PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – A look up at the sky saw sunny skies across Northeast Florida on Friday.
But in Putnam County, some communities are looking outside their doors and seeing water -- lots of water.
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Patricia Morabito lives in a home off Magnolia Trail.
“We have a little bit of a flood for sure,” she said. “It’s been fun.”
The community is taking on water from the St. Johns River. Most of the roads are completely swamped by water. Some of that water even bumps up against the front doors of homes.
“This is my dream,” Benjamin Loweenslager said. “I made my dream come true five years ago and no you’re not gonna run me off this river that’s for sure.”
People in the area said the river is their life and that the floods are the price they pay for it.
Morabito was taking in the river that now sits in the front yard while her husband took advantage of the new fishing pond just steps away from the back door.
“Not too bad caught about 20 fish,” Aaron Morabito said.
So, as Hurricane Milton moved through, Aaron cast his line from the comfort of their home with the water just steps away from the doorway.
But the water might come knocking again.
Residents said the St. Johns River’s northern flow typically brings the water from southern storms up the river, with big floods during high tide several days after the storm is gone.
“I’m now in the sixth year in the house," Patricia Morabito said. “This is the fourth time we flooded here. We’ve gotten used to it. I’m not leaving."
Putnam County has dropped its curfew, so there is no curfew for Friday night.
Patricia Morabito said she has moved everything off the floors as bigger tides could move into the area. She said they will keep an eye out and help out the neighbors if the water gets too high.