When I visited Florida for the first time in elementary school, my parents loaded my sister and I into our minivan and drove down to a condo that my grandfather owned as an investment property.
It was located in a gorgeous area close to the beach and there was a pool right behind the unit. I remember swimming in the water at any chance that I could get, as well as chasing anole lizards that were crawling on trees, bushes, and guard railing. Lucky for me, we visited a few more times over the years until my grandfather sold the condo in the mid 2000s. From then on my parents would rent a small bungalow on the beach in various cities in the sunshine state. It was a trip to Cocoa one year that made me realize that I wanted to move to the city. One year we rented a condo in Cocoa Hills and we were a short walk to the Indian River. I fell in love with the city and decided to move here once I finished college. Unfortunately, I had to buy a property up north to be close to my wife’s parents, but we still visit Cocoa in the winter and during random weekends throughout the year. There are several things I have to do to prepare this place for hurricane season. One chore is securing the HVAC condenser firmly to the platform upon which it was installed. On top of that I secure a guard that protects the condenser from fly debris and falling tree branches. It’s like a black metal cage that first perfectly over the top and completely encapsulates the condenser unit. This provides an extra layer of protection during hurricane season in Cocoa.