Heavy rain from Hurricane Helene has caused flooding in Sarasota and Fort Myers, Florida; Savannah and Augusta, Georgia; and Knoxville, Tennessee.

To those who live on the narrow spit of land that is the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood — the tail end of barrier islands extending from St. Pete Beach up to Clearwater known as “The Key West of Tampa Bay beaches” — it’s a slice of paradise developed at the turn of the century and historically sheltered from major storms.