VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Fierce winds and bands of rain saturated Volusia County overnight and well into the day Wednesday as Hurricane Dorian skirted the coast.
Volusia County officials said there was slight erosion on the beaches due to the king tides and rough surf. Several conservation poles also washed away in the storm.
One Mount Dora family drove to Daytona Beach on Wednesday just to look at the ocean because they never get the chance to visit the beach to see the waves after other hurricanes.
"It's breathtaking, to be honest with you. But like you say, the storm was so deadly in the Bahamas, lucky it hit them or we'd really be in trouble. We got to pray for everybody that's over there," Scotty Colburn said.
Local residents and businesses along the coast went right back to business hours after the curfew and mandatory evacuation were lifted.
The Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach said it's been closed since Friday night to prepare for the hurricane and said those six days of uncertainty hit them financially.
"Labor Day weekend is usually the last big hurrah before summer ends. So, I know we're feeling it. I know a lot of our sisters and brothers up and down the street are feeling it as well," general manager Androse Bell said.
But Bell said the Hard Rock Hotel is lucky to have survived Hurricane Dorian without a scratch. He said the staff will be spending the day prepping for a busy week and they wouldn't want it any other way.
"They're ready to get back to work. We want to make sure that they have a great job and somewhere to work. They're proud of their place, so they're coming in today to help us put the baby back together and get ready to go tomorrow," Bell said.