Bulkhead damage after a hurricane.
Record it, secure it, then plan.

Hurricane Isaias: what the preliminary numbers show

The readings come from new Florida DEP tide gauges. They are measured above mean higher high water (MHHW), the average of each day's higher high tide. NWS uses that as a stand-in for water over normally dry ground. NWS Mobile water-level table

NWS reports that dunes about 40 feet wide and 5 feet high were destroyed near the Jetty East Condominiums. About 11 inches of rain caused flash flooding in Fort Walton Beach. NWS Okaloosa impacts The Tallahassee office lists seawall damage across Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties, with no count yet. NWS Tallahassee report

On October 27, 2026, FEMA declared a major disaster for Isaias, DR-4955. It includes household aid (Individual Assistance) in Okaloosa and Walton counties. OpenFEMA declarations SBA declared the disaster the same day, so its disaster loans are open in both counties. SBA Isaias fact sheet As of November 5, 2026, the National Hurricane Center's final report was not out. NHC 2026 season table

How Isaias compares with earlier storms

Storm reports use different reference points, called datums. NGVD29 and "MSL" are older survey zeros, NAVD88 is today's, and MHHW is a tide level. Compare numbers only within the same datum. NOAA datums

Readings: USACE table on NWS Ivan page NWS Georges page NWS Ivan page NWS Dennis page NHC Michael report NWS Sally report NWS Isaias table

Track mattered. Opal came ashore at Pensacola Beach and Dennis on Santa Rosa Island, both west of Destin. NHC Opal report NHC Dennis report Michael's worst surge struck Bay and Gulf counties to the east. Even so, NWS logged piers damaged and destroyed on Choctawhatchee Bay. NWS Michael report

Opal remains the local benchmark. NWS says it destroyed most Gulf-facing homes from Navarre Beach to east of Destin and washed out US 98 between Fort Walton Beach and Destin. NWS Opal page

What to photograph before cleanup

Photos taken before debris pickup are the strongest record you will have. Stay off any wall that is moving, and stay out of floodwater.

1. Wide shots of the whole shoreline from fixed spots you can return to.
2. Close-ups of each crack, open joint, pushed-out panel and tieback head, with a tape measure in the frame.
3. Sinkholes or sunken pavers behind the cap.
4. The toe at low water, if you can see it safely, for scour and exposed sheet ends.
5. Water lines and debris lines on the house, fence and neighbor walls.
6. The dock, lift and their connections to the cap.
7. Your neighbors' walls where they meet yours.
8. A video walking the full length, with the date shown.

FEMA's flood program advises photos and video before cleanup, keeping samples of damaged material where safe, and saving every repair receipt. NFIP damage guidance Florida DFS also asks for before-and-after photos of any emergency repair. DFS disaster guide

Keep the original files, and do not edit or crop them. Write down when you first saw each change.

Which damage is urgent?

Soil washing out through damaged joints can keep a sinkhole growing for weeks. Our sinkhole and soil loss guide explains why. Book a bulkhead assessment before any permanent work.

Emergency repair versus permanent repair

Emergency work stops more damage. Permanent work fixes the wall. Keep the two in separate contracts so the emergency crew is not locked into the final job.

• Destin: a permit is required to repair a seawall or bulkhead, and the storm exemption covers docks and fences only. Questions go to the Building Division at (850) 654-1119. Destin Building Division Destin storm exemption
• Unincorporated Okaloosa: dock and seawall repairs generally need a permit, and work seaward of the CCCL may need state approval. Okaloosa recovery permit guide
• Fort Walton Beach: an emergency repair can start before the permit if you apply on the first working day after. FWB Code 3.01.05
• Mary Esther: most storm repairs, including docks, need a city permit. Mary Esther update

Our contractor check guide shows how to confirm a license in a few minutes.

Gulf-front homes: emergency armoring rules

Gulf-front walls fall under the state's Coastal Construction Control Line program. After a storm, the county or city can authorize temporary armoring when erosion threatens a structure, and it must tell DEP. Section 161.085

Rules: Rule 62B-33.0051(5). DEP's emergency permits cannot create new permanent armoring. DEP CCCL guidelines

Walton learned this after 2005. The Legislature passed a Walton-only law in 2011 so walls built after Hurricane Dennis could stay without DEP permits. Chapter 2011-261 Have an engineer check whether the home qualifies for permanent armoring before you pay for a temporary wall you hope to keep.

Deadlines to put on your calendar

The hurricane deductible runs by calendar year. Florida DFS advises filing a claim even when the loss is under the deductible, and keeping receipts. DFS homeowners toolkit

FEMA and SBA dates can change. Check with each agency before you rely on one.

Who pays for storm damage to a bulkhead?

Usually the owner. Flood insurance under the NFIP excludes seawalls, bulkheads and docks, with a narrow exception for a wall that is part of the building's foundation. NFIP policy commentary

• FEMA household grants need a major disaster declaration with Individual Assistance. Isaias got one for Okaloosa and Walton on October 27, 2026, but FEMA's repair guide does not list seawalls. OpenFEMA declarations FEMA IAPPG
• SBA disaster home loans can add money for mitigation and name seawalls as an example. They need a declared disaster and an approved loan, and vacation homes are not eligible. SBA fact sheet SBA physical damage loans For Isaias, the deadline is December 28, 2026. SBA Isaias fact sheet
• Homeowners policies vary by form. Ask your agent for a written answer.

The seawall insurance guide covers each policy type and the condo assessment trap.

Before the next storm

• Get a survey that shows your cap elevation in NAVD88, and keep it.
• Photograph the whole wall each spring as a baseline.
• Keep weep holes clear and fill small voids early.
• Keep permits, plans and invoices in one folder you can grab.
• Know which office permits your parcel. See the permit guide.

The water is slowly rising too. NOAA's Pensacola gauge shows relative sea level rising about an inch per decade since 1923. NOAA sea level trend A maintenance plan keeps small problems from turning into storm failures.

Storm rules that differ by area

Rebuild windows and approval steps after a storm are set locally. These guides cover the ones that differ most.

• Valparaiso & Toms Bayou: apply within six months of the damage to rebuild at the old size or smaller.
• Mary Esther: a six-month rebuild window, and City Council approves seawall and dock permits twice.
• Destin Harbor & Holiday Isle: how high the harbor rose during Hurricane Isaias, and the rules for rebuilding a damaged harbor dock.
• Fort Walton Beach: whether you can start an emergency repair before you have a permit.