Hurricane Michael 2018
On October 10, 2018, the Florida Panhandle was ravaged by a catastrophic storm. Category 5 Hurricane Michael leveled communities and forever changed the landscape of our region.
In the days after the storm, our members and volunteers were digging their way out of the rubble of their own homes and neighborhoods. When they finally reached the marina, they discovered that the Governor Stone was no longer in her slip. Marinas across the area were destroyed or severely damaged.
Our beloved schooner was found capsized, demasted, and badly beaten near where she once rested. Her debris field stretched along the seawall. It was another devastating blow in a week filled with heartbreak.
With heavy hearts, we announced that she had been located and that the damage was considered a catastrophic total constructive loss.
But that was not the end of her story.
Our members, volunteers, and community quickly rallied around the Governor Stone and made a promise: she would sail again.
This historic schooner, a 146-year-old National Historic Landmark at the time of the storm, represents the fortitude shared by Gulf Coast communities. She embodies the grace, resilience, and enduring spirit of the waters and the people who love her.
Shortly after cleanup began, our Board of Directors worked diligently with FEMA and the Florida State Historic Preservation Office to secure funding for her rebuild. Meanwhile, volunteers returned to local farmers markets and community events, sharing her history, explaining the need for salvage and restoration, and raising funds to help offset rebuilding costs.
We have been battered and bruised — but we are far from broken.