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St. Augustine Lighthouse thanks local marina for housing its research vessel during Ian's damage

The 'Empire Defender' was made safe and taken out of the water thanks to Oasis Boat Yard and Marina, the lighthouse's museum said.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A local marina may be the only reason an important boat used to conduct shoreline research is still able to float after Ian's tropical storm winds hit the Jacksonville area.

The historic St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum took multiple precautions to weather the gust storm, including getting their research vessel, the "Empire Defender" out of the water. However, spaces at marinas along the First Coast were packed with people doing the same.

Thankfully, Oasis Boar Yard and Marina had space for the vessel, allowing the vessel to stay "high and dry" as Ian moved over the area.

"A HUGE thank you to them!" the lighthouse said in a tweet.

RELATED: Live Updates: Damage, flooding along the First Coast during Ian

That wasn't the only help the lighthouse received preparing for the hurricane.

Volunteer boat builders and museum staff helped remove historic materials from around the site. 

The lighthouse hasn't posted any updates regarding damages or other statuses of the historic site after Ian hit the First Coast hard Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

RELATED: Waves crash along the seawall as St. Augustine begins to flood

Ian hits Florida

Ian entered Florida as a hurricane and downgraded to a tropical storm leaving a trail of damage. See the latest updates on our First Coast News Youtube playlist here.

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