This is a true story of endurance by two women at the helm of their respective family’s legacies in the shrimp industry located on the inlet waters of Fort Myers Beach. The surge of monstrous Hurricane Ian made pickup-sticks of most of the aging fleet of 40-some shrimp boats and some were pushed onto land. Many of the laborers had to find work elsewhere leaving behind a few others living in tents near the docks to tell their stories (sometimes tipsy from day drinking) of the past days of how they captured the “golden shrimp”.
Profiles and photos of many individuals of survival and seeking recovery can be found here. Two special “lighthouse” women, Tracy Gore and Anna Erickson, are diligently working their inherited shrimp boats towards recovery of the shrimp business on Fort Myers Beach. Over one month after the massive storm, Anna walked the docks and asked if anyone wanted a job to unload the first haul off of her family’s Maholo boat. It is a fascinating story involving human perseverance and faith, governmental assistance, massive crane equipment and generational family commitment … our hope with this colossal effort that they will beat the odds and make the shrimp economy of Fort Myers Beach prosperous again.
Photo credit to News Press.