For Manatee County, the storm demolished much of the waterfront not only along Tampa Bay, but also Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. On Passage Key, the once lush island, hosting a wide variety of birds, sustained winds of 75 mph and a storm surge of 10.5 feet. During the storm, a cyclone-induced tidal wave was reported to have washed away the island's vegetation, which never rebounded. Southward on Anna Maria Island, the storm washed away high ground that was once a characteristic of the north end of the island. In the small fishing village of Cortez, the storm destroyed all of the community's fish houses and docks. The storm surge completely flooded the area up to 67th Street in Bradenton. Cortez's residents with little forewarning of the storm sought refuge in their rural graded schoolhouse, which withstood the storm while many houses floated away. Inland, the storm caused flooding along the Myakka River and the destruction of many wharfs along the Manatee River.