E-bikers’ videos of hurricane damage help snowbirds, others in Indian Rocks Beach

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — Before Hurricane Helene rocked Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 26, Seminole native Tanner Rice was just an Indian Rocks Beach resident who loved the outdoors and using his electric bicycle to get around the small island.

But after the 3-5-foot storm surge from the savage storm swept across Gulf Boulevard, carrying tons of sand and shifting everything from boats to docks to entire buildings, Rice turned into a local folk hero.

First, he took a kayak from the mainland and inspected his own home, where he said he found little damage compared to others.