It has been six months since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida, and the impacts are still being felt. While there has been much progress with cleanup and repairs, areas of the seawall system throughout the City of Punta Gorda are still damaged. It is expected to take 18 months to recover all damaged seawalls. Wakes from watercraft can cause additional erosion and damage to seawalls already compromised. We ask boaters to be mindful of their speed to help protect these properties until the proper repairs can be made.

Several channel markers have been damaged from the storm, and the City is in the process of repairing them. According to the City code, the speed and operation of vessels shall be Slow Speed Minimum Wake in the waterways within the City limits. However, the speed and operation are Idle Speed No Wake in the Ponce Inlet, Pompano Inlet, Bass, and Snook Inlet.

Thank you for your care and assistance with the hurricane recovery process.

For additional information on this project, please contact Community Outreach Coordinator, Chris Fankhauser, Punta Gorda Public Works Department at (941) 575-5039 between the business hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.