CABBAGE KEY, Fla. (WBBH) – Matlacha and Pine Island were cut off from the mainland for days after Hurricane Ian destroyed parts of Pine Island Road. The storm also washed out parts of the Sanibel Causeway, making it impossible to drive there for weeks.

But there are small islands in Southwest Florida that never have road access – storm or no storm. NBC2 hit the water to see how those areas are doing six months after Ian. 

CABBAGE KEY: ‘LOOKS ALMOST THE SAME AS IT DID BEFORE’ 

After leaving Captiva by boat, our first stop is Cabbage Key, where things look good six months after Ian.

The 100-acre island got quite a haircut, Ken Wells joked, but is otherwise in decent shape. 

“It looks almost the same as it did before the storm,” he explained. 

Wells’ family owns Cabbage Key and what’s on the island. He showed us the restaurant and its famous dollar bill bar, which somehow kept nearly all the bills that cover its walls. 

“As far as the room – nothing changed at all,” he said. “How these dollars all stayed in here – I have no idea.”

Hurricane Ian’s eye went right over the island. It was spared the massive storm surge seen further south but not spared strong winds.

And yet – the gusts weren’t strong enough to take down the iconic water tower.

“This is how we get all our water for the island, from the well. Pumps up into this holding tank above our heads,” Wells explained atop the water tower. “It’s really important.”

While the gopher tortoises on Cabbage Key may move slowly, work crews there are anything but that – moving fast to get this piece of Old Florida back up and running. 

Rental cottages are fixed and open, and most importantly, the docks are fixed too. Business is still quieter than usual, but they’re hoping that changes soon. 

“We’re just glad to be here and lucky to be able to do what we do. We’ve been doing it for so long,” Wells said. “I just want people to know we’re open. We’re here. Love to have ’em out here.” 

CAYO COSTA: STATE PARK STILL CLOSED 

From there, we head north and west to Cayo Costa. The docks at the entrance to the state park are destroyed and still haven’t been replaced.

A spokesperson for the state park told NBC2 that the park’s beaches, trees and buildings all suffered in the storm. Six months later, the park is still closed to visitors. It’s not yet clear when it might reopen. 

“Evaluations are ongoing to determine the scope and timeline for restoring damaged structures and reopening the park. The department is committed to getting these repairs completed as expeditiously as possible,” a spokesperson said in an email to NBC2. “We are also evaluating opportunities to safely allow access to certain amenities while repairs are ongoing. Updates will be posted on the park’s webpage as they become available.”

NORTH CAPTIVA: ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS’

We then navigate back south, gliding over smooth water and eventually to the north side of North Captiva, which also saw the eye of Ian. 

“It was weird, I mean, we just got slammed for several hours and then the sun was shining,” Duncan Rosen recalled. “And I took all 2 hours just to get my house repaired and get ready for the backside of the storm – which was much worse.”

Rosen is among those who stayed during the storm – one of just 34 people on North Captiva who did. 

He’s in the minority in that he lives here year-round. Most of the island is made up of vacation rentals. 

“I’d say half of them were gutted – at least,” Rosen said. “So out of my network of houses, probably half were gutted.”

Rosen manages 60 or so rentals for Tortuga Properties. Some are available again, but most are still not yet ready. As for food, two of the four restaurants on the island are back. 

“I’d say we’re about a quarter – so about 25% – of normal business,” he explained. 

North Captiva is accessible only by air or by boat, so cleanup is trickier here. All the debris has to be barged off the island. It could be months still before it’s all gone.

And yet, Rosen said they’ve recovered quicker than he thought possible. He’s optimistic, no matter how far away ‘normal’ may feel. 

“I would say North Captiva is open for business. That’s definitely the theme,” he said. “And it’s not only open for business. The beaches look better than, honestly, they ever have looked.” 

ISLAND GUIDE: SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES 

As we head back to Captiva – and back to paved roads – we end our day talking with our island guide, Captain Brian Holaway. 

“It’s gonna take a while, but the places that are open need the business,” he explained. 

Holaway has guided people around these islands for nearly 30 years. For him, no matter how strong the storm may be, one thing will always remain. 

“The beauty’s still there,” he said. “We have mangroves coming back, buttonwoods. Botany is coming back. The bird life is back. Dolphins, manatees. So you know, it still is a beautiful place.”

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