Orange Beach came through Hurricane Isaias with downed trees and scattered debris but no reported injuries, and by midday Saturday one of the city’s best-known landmarks was already pouring drinks again. City leaders said they were grateful their community was spared the worst of the storm, while the Flora-Bama Lounge reopened at noon Saturday, Oct. 10, with a message of support for neighbors who were not so fortunate.
Isaias crossed the coast as a Category 2 hurricane Friday evening, Oct. 9, near Destin, Fla., putting Orange Beach on the storm’s western side. Communities to the east, including nearby Escambia County, Fla., took a much harder hit.
Crews worked through the night
Orange Beach officials watched Isaias closely as it rolled ashore. City Administrator Ford Handley said city crews worked through the night to clear debris and that no injuries were reported in the city.
“We had some trees down across the road but our crews were out there last night and have gotten the roads clear and we’re now in the process of cleaning up various debris,” Handley said.
The city’s quick work meant main roads were passable by Saturday morning, as Orange Beach, like neighboring Gulf Shores, saw its overnight curfew expire at 7 a.m. and its bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway reopen to traffic. Later Saturday, Gov. Kay Ivey lifted the mandatory evacuation order for coastal visitors, clearing the way for tourists to return.
‘Our little piece of paradise’
In a statement, the city expressed relief and gratitude.
“Thank you, God, for watching over our little piece of paradise here in Orange Beach and sparing our community from the worst of Hurricane Isaias,” the city said.
City officials also asked for prayers for people in nearby communities dealing with major damage. Escambia County, Fla., just across Perdido Bay, suffered major damage and at least one death.
Damage elsewhere in the region
Orange Beach’s experience was not shared everywhere. Elsewhere along the Alabama coast and inland, the storm left a long list of problems for crews to address on Saturday:
- In Foley, crews identified significant tree damage and widespread power outages.
- Mobile Fire-Rescue responded to more than 200 calls and nearly 70 tree incidents. On Saturday morning, crews assessing damage said power lines were still down throughout the city.
- In Jefferson County, one person was killed and others were injured when a tree fell on a home.
- Houston County saw widespread flooding, and a Dale County sheriff’s deputy was injured by a fallen tree.
- Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship asked residents to stay off the roads until officials could clear debris, saying multiple wrecks occurred overnight when drivers struck downed trees. No injuries were reported in those crashes.
The contrast underscores how a hurricane’s impacts depend heavily on where a community sits relative to the storm’s center and track. Places on the eastern side of a landfalling Gulf hurricane typically face the strongest onshore winds and highest surge, while fast-moving storms such as Isaias can carry damaging gusts and heavy rain far inland.
‘We’re back, y’all’
Not even a hurricane could keep the music off for long at the Flora-Bama. The lounge, one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Gulf Coast, reopened at noon Saturday, less than a day after Isaias moved through.
In announcing the reopening, the beach bar said it was ready to welcome guests back with live music, cold drinks and entertainment, while offering support to those affected by the storm.
“We’re BACK, y’all!” the business wrote. “Sending love and prayers to our entire Gulf Coast community, especially those impacted by the storm.”
The reopening came as communities across coastal Alabama and the Florida Panhandle continued cleanup and recovery efforts following a storm that brought strong winds, power outages, damage and loss of life to the region.
A landmark on the state line
The Flora-Bama sits on the Alabama-Florida state line in Orange Beach and has become one of the most famous beach bars in the country since it opened in 1964.
According to the business, the lounge was established by the Tampary family after Florida transferred beachfront property to Alabama as part of an agreement related to the construction of the Perdido Pass Bridge. The bar was built along the state line and grew alongside the increasing traffic and development in the area.
Ownership changed in 1978, when Joseph Gilchrist bought the business and expanded its focus on live music. Pat McClellan later joined as a partner and helped establish annual traditions such as the Interstate Mullet Toss and the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, events that draw crowds to the state line year after year.
Today, the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package and Oyster Bar hosts live music daily and attracts visitors from across the country with concerts, festivals, fishing events and other beachside attractions. Its quick return after Isaias offered a welcome sign of normalcy for locals and visitors alike.
Visiting Orange Beach after the storm
With the evacuation order lifted and the bridges open, visitors may return to Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan. Tourism officials asked travelers to keep a few things in mind:
- Cleanup and power restoration are still underway, so confirm plans with your lodging provider and any businesses you plan to visit before you travel.
- Treat any intersection with a dark or flashing traffic signal as a four-way stop, and watch for utility and debris crews along the roads.
- Double red flags are flying on Alabama’s beaches because of life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf. The Gulf is closed to swimmers, and entering the water while double red flags are posted can bring fines or arrest.
- Surf can stay rough for several days after a storm, so check the beach flags each day before going in once the water reopens.
Helping neighbors recover
Both the city and the Flora-Bama struck the same note in their messages: gratitude for being spared and concern for those who were not. For Orange Beach residents with time and resources to spare, that concern can translate into action in the coming days, whether by checking on elderly neighbors, helping clear debris on a nearby street or supporting established relief organizations working in harder-hit communities.
Anyone handling storm debris should follow standard safety guidance: wear gloves and sturdy footwear, stay well away from downed power lines, operate chainsaws only with proper training and protective gear, and run generators outdoors, away from windows and doors, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
For now, Orange Beach is counting its blessings, clearing its streets and turning the music back up.
