Tropical Storm Debby in Gulfport: Community Prevails

a sailboat torn up and washed ashore by williams pier from tropical storm debby in gulfport — In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby in Gulfport, Gulfport’s boaters pulled together to help each other.
*Photo by Cathy Salustri*

For some of us, Tropical Storm Debby was a reason to order pizza and chill on the couch.

For others, it was a tragedy. One Gulfportian lost his life during the storm.

But at its core, Gulfport remained… Gulfport.

The saltwater-soaked streets, broken piers, and boats on shore — by the City’s count, 12 on the shoreline and more casualties in the bay — only tell part of the story. The other part of the story — the better part — comes from the people.

Tropical Storm Debby Gulfport

As the television stations positioned their on-air talent to get the best shots of the storm (and, some would suggest, the best ratings), Gulfportians gathered along the beach. Word spread quickly along Gulfportians: Some boaters were missing. Cameron, Patrick, and I started talking to people at the water’s edge. We asked questions: How many people? Had anyone called 911 to report the boaters missing? Yes, but they received a frustrating answer: No first responders would help until the storm passed.

Back in the office, we made some calls. We asked Gulfport Police Commander Joshua Stone and Gulfport Fire Chief René Fernandez to explain why there was no search for the missing boaters. This was their chilling response: They didn’t know about it. Later, the fire chief said he suspected the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office fielded the call because they had the boat best suited to brave the elements. If that’s the case, PCSO did not communicate the information to any of Gulfport’s public safety offices.

boats washed ashore in Gulfport. — When we asked Gulfport Police Commander Joshua Stone and Gulfport Fire Chief René Fernandez to explain why there was no search for the missing boaters. They said they didn’t know about it.
*Photo by Cathy Salustri*

Once the agencies knew, both Fernandez and Stone — and first responders from both agencies — arrived on site. They were, however, trapped on land. Gulfport PD cannot launch their boat during a weather event of any sort. And while every Gulfport firefighter, paramedic and EMT has their lifeguard certification, GFD does not have a trained dive team. It relies on St. Petersburg Fire Department’s dive team, and they were not available to help.

Sailors and boat captains are not known for their tendency to wait around for help. In between bands of rain, they waded to the boats nearshore and took their dinghies to the boats they could reach, searching for anyone who might be stranded, hurt, or worse.

Dr. Sean Buckmaster, a resident of Gulfport, spent time organizing clean up and searches for missing people.

“We need help from the community. There’s not enough eyes on the water,” said Buckmaster. “You have pirates calling for more police. There’s no presence on the water from officials. Even though they live on the water, these boaters live in Gulfport… They’re part of the community, and we need the community to treat them as part of the community.”

Gulfportians Helping Gulfportians

a man in a tie-dye tank top on a dinghy — Ryan Newkirk rescued stranded boaters.
*Photo by Cathy Salustri*

Monday morning, boat delivery captain Ryan Newkirk took it upon himself to brave the waters the police could not. He took his dinghy and went from boat to boat, looking for anyone stranded.

“He’s been an incredible help,” Fernandez said as Newkirk brought two more stranded boaters to Veterans Park shortly before 5 p.m. Around 9:30 a.m., Newkirk visited Brian Clough’s boat. He did not see Clough, but his white Pomeranian mix, Daisy, was aboard. He brought her ashore to Clough’s friends.

Boaters weren’t the only ones who stepped in to help; one woman made breakfast burritos and handed them out to anyone who was hungry. Another Gulfportian kept the coffee coming. North End Taphouse and Kitchen owner Kelly Wright, who, along with Bill Hancock, helped rescue boaters the night before, kept the Taphouse kitchen closed but brought food to the beach for any boaters needing a hot meal.

“I came out last night to look for my friend stranded on their boat. I saw someone in the water and swam out to check on them, but they were just going to their boat. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but I’m a strong swimmer,” said Wright. “After that I saw the boats by the rec center, and I probably wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t help. I’ve lived here for a long time. I’ve never in my life seen this destruction. A lot of these boats were properly anchored. It’s not about that, it’s about helping the people affected by this.”

And, when they could, boaters — not public safety officers — waded to Brian Clough’s partially submerged boat, where they found him. He did not survive the storm.

While there’s a time and place to discuss whether or not the boats should have been anchored in Boca Ciega Bay, who pays for the cleanup, and how to prevent it happening again, it’s not in Gulfport, not today. Today, let’s take a moment to remember why we live here. For many of us, it’s not only the water or the weather — it’s the people.

We’re the calm during the storm. No hype, only help!

Bookmark The Gabber Newspaper’s storm coverage page for quick access to relevant tropical storm updates. No hype, no guessing, just updates on shelters, sandbags, and closures. And sign up for text alerts to get real-time guidance and prep advice when there’s a named storm heading our way. Also, check out our downtown Gulfport and beach web cams.