We arrived in the Virgin Islands 7 weeks after Hurricane
Irma and 6 weeks after Hurricane Maria hit the Virgin Islands. The British
Virgin Islands took the eye of Irma with 185 mph sustained winds and gusts of
220 to 240 mph, and a surge of around 13’! Maria was not insignificant as
people whose boats were blown ashore with Irma were literally blown back into
the water by Maria. The boat yards were devastated! The hurricane chain in the
Paraquita Bay failed and virtually all the boats, several hundred, were
destroyed or heavily damaged. Although we didn’t see it, we were told the
hurricane chain in St John also failed and most of the boats sheltering in
Hurricane Hole were destroyed. An amateur weatherman there recorded long wind
gusts of 275 mph.
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The Steele point at Sopers hole the
houses faired pretty well |
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The ferry house and customs is gone
Customs is now the open tent |
The predominate damage to houses were the loss of roofs,
although many houses were completely blown out or down. Sopers Hole was hard
hit.
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| Pussars is gone |
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| The Voyager yard is up and running |
Customs is operating out of an open sided tent, Pussars is gone as are
many other buildings on that side. They were clearing a pile of wreckage that
were one time boats.
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The middle is wreckage that was once
boats being removed by a backhoe |
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The Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour
is devastated |
Throughout the islands the people were upbeat, friendly,
helpful and anxious to run their business and take care of visitors. A picture
is worth a thousand words so here are the islands.
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| Fichers is heavily damaged |
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| All the boats in the yard were over |
The islands are not
destroyed, but are ready to take in visitors, renew their businesses, and start
making some money to continue the repairs. Remember, the islands are green, the
sky clear and blue, and the water is clear and warm. They are rebuilding
quickly and as I write this I am sure many more businesses are open.
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| The Rock Café lost its roof |
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The Rock Church was heavily
damaged, but we had service Sunday |
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Marina Cay was badly damaged,
Pussars is gone, but they are starting
to rebuild and will be open 1 Dec |
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In Cane Garden Bay Quito's continues
to build the new hotel and also repair
the beach bar |
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| All the beach at Cane Garden is damaged |
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Myett's was closed, but will open soon.
The store in the back was open and
undamaged, even the glass windows |
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Rhymers is already rebuilding and
is open. We had drinks and food, and
they said rooms were ready to rent |
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Rhymers is already building a new
bigger porch and deck |
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At Jost Van Dyke Foxys is up and
running, even the shirt shop is open |
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| Foxys was heavily damaged |
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| Foxys is putting all back together |
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| Corsairs is gutted |
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The Church at Great Harbour is
gutted, but they are working on it
already |
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| No one was exempt from Irma's fury |
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| At White Bay Ivans is destroyed |
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Hendo's survived and the Soggy Dollar
rebuild is well underway |
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Gertrudes was wiped out, but people
have already rebuilt her house and
the beach Bar is next. Gertrude was
one of the only people on Jost Van Dyke
seriously hurt and was evacuated |
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| One Love had drinks and is rebuilding |
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| Residents are living in tents |
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We had drinks at Foxy's and
Al Baba's who is working hard
to rebuild |
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Foxy had his costume Halloween
Party. He even provided costumes! |
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| The party was small but went on a while |
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| Leslie was in the middle of it |
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Entering the US we were greeted by
a pod of porpoises! |
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In St Thomas Enki was wiped out
and Culebra I was sunk |
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A big crane was there to lift a dry dock
from the Crown Bay Cruise Ship dock.
FEMA and others were housed in this
cruise ship at Crown Bay |
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Vendors park is running, but is waiting
for visitors |
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| Fresh Bistro is up and running |
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| Havensight is open for business |
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The public housing survived well even
the solar hot water heaters made it! |
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Roofs were a major causality so the
blue roofs appear everywhere |
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Utility workers were everywhere getting
power restored |
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| Redhook didn't escape damge |
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I was shocked the newly planted trees
made it! |
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Water Island Honeymoon beach got
hit hard |
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Heidi's is up and running. She still
serves great burgers! |
The Virgin Islands await you. The air and water are clear and warm and the beer cold!
