The Highway to and from the Keys is only 2 lanes in each direction. It isn;t until you get to the mainland that it opens up. They, I assume, kept the south bound lanes open for deliveries of fuel and such, and also to allow emergency vehicles to travel that way.

I've seen my share of these storms, and a few Nor'easters at sea and in port. Biggest thing to remember is to stay cool under pressure and rely on your training and what you know. We always did a de-brief and a lessons learned session after each event. There is always something new to learn.

What surprised me is Carnival Cruises took their crews and family out to sea towards Bermuda. Getting out of port was a good idea, but they may now have to contend with Jose. A cruise ship is not designed like a man of war, it has a lot of sail area for high winds to catch, and isn't designed for high speed runs and maneuvering.