Joe Martin, Class of 1957, and wife Arlene Kitchin Martin, were whipped by rain and winds from Tropical Storm Colin lashing their Treasure Island, Florida home.

Arlene reports: “Our boat is afloat and the water is coming up over our dock and it's still raining. Our lanai is flooded, too. The water is level with our neighbors’ docks across the canal” from the Martin beachfront home.

Joe has been busy chasing their trash can down the street, trying to keep up with the mischievious wind which also shredded his large golf umbrella.

North of Treasure Island on Madeira Beach the golf course is mostly under water. The Gulf is spilling over the sea wall at nearby Coquina Beach.

Up to 10 inches of rain hit Clearwater, north of St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee, Florida's capital in the northwest panhandle.

By Tuesday Colin was picking on Georgia and North Carolina and folks like Joe and Arlene were left to clean up and mop up.

It may be colder, but it’s not as wet in Nova Scotia, Canada where Arlene was born.

Look at the bright side: Joe is a professional photographer and Arlene is a professional artist. They’ll have plenty of seashore-slapping scenery to work with.

Joe’s a tough bird. He’s battled lymp cancer, strokes and lung cancer.

Joe and Marlene have been married 10 years.

Florida’s governor declared a state of emergency. Flights at Tampa Airport were cancelled or delayed. The Skyway Bridge from St. Petersburg to Sarasota was closed because of the high winds.

Colin kicks off the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season that runs through Nov. 30.