In a year when much of Florida’s coastline was ravaged by a historic and relentless hurricane season, leaving once glorious beachfront properties submerged beneath rising waters, one small slice of paradise, called Escape Resort and Marina, defied the odds.
The Escape Resort and Marina is located on the southern end of Casey Key, a narrow barrier island along Florida’s Gulf Coast, that is a hidden gem steeped in history and natural beauty. It’s located just south of Sarasota, where the eye of Hurricane Milton just landed, and Hurricane Helene just passed by.
During historic Hurricane Milton, on this narrow island, something extraordinary happened. While neighboring shores crumbled and tides rose higher than ever, this hidden retreat stood tall—literally. It was as if this part of the island possessed a secret, an almost unknown protective force that shielded it from nature’s wrath.
“Hurricanes Helene and Milton pushed a 5-6 foot wall of water onto Casey Key, flooding the island until it reached higher ground. Sometimes that means a barrier island, for a short time, will go completely under water” explained Ric Kearbey, a veteran meteorologist who has spent decades on television at stations like CBS in Tampa and NBC in St. Louis. “In some cases, that means the entire barrier island can be submerged temporarily, as the storm surge moves inland.”
Tall palms bent and waves surged, flooding nearby properties, in comparison barely touching the grounds of Escape Resort and Marina. On this small piece of paradise, where so many vacation dreams bring families lifelong memories, the impossible seemed to unfold. How is this possible? It’s quite an interesting story.
Nestled between the beach and the calm waters of the Intracoastal, Casey Key Road winds along the tropical barrier island, meandering from the Gulf of Mexico back to the bay and is often dusted with sand from the shore. It’s also home to celebrities, yet beloved by people from all walks of life who are drawn to its serene beauty and unique charm.
Also located on this road is Escape Resort and Marina, a place that has been remarkably protected from most hurricanes throughout its history. The secret to its resilience lies hidden in plain sight, on a small ridged section of Casey Key Island.
It’s something that might go unnoticed by a casual observer, but it may hold the key to this small section of the island’s extraordinary resilience. In that area lies a subtle 10-11foot ridge of land—modest and easily overlooked by those who pass by. Though it may not seem like much, this natural rise in the landscape seems to have quietly offered protection from the Gulf of Mexico’s powerful storms for nearly one hundred years. As a matter of fact, this ridge is surprisingly noted in the official United States FEMA maps as zone AE indicating the most nominal flood zone rating of a .02 chance of flooding in the FEMA 100-year flood maps!
Spanning about 400 feet in length, this protective stretch of higher land may seem insignificant to most, but it likely serves as a quiet, powerful defense. When storm waters surge, pushing relentlessly toward shore, the ridge absorbs and disperses the force of the waves, halting their momentum before they can breach further inland.
This specific part of Casey Key and the collection of quaint and boutique Florida resorts there, like Escape Resort and Marina which straddles a southernmost portion of that ridge of high land, remain once again spared from major destruction. This year, Hurricanes Helene and Milton once again devastated neighboring areas and barrier islands, while Escape Resort and Marina fared far better than so many other properties.
Sarasota County Official GIS Flood Map
While the ridge provides remarkable protection from the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the rear is shielded by mangroves on about a 500-foot-long elevated section of land that serves as a boat ramp and boaters parking area. This area absorbs developing wave action, redirecting the majority of any violently rising water away from the resort. In fact, during Hurricane Milton, Escape Resort and Marina’s 14 deep water boat slip marina remained completely unscathed.
Another piece of good fortune for Casey Key is the wide beach across the street. Spanning about 100-150 feet of sand to the water’s edge, the beach strategically features an area of sea oats and vegetation where the land meets the beach also playing a crucial role in protecting the coast against storm surge.
These plants help stabilize the sand, reducing erosion and maintaining the beach’s width. During storm events, the vegetation acts as a natural barrier, dissipating wave energy and minimizing the impact of storm surges on the coastal area. By absorbing some of the surge’s force, this vegetation helps safeguard both the natural environment and nearby properties, providing an essential line of defense against rising waters.
During back-to-back hurricanes with Helene and Milton, the resort only experienced minor water issues, and the marina held up against the storm’s strong winds like a fortress. In addition to multiple natural protections, the seven buildings on the property were reengineered and reinforced by the current owner who is also a licensed building
contractor and a leader in high-end construction. The owner spared no expense bringing the property up to, at minimum, a hurricane category 3 level. Each building on the property was reengineered and re-constructed to meet current required Florida hurricane building codes for the property. Concrete steel columns were added, new roofs were installed to include reengineered roof trusses, steel hurricane tie downs were added from foundation to roof, hurricane restraints and bridging was added as well as all new hurricane doors and windows with hurricane rated laminated glass. In fact, after only about a week of clean up, Escape Resort and Marina was ready to re-open to guests, just a little over a week after the impacts of hurricane Milton.
In a year marked by historic storms, Escape Resort and Marina has proven to be a remarkable sanctuary on Casey Key, demonstrating resilience against nature’s most powerful forces. This hidden gem not only boasts a rich history and natural beauty but also benefits from unique geographical features that have potentially safeguarded it from severe flooding.
As more people seek coastal retreats that can withstand the challenges posed by more frequent and powerful storms, this extraordinary property stands out as an oasis of tranquility.
For those interested in reserving a stay at beautiful Escape Resort and Marina, reservations can be made on their website at Escapecaseykey.com or by calling them direct at 941-218-3199. Broker Angelia Young, a Sarasota commercial property expert, has the property listed for sale. For more information on this property or regarding Sarasota real estate, you can reach Angelia at [email protected] or by calling 941-966-8889. Don’t miss your chance to own a profitable piece of paradise.
