The businessman visited South Miami to purchase exotic, tropical plants for sale at his nursery in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford. He took the plane last Friday with his partner Éric Zellinger, notably for window shopping in preparation for the next summer season. This is not a first journey for the duo, but we can say that the last one certainly left its mark on the imagination.
“We only had rain during our visit! I have a condo located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. We decided to close it and go to Key West, in the far south of the American state,” says Pierre-Marc Paquette, in an interview with The Voice of the East.
Pierre-Marc Paquette is the co-owner of the Abbotsford Nursery. In recent days, he was traveling to Florida to buy exotic plants. (Pierre-Marc Paquette)
The associates did not visit their suppliers as initially planned. Local businesses closed their doors in anticipation of the hurricane hitting the Tampa Bay and Sarasota area, located about a four-hour drive from Miami. “We visited only two suppliers on Tuesday. They did us a favor by welcoming us exceptionally.”
The hurricane did not pass through Miami, but some businesses installed sandbags at the doors of their buildings. Proactive, people lined up at gas stations to fill up with gas. “You never know, everything can change very quickly! The citizens were far-sighted. The situation was much better than anticipated.”
Big waves
When passing Key West, the rain was intermittent and the wind was still strong with gusts of up to 70 km/h. The waves were breaking near the docks and some flooding was noted in the area. “We visited a dock. The wind, the big waves… it was stirring! There were many people there to see the ocean go wild,” admits the businessman.
A look at the winds and big waves in Key West. (Pierre-Marc Paquette)
A small beer if we compare the situation to that experienced on the west coast and near Orlando.
“My partner owns two houses near Orlando. The hurricane arrived strong on the west coast and then lost strength, particularly towards its two properties. They are not heavily damaged, but the fences and roofs require repairs. Nothing too serious though. In the end, it’s just material,” continues Pierre-Marc Paquette.
The damage is much more considerable in the west. Here we see the St. Petersburg stadium with its roof torn off. (Julio Cortez/The Canadian Press)
It’s time to take stock for Eric Zellinger. The partners returned to Quebec on Friday, empty-handed.
“We had a somewhat obligatory week off. We found activities, cycling and walking. One thing is certain, we have to go back there for our exotic plants,” concludes Mr. Paquette.
