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Ike's surge swamps island

Joe Culpepper/Gulf Breeze News 1. A condominium complex got about a foot of water in its parking lot and garages just off Via deLuna Drive on Thursday. 2. Waves from the Sound sweep under Hemingway's. 3. A photographer saves his camera from being swept away. 4. Tidal surge swamps Quietwater Beach. Thousands came to Pensacola Beach over the weekend to see the huge waves on the fringe of Hurricane Ike, but sadly, two visitors didn't make it home alive.

Bob West, Santa Rosa Island Authority Public Safety Director, said two men died in separate incidents Sunday.

The first man was rescued from the surf near Fort Pickens at about 4 p.m. and appeared to be breathing and communicating. After some discussion, he decided to go to the hospital and officials were surprised to learn that the man later died. He was said to be about 40 years old.

In the other incident, lifeguard Taylor Davis made two trips into the Gulf near Fort Pickens to rescue a man and three children but was unable to save a second man. No further details were available on either man's identity as of press time.

West said the flags were yellow, meaning to use extra caution in the gulf. "If you would never go in the deep end of the pool, you have no business in the Gulf," he said.