Denise:

The costal areas of Dunedin are in the evacuation zone, but I just heard a report about a shelter area in Dunedin so obviously some places are high enough to be considered safe from the storm surge.

I was looking at the map and wondering about Barbara - looks like Oldsmar in one of the areas ordered to evacuate. Earlier today, she mentioned getting the house ready.

More than 1 million residents and tourists have been ordered to move out of harms way. Fortunately they staged the orders from the coastal areas out so that there wouldn't be too many traffic bottlenecks.

I have't heard from the The Sheik & Erika, Gretchen & George or Claudia M. I'm sure they're all preparing.

All the local news stations have been reporting information non-stop since noon. We haven't had a dangerous storm for so long they are worried that we won't take the forcast seriously. I think they have now managed to get our attention.

When I woke up at 3 am they were telling us the tropical rains and winds would begin in the next hour so I've been doing some last minute checking around the pool - too dark to do anything else.

The actual hurricane force winds are predicted to be here late today - not a very good day for us - first Friday the 13th I've ever worried about!

I'll keep the reports coming if I can...right now it's so calm it's hard to believe anything is going to happen.

Yikes...just heard the first thunder clap - spoke too soon!