level was just about back to its normal height. I grabbed a hose and began hosing the salt water off the grass. After moving all the furniture and yard decorations, the last thing I wanted to face in the morning’s light was grass burned by salt water.

Finally, the job was done! I was exhausted but glad there was no damage. That was the first and last time I’ve ever seen the water so high. With all the hurricanes that have blown through here, the water has never risen that high again.

The following two days, did, however, bring in a few extra alligators looking for food. Those of us who had small pets were more conscientious of these predators and more cautious of letting our pets roam the backyards.

Within a week, all was back to normal. The water level wasn’t rising higher that it should, the grass was growing beautifully thick and green, the alligators must have realized that their lunches also moved to other locations, and the sun still rose and set in the Florida sky – just as if nothing unusual every happened.

While there was, thankfully, no damage, this incident does give us one heck of a story to tell.

Ah, mother nature! You just never knew what she’ll do next.