Usually Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, Fla., is filled with cars and pedestrians gazing at Upper Hillsborough Bay via one of the longest continuous walkways in the U.S.
This week, it looked more like a river, as flood waters submerged the street. These conditions gave way to an unusual encounter. Two men on an inflatable duck floated past a CNN reporter as he taped footage.
One was using a paddle in a… creative way… and the other was sporting a festive hat.
“These guys are kayaking down this major thoroughfare,” said CNN reporter Derek Van Dam, who added “I don’t want to minimize the serious nature of this storm. But this is what people are dealing with.”
Van Dam also reported that a storm surge of 5.5 ft. was reported at a nearby tidal gauge.
At around the same time, the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay X account said that Hurricane Idalia was making landfall in the Big Bend Area. It said the highest surge was expected around high tide Tuesday afternoon.
“Did you ever think that you would be kayaking down Bayshore Boulevard?” Van Dam asked the brave duck captains.
“I was always hoping, but I never knew for sure,” said the one in the hat.
While the pair did provide a splash of fun to the report, the National Weather Service also warned against going into the flood water, since the waters “can contain dangerous chemicals and objects that could harm you or make you sick.”
By Wednesday evening, Idalia had started to weaken. However, there was still rain in the Tampa Bay area and higher flood waters than normal. Other parts of the southeast, including Louisiana, were also experiencing floods.
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