Tropical Storm Gordon soaked much of Southwest Florida on Monday, including Marco Island - which was hit hard by Hurricane Irma almost a year earlier.
Gordon brought periods of heavy rain and wind gusts to the island community throughout the Labor Day holiday. While Marco Island's streets have flooded in past heavy rains, flooding on the roadways from the tropical storm was minimal. Islanders and visitors alike seemed to take the wet and windy day in stride.
"We see a lot of weird weather in New England, but we enjoy a rainstorm every now and then," said Brad Nelson, visiting with his family Rhode Island. "We get five to six feet of snow every winter, so this is nothing. We actually enjoy it."
As Gordon churned up the waves coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, several skim-boarders took advantage of it to have some fun in the heavy surf.
While the rainy, gusty weather kept the beaches mostly empty, John Tolliver wasn't about to let Gordon interfere with his stroll on the beach.
"If I sit still on the couch, it drives me nuts," said Tolliver, who has lived on Marco Island for more than twenty years. "It's a great day to get exercise, as far as I'm concerned."
Tolliver said he just completed repairs to his home's roof a few weeks ago, after it was damaged by Hurricane Irma last year. A number of homes on the island - and throughout Southwest Florida - still have only blue tarps on their roofs as the only protection from rain.
Gordon is expected to gain strength as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf, on its way to states along the Gulf's northern coast.
