According to Santa Rosa County Emergency Management, an evacuation order, effective at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, October 8, has been issued for Zones A and B, low-lying areas and mobile homes in Santa Rosa County.
Zones A and B are the orange and red areas on the evacuation map and generally include areas on/close to water (Navarre Beach, Blackwater River, Escambia Bay, East Bay, etc.). To find your zone, visit the county’s
evacuation zone map.
With the evacuation order and the storm approaching, businesses and other entities on Navarre Beach are set to close.
Navarre Beach Pier will be closed Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10. Windjammers on the Pier, the restaurant attached to the Pier, is closed Thursday (today), Friday and Saturday.
Andy D’s Beachside Restaurant and Dock Bar is closing at 3 p.m. Thursday to prepare for the storm. According to the business’ Facebook page, they will update customers on when they plan to reopen, which will take place after the storm passes.
Juana’s Pagodas and Sailor’s Grill will be closed tomorrow and reopen when weather and conditions allow. The restaurant and bar are open Thursday.
Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center is closed Thursday and Friday. The Center’s plans for Saturday haven’t been announced.
Despite the order, some people are preparing to wait the storm out. Publix, Walmart and other stores around Navarre were inundated with customers making last minute purchases, including cases of water and nonperishable food items.
One Navarre Beach resident, Pamela Sexton, said she is ready for the storm.
“We have a generator and a lot of gas, we are all staying,” Sexton said.
She said she has been through hurricanes before. Her only worry is if the storm intensifies just before landfall.
“I hope its not going to be another (Hurricane) Opal that starts picking up really fast,” Sexton said. “We just hope it doesn’t flood too bad.”
