Southern St. Johns County sees flooding from Ian

St. Johns County says emergency management crews were trying to get down to Summer Haven but couldn’t get past high water on A1A near State Road 206. (Provided to WJXT)

CRESCENT BEACH, Fla. – As Ian crossed the Florida Peninsula and then went off the coast into the Atlantic on Thursday, there was flooding in the areas of Crescent Beach and Summer Haven in southern St. Johns County.

St. Johns County told News4JAX Thursday afternoon that county Emergency Management crews were doing assessment countywide and that they were trying to get down to Summer Haven but couldn’t get past high water on A1A near State Road 206.

When News4JAX traveled down to the area, flooding could be seen in the area of A1A and Marineland.

Flooding could be seen in the area of A1A and Marineland on Thursday. (Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)
Flooding could be seen in the area of A1A and Marineland on Thursday. (Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)

Last fall, a strong nor’easter created a new breach in Summer Haven.

Further north, the tides and influx of water in Crescent Beach pushed in shortly before noon Thursday at Genung’s Fish Camp.

As the rising waters approached, the owner there said the camp prepared as much as they could before Ian hit the area as a tropical storm.

While the area was spared the worst of Ian and didn’t endure nearly as much damage as it did from Hurricane Irma in September 2017, there won’t be relief in the area until the remnants of the storm are well beyond St. Johns County.

The owner of Genung’s said that initial push of water near the camp and its docks looked worse than it did during Irma.

Elsewhere in St. Johns County, Ian caused leaning power lines and flooded roads in Vilano Beach.

And in downtown St. Augustine, water breached the seawall and rushed into the historic city. The push of water started in the early morning hours, and by the afternoon, water had completely flooded A1A near the Bridge of Lions and pushed inland toward North Ponce De Leon Boulevard.


About the Authors:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

Jamal St. Cyr is an award-winning sports anchor who joined the News4Jax sports team in 2019.