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- - - 2017 Hurricane Season - - -
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- St. Thomas Fire Official Says End of BVI Blaze Days Away | St. Thomas Source
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 14 May 2018 08:49:55 -0400
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The NorthEast coast communities of St Thomas and St John are having air quality
issues
because of the BVI fire. This is all a part of the islands struggling to
control and
remove the post storm debris. Any kind of tropical storm will wreck havoc with
our
huge debris piles.
https://stthomassource.com/content/2018/05/12/st-thomas-fire-official-says-end-of-bvi-blaze-days-away/
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- Rains Stop Cement Truck
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 9 May 2018 07:05:12 -0400
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After months of waiting for the cement truck to be in our road, the heavy rains
came.
Can't have everything you want all the time. Glad we finally got gutters.
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- Pissarro Morning in St Thomas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 7 May 2018 06:18:49 -0400
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This morning's Mother Nature show would have surely inspired our own Camille
Pissarro .
We are 74 degrees and 87% humidity, a typical tropical Monday.
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- Seagulls and Thunder
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 4 May 2018 18:26:43 -0400
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Seagulls were a month early and Thunder barking started this week.
Look at Western Africa tossing a wave our way.
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- Rainy J'ouvert Morning
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:14:27 -0400
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No need for that water truck. Road March song competition in full swing.
Cool and overcast, perfect Carnival weather on the Waterfront in St Thomas
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- Sargasso weed
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2018 20:38:24 -0400
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Yes to Grenada post, more sargasso weed showing up everyday.
It is hot today. Must be summer.
Happy Carnival to all.
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- Aqua Roof Is On
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2018 17:14:17 -0400
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It took less then 12 days for our roofing crew from the states to tear down
and retrofit
our roof. It took almost 6 months to line up materials, the plan and the crew.
Now with double rafters , mega beams tied into everything and four
roofing layers we are sleeping soundly. As you can see the curly cue trees are
making a big comeback. Next is rewiring the house, getting the solar panels
back on the roof,
reconditioning the pool and rebuilding the retaining wall. We are the lucky
ones, as
many are still living in uninhabitable homes.
Have a Happy and safe Carnival. We are cool now with a passing shower.
From the northwest side of St Thomas in Fortuna.
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- The Roof is On!
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 08:53:28 -0400
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We have a crew from the USA putting up galvalume today .
We have lived in the house during entire process. Yesterday around 5:30pm very
heavy cold showers, almost felt like hail was next. I see Martinique really did
have hail. We are so grateful to
have the blue tarp gone. From very green Fortuna on the NorthWest side of St
Thomas
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- Cold, Windy, High Seas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2018 08:07:15 -0400
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Coldest yet for end of March. Was 66 degrees last night.
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- Sunday 7:40 pm Northwest Side St Thomas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2018 19:48:08 -0400
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From 650ft up the mountain we are hearing the swells crashing and as day light
dwindled we could see waves breaking over the small outer islands of Cockroach
and Cricket. Outside temp is a very cool Sixty eight degrees. Rain blasts
moving
thru. We are all closed up and bundled up.
It is whale watching season. Our neighbor saw the spouting and fin of one
the other day from her deck.
Stay warm.
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- 10-20ft breakers Forecasted this Weekend
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2018 08:02:40 -0400
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Our local Daily News today.....cautions swimmers and boaters....
>
> The Northern Virgin Islands are expecting 10-20 ft wave breaks with 14 second
> intervals on Northeast side of north facing shores this weekend from massive
> NorEaster.
Boaters move to south shores
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- High Anxiety, Cold Wind, Clear
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2018 18:41:06 -0400
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While packing up the house to retrofit the roof soon come, I found this paper
that I kept. Remember Bertha July 9, 1996 ? 10 months after Marilyn handed
out her devastation and with so many blue roofs still flapping along came
Bertha.
Pretty much describes our anxiety now. Neighborhoods are construction zones.
We are racing to June 1 and the start of the new storm season. 20 mph winds
feel
like Cat 1s when you live under a tarp. Ours ripped the other day from said
wind,
so more gorilla tape to the rescue and the bucket in the living room had an
encore.
New weather station reads now a cool 73f with 85% humidity, dew point 68.
68 f was record breaking low on Feb 24. Wind has calmed down allot. Seas have
laid down for those sailors out there. We are grateful for any visitors, and
thank the
recovery workers for their continued presence and hard work. Fingers crossed we
will
have a roof and gutters by June 1 .
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- Solar Farmimg
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2018 14:32:27 -0400
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- Happy New Year's Day 2018
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2018 10:24:03 -0400
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Received a new weather station for Christmas. 79f degrees 72% humidity ,wind out of ESE at 6mph. Huge full moon tonight, gorgeous day for growing salad greens. Palm trees are recovering while solar panels wait for new roof. 9 panels are set up around pool feeding the battery bank. Better living by extension cord. |
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- Steel Pan Christmas in St Thomas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2017 07:39:26 -0400
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Happy Holidays , send more sunshine please.
>
Attachment:
IMG_0806.mov
Description: QuickTime movie
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- Merry Christmas : St Thomas Boat Parade
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2017 15:32:11 -0400
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Seas are winter choppy. December cool breezes are lovey. Passing sunshowers.
Last night was the Christmas Boat Parade on the waterfront downtown. We had 18 boats, the largest parade ever! We were surprised that after the storms the Parade happened. Merry Christmas 
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- Flooding in St Thomas Now
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2017 14:23:35 -0400
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Big rains, flooded roads. Cruise ships here today .
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- NOVEMBER 30. WE MADE IT
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:45:52 -0400
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From our garden to you dear islanders,congratulations, we made it thru hurricane season. We look forward to the best Holidays on every island and off the charts Carnivales! |
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- On Our Road In Fortuna
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2017 11:54:43 -0400
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We are at the end of a 4 home estate road.....here they come. We are off the
grid
and are so happy to see that our on the grid neighbors will be powered up
soon...
THANK YOU to the stateside and local crews for making this happen in Fortuna.
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- Stellar Day in St Thomas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2017 13:45:52 -0400
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4 more days of H season. , time for a deck party
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- Post Irma & Maria Efforts | Island Green Living Association
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2017 09:46:37 -0400
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We urge you to sign the petition to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from
burning organic
debris. So many of our local plants are 100% toxic. Our bushman is weed eating
our acre right
now and my eyes and skin are burning from the toxic plants that are exhaling
their natural
defense . Many of our most beautiful flowering plants are toxic. Can you
imagine the
air pollution that would follow the proposed burning ? Please let Mother Nature
do her composting thing.
http://islandgreenliving.org/post-irma-maria-efforts/
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- Thanksgiving , Grateful to Be Here
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2017 08:19:08 -0400
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Happy Thanksgiving. We would not want to be anyplace else today. Going thru a crisis with Caribbean people is a life gift. Virgin Islanders complain the least and carry dignity the most . They feel gratitude in the worst of times and share blessings everyday. They always greet and say "I'm okay, how are you?" . Our people make our paradise. We are grateful to be here.
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- Installed Today ,Army Corp of Engineers Blue Roof, Thanksgiving Came Early
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2017 18:52:14 -0400
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> We came home today to an installed Army Corp of Engineers thicker than our
> tarps Blue Roof . No more bucket or towels in the living room. There are no
> words for how grateful we are. Thank you to the taxpayers of the USA 🇺🇸.
> Happy Thanksgiving
>>
>>
>>
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- Tomato Sunshine
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2017 10:00:18 -0400
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I found this little tomato seedling as a volunteer near a fallen tree after
Maria. Now she is budding out. Mother Nature will never let us starve, we just
have to find the food she provides
us. Glorious sunshine today powering up the pool side panels. THANK YOU
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- Low Ceiling
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2017 16:37:48 -0400
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The aviator calls this a low ceiling , perfect conditions for a waterspout, watch out you pilots. Can't wait for November 30, END OF HURRICANE SEASON PLEASE ,soon come.(See the solar panel mounting rails by the fire pit ,twisted by Irma)  |
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- First Re-bloom Since Irmaria
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2017 09:51:06 -0400
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- Vermillion Sky ,Thunder Morning
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2017 06:13:16 -0400
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Very red sunrise is bringing us thunder boomers from the North and West,
and South and West...we are being wrapped up the wrong way...West To East.
Any other year this would be interesting. Not so when you know those without
roofs, walls, and windows. Our fears may seem inappropriate, but they are based
on instincts. I understand more now why my big brave shepherd is terrified
of thunder. She barks , and barks. Maybe we all need to howl a little.
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- Irma's Home Invasion
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 08:13:27 -0400
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See last post. Irma pulled the wiring out of our house down to the circuit
breaker box
next to our fridge at around 1:15 pm on Sept 6. Imagine how many buildings have
compromised wiring in the islands hit by Irmaria?
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- It's About The Weather.......Head
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2017 08:04:12 -0400
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Electricity discriminates. Getting powered up is our island wide fantasy . The
pockets of
dark in a connected neighborhood will be homes and businesses with no or
damaged
weatherheads and buildings where the wiring went with the roof. Public power
cannot
connect to a building that is not ready to receive it. We will be feeling the
generator
vibe for many more months while the electricians catch up.
This mornings rainbows are a bonus.
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- In Our Neighborhood Power soon come
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2017 16:19:56 -0400
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In the last hour....we saw bucket man .
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- Irmaria, The Bigger Picture
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2017 14:00:07 -0400
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I've been blogging for stormcarib for 16 yrs from this outer pool deck facing
the Atlantic
on the West End of StThomas in Estate Fortuna facing North .See how Irmaria has
changed
the view. Scroll back thru the archives and you will see a much smaller ocean
view
bordered by forest to the West and East. The forest was mowed down. The ocean
view is much bigger as shown below in picture taken just now panning to the
East.
A good ting mon.
Hoping the forest grows back fast enough to obstruct the views of neighbors we
did not know were there, but we will happily take the bigger sea view for whale
watching in January.
We are having a perfect Caribbean day.
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- Hurricane Sector - Satellite Imagery
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2017 20:00:59 -0400
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Dave, this image is making me wonder ? Can you enlighten us ? when and what ?
http://www.stormcarib.com/goes.htm
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- No Gutters to Collect Liquid Gold
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2017 11:29:09 -0400
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- Kestrel Saves The Day
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2017 09:16:53 -0400
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Waking at 5am to heavy rain was a kick in the gut. Roofless neighbor's broom is
a squeegee.
Now 61 days in the dark for our islands.32% power restoration closest to towns.
This kestrel
hunting from the top of the naked Norfolk pine lifted the mood of the mopper.
More rain
coming. Read Daves note on homepage; the thought of a wrong way Lenny redux
???no
words. See the cargo strap holding down the roof .
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- Widget Works!
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2017 09:00:25 -0400
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Rube set up a new widget on tarp covered roof. This little hut has never had cell phone signal and now we have 3 bars in the living room! See naked Norfolk pine tree...we have 5 others like that. The new foliage is coming in all clumpy and curly cue and brilliant green. Red sky this morning ;we are looking to rainy week and hoping that bad news on St Maarten blog is FAKE. please |
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- Lindbergh Bay Nov 3 Southside St Thomas
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2017 07:45:57 -0400
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Our favorite beach is still not ready for prime time . I went with swimwear on
yesterday ready for my first dip in the sea and did not stick my toe in.
Although passed as safe to swim in by DPNR ,we have our own rule that if you
can't see your toes we don't go in. These waters are
very stirred up and we need to see what debris could still be on the sandy
bottom.
It will be water shoes for us for months to come. We had our first cruise ship
yesterday
come to the downtown dock. Please be patient with us. Please realize that many
islanders
you interact with are going home to no power, no water and damaged homes. Many
are living in homes deemed uninhabitable. We welcome you to bring your support
and remind
us of our natural beauty. We need encouragement and empathy. Another sunny day
today.
We see more rain coming next week. Get ready.
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- Irma beans
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 13:25:28 -0400
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- November Newbies
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2017 06:55:09 -0400
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New blooms lift us.
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- Another Drop of Rain Turns into Road Rivers
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 07:54:41 -0400
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| Sunny Monday morning lessened the tension at the central post office while we waited for anticipated relief boxes from our friends and relatives. I received 4 boxes shipped from states between Oct 1 and 10. Down islanders would laugh at our impatience, and complaints of "slow" mail. In non recovery times these shipping times would be 5-7 days within the US postal system. Now the 3 weeks plus shipping times add to the mean Monday moods. Dominica, Anguilla, and others islanders wait triple that time all the time.
Fruit Bowl , our favorite grocery was the next stop as the clouds started building. The fresh produce shelves were wiped out. Normal for any Monday morning.
In the back of our minds anxiety builds as we balance our schedules with the fears of driving in more rain on our absolutely totally over saturated island.
Sure enough by the time the aircraft doctor drove us back up the mountain under what seemed like light rain we once again felt the rush of road rivers under our Jeep . I literally closed my eyes and counted the curves up Black Point Hill to the top. Do we really have to live up and beyond the steepest hill in the west ? The very slow pickup in front of us added to the little drama.
Sunshine came back to set us up for a moonlit starry night. We have noticed our neighbors generators are running fewer hours as we all pace our diesel and propane consumption waiting to be powered up. Maria left 41 days ago. We are now about 26% electrified collectively in the USVI. That can be 0% for Coral Bay in St John and Water Island and the bulk of the % of current is in our towns.
We hear from our friends in Maine that Phillipe blew thru with 60 knot winds upstate and that 285,000 are without power. Assuming it is getting very cool there ,we know Mainers are tough like we. Let us know how soon your power comes back.
Today, please....not another drop of rain please today. Please. |
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- : A__BD22.amr. GENERATOR SONG
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2017 09:22:02 -0400
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Hilarious song about a generator....pass it on! Gorgeous sunny day.
Puffy cloud build up. Looking like November .
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Attachment:
A__BD22.amr
Description: audio/amr
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> Sent from my iPhone
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- Rube Is At It Again
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2017 14:16:30 -0400
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What is this ?
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- Sunday Cinnamon Fog
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2017 08:52:33 -0400
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| Cinnamon fog woke us. The glow into our east room to the back wall reminded us of "red sky in the morning.....". The camera could not pick up the reddish orange tint. The photo forecasts heavy low clouds with no horizon line. Not sending that gloom.
A patch of blue in the southeast sky gives a hint of hope. We had too much rain yesterday dear island friends. A slight breeze from the northwest is running into swell from the northeast. Sailors take warning.
Another day of slogging bushwork is on the schedule. Fresh produce is taking over. Post Irma beans are flowering. The arugula seeds planted 3 days ago sprouted. The teeny dill and tarragon sprouts are leaning for light. More lettuce seeds and a mini forest of citrus trees are in pots. Overcast days are perfect for keeping the gardener cool. The limes trees that made it thru Irmaria's car wash are displaying neon sparkling leaves with no hint of gypsy moth black slime. Are we in Ireland? Could it get any greener? Could we have anticipated this emerald hillside a month ago ?
We can't be skeptical. We can't be cynical. We have to be grateful for Nature's braggadocio. She will always take back her planet. She does not need to keep our heads above water, we do.
The Army Corp of Engineers inspector that assessed our damage last week reminded us of our bipolar affair with this place. He was from Vietnam by way of his current home in Nebraska. We did not have much to say about our Cornhusker football team. He was gobsmacked by our view and could see thru the destruction and debris of the aftermath an island honeymoon in his future. Wow. Imagine seeing our islands in this chaos thru the eyes of the recovery workers and hearing them talk of plans to visit us again as island guests. He left with fresh picked mint, ginger greens and jalapeños in hand to spice up his ramen dinner.
If only a percentage of our recovery workers bring their families back to our restored islands in years to come we will have gained a new tourist demographic; the recovery worker return visit. The recovery tourist is already emotionally invested in our little paradise and will have stories to tell generations around the table. No tourism marketing plan can top that.
We hear from stateside power workers that we are a welcoming and grateful people. Thank you signs and fresh baked banana bread are showing up where the new utility poles are being screwed into the blue bitch rock called "soil" here. These crews set poles in the Sierra Nevada and Blue Ridge mountains. They are the right crew for our island mountains.
Thank you Uncle Sam. Glad we paid our taxes. |
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- Rain Guilt
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2017 06:37:12 -0400
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It is pouring rain now . Morning is trying to get started under the cloud bank.
Neighbors and friends are living under tarps, missing roofs and with blown
out windows. Our second tarp will hold as long as there is no gust. Survivor's
guilt feels like gratitude and remorse combined.
Everyday I greet those in my life that no longer have their homes;
my bank manager, a teacher, the single Mom working at the hardware
store with 5 kids. Many are living in uninhabitable dwellings. Many are crowded
under marginal roofs with cousins and Aunties adding to the pressure
of strained family economics and relationships.
When it rains I feel guilty. I feel powerless to help those getting rained on
under
their own rooflessness. Sympathy, empathy, and anxiety are relayed by
cloud banks now. We used to all welcome the rain.
Now rain looks for our weak spots at home, on the roads, and in our memories.
By December's dry spells I will look forward to rain again, but not today
or tomorrow.
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- Our Minds Are in the Gutters
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2017 10:33:50 -0400
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| (I used a different email address last time by mistake)
We catch rainwater in our gutters that then flows into our cisterns. All of our household water needs are satisfied by free rainwater. Our cisterns are under our houses like basements, or running along the walls of our houses in concrete boxlike structures. Only those in "town" at sea level and in housing communities have public water piped in. We assume most people in the Caribbean have cisterns. We might be wrong ? We know folks collect rainwater into cisterns in the USVI, BVI, Anguilla and St Maarten. Our friends on flatter islands like Aruba and Bonaire may have public water, let us know. We talk as much about our ripped off gutters as we do our missing roofs.
Gutters blown off by Irma and Maria (now we combine the storm names into Irmaria) , put us in jeopardy of not collecting thousands of gallons of rainwater . We hear that we had 51" of rain between Sept 6 and October 20. Imagine how much rain was not collected by those with heavily damaged roofs and missing gutters ? We can't choose to be on public water if we live a few miles out and up a steep slope from town. Public water is just not available. If we can't collect rainwater, we depend on the water truck. If our estate inroads are so damaged, and washed out from too much rain, the water truck can't deliver. Some homes have the opposing problem of too much water in an overflowing cistern that can collapse cistern walls and cause another kind of home flooding.
We observed that the FEMA inspector, Army Corp of Engineers assessor, and home owner's insurance adjuster inspecting our home did not know what our water collection gutter systems do or how crucial they are to our survival. Only the local architectural engineer that we hired to do a private damage assessment recognized the rainwater catchment gutter system . We had to explain the water collection system to the other assessors.
Are there not enough Caribbean property insurance adjusters available to do these insurance inspections? Is there no " local orientation" for these inspectors when they come on island from the states and all over the world to inspect our homes?
We are grateful for the help and support of FEMA and The Army Corps of Engineers. We are shocked that our locally owned property insurance company would hire teams of adjusters with little knowledge of how we build and live in the islands.
The aftermath of these back to back Cat 5 storms continues to complicate our futures.
We are greener. We see more power poles being reinstalled. We are lucky to be the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thanks again to all the recovery workers.
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- Demolition Derby ,Green Acres, and Blue Roofs
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at gmail.com>
- Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2017 13:59:53 -0400
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Big news. We hear that the Army Corps of Engineers will be on our road today
to assess our house for the Blue Roof Program. Fingers crossed our damaged
roof meets their requirements for installation of the temp blue roof. We are on
tarp # 2, as Maria took the first one. The guy that set up the appointment is
from
my home state of Nebraska . I better find out how the Cornhuskers are doing ?
With no connectivity, have no clue.
The twisted gnarled trees are really kind of gorgeous now with their plumes
of new foliage . We are kind of looking like a fantasy English garden. As long
as you close one eye and squint and aren't blinded by the glints of galvanize
we look pretty good.
And do you know what a demolition derby is ? Let's ask all the islanders to
describe some of the totally wrecked vehicles driving our unlit streets. Or
better yet send
pictures !
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- No Traffic lights
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2017 10:50:20 -0400
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Yesterday, I meant to say "no traffic lights"
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- The Power of Patience
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 10:28:02 -0400
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| I write this offline from home in Fortuna (with no cell, wifi/internet or landline.) We expect to have connectivity at home sometime in 2018. The iPad then travels in the aviation mechanic's briefcase looking for a signal a few times a week. Monday October 23 in town was another Monday in recovery with deadlines to be met and very slow going connections , long lines and anxious islanders. We are on a FEMA deadline to file our claims by the end of the month. We are applying to the SBA for loans, new mortgages, small business support. The forms may be online ; you find a signal, you are on page 6 and the signal drops. You call the 800 # , you make the correct selections, you are 12 minutes into a call and the call drops without ever speaking to a human. Patience is a virtue. We are virtuous people. The applications for all of the above ask for your property insurance claim update. After visiting the insurance office numerous times the adjuster still has not come to assess your damage. How do you complete the application process? Patience is powerful if you can hold on to it. Asking for 3 different estimates from contractors for roofs, gutters, wiring, etc... sounds simple. Just in the USVI 13,000 roofs were lost or damage. There are not enough contractors to do the estimates. Will being patient cause us to miss the application deadlines? The weather systems named Irma and Maria undermined our confidence, and replaced our relaxed lifestyle with a tensed fear. Driving now is about letting the angry ones in ahead of you and taking deep breaths before entering the four way busy street with traffic lights. Remind yourself that you don't know that guy's story that is driving like a lunatic in the dark on unlit roads still trashed with down wires and poles. Patience is powerful. It puts you in the better place. We are greener. We see new power poles going up everywhere. Sunshine makes up for allot of eyesores. We are hoping the next tropical wave is gentle. We feel October coolness coming in. We are patient, we have always stood in lines, and we always greet each other. We are island strong. We are full of hope. |
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- Monday 23 October
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2017 07:05:24 -0400
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After 3 days of sunshine we see more green and fewer bugs.big centipede visited
the buckets of laundry. Mr Rat likes the sugarbird food and banana spider
prefers the living room. All is getting more tropical everyday. Governments
says USVI is now 14% electrified.....mostly St Croix.
Fall is in the air.
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- Collecting sunshine
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:49:03 -0400
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Rube Goldberg is in the house !
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- Greening Up
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:47:54 -0400
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Mother Earth is taking over. We now love Sahara dust . Embrace the day.
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- Today is better
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 14:44:06 -0400
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Sunshine for the 2nd day in a row makes a huge difference. Lots of bushwork
done.
Feeding loads of sugarbirds, hummingbirds and a little bullfinch.
In town for USPO line, banks are not as busy, no line there , insurance company
follow up and weather is hazy hoy and sunny. We will take it.
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- Part V , The Longest Month, Plane Crash in Chaos
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 09:54:38 -0400
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Today, Monday October 16 , started with racing high clouds SE to NW, with a clearing reddish tint aura . We had a gloomy wet weekend. With the agenda packed to be in lines for FEMA, USPO, bank, and insurance visit, with lists and documents in hand we were down the hill to airport early . The sea had a chop, the breeze was coming up and heavy black clouds were massing. Wifi in the hangar shows weather maps full of red and blue and loads more rain coming. By the first thunder clap it was turn around and go back up the hill to home time. We are so saturated, anymore rain today will bring more mud and rocks to the roads. We can do tomorrow or next day in sunshine what does not get accomplished today.
The entry below was from Oct 6. Please let us know how you are doing, and where the sunshine is. The tarragon and dill seeds planted days ago are up. The foliage is bursting green. Nature is giving us back our beauty. Note on below, the galvanized roofing spread all over and past our boundaries was pulled out of the bush and stacked last week.
Today is Oct 6 , over 30 days since Irma and a few weeks past Maria.
A long night of stormy weather built up into todays 3am thunderous declaration of much more rain. Will tarp # 2 last thru this ? Up with the flashlight checking the ceiling and floors, winding down the shutters and waiting for the next big crack of thunder.
The Shepherd barks, whines and cries continuously. By 5:30 am the new rivers
are flowing . Wondering how cracked power poles and twisted trees
will lean over the roads now ? Nauseous about all of those without a roof, partial
roof, leaky roofs. Another friend told me that her roof is fine, but
all of her windows are blown out. We are still in storm season, how did last
night go for her ?
It has been the longest week. Starting with our pilot friend killed on Monday after
his lightweight Cessna was tossed by military helicopters prop wash in Puerto Rico.
Shocks continue . Shocks keep coming and don't sink in.
On the same night of his passing, another dear friend of a coworker ends
up in our broken hospital's ER with an embolism. Imagine being in your twenties,
great shape, healthy, on an island struck by disaster with an embolism? Lucky
thing, because of the disaster an Army Doc specialist was there to save her life.
The perspective of life, the value of life, the shock of death on the same day
and putting one foot in front of the other keeps on keeping us on. We are way past
media flashes assaulting our consciousness. We are living out our values now.
Cleaning up the branch naked Norfolk pine tree totems and twisted palms that shed their coconuts and fronds all over our acre is a race with Mother Nature. As the bush woman here ; the sweaty , muddy job wrings me out daily .
We are looking forward to the end of October, our rainiest month, and on to December
our coolest month ; it will take time to get this acre recognizable.We are waiting on the galvanized cutter upper guy to show and move the roofing strewn all over
before the new vines twine thru the jagged rusty sharp edges of heavy metal.
Part of the race is to pull the lounge chairs, gutters, wiring, all things glass and metal thrown way down into the ghuts before they become home to the new forest forming. Ms Earth takes it away as violently as she wants and backhands you with forgiving fresh new growth quicker than you can find the man made metal scraps all mixed in with the humus.
We saw the iguanas clinging to the bare trees on day one after Irma.
They patiently wait for buds to pop and scour the ground for the newest shoots of grass. They sleep fully exposed in the tops of the branches to soak up solar rays.
New Mr Big Blue iguana has taken over the backyard. He is most gorgeous.
Large scales, hints of blue on his belly and a turquoise comb.
Every stormy night takes us backwards to memories of Irma, Maria and long ago Marilyn. These rains are really typical for October. The time table for getting into the sea will be set back by effluent overflows and mangrove
backups. We have to be patient and careful. Aftermath illnesses always take
more folks than storm events. We are worried for Puerto Rico. We tiny islanders
have home cisterns and veggie gardens to help us stand the long
recovery. The city dwellers of San Juan are dependent on public utilities
and face panic of the masses.
The pole beans planted 3 days after Irma are climbing now and the pepper
plants are reloaded with blooms. We have had our own arugula and onions
since Sept 6. Time now to restart some tomatoes. Time to
just live. The rat race is over. Now we wait for nature's best intentions .
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- Part IV Gnatty Dreadful Domestic Duty post Irma and Maria
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2017 11:04:29 -0400
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I wrote this on Sept 30. Sorry again for length.
Today's update, FYI, Thursday Oct 12 downpours
turned into the scariest ride up the mountain into Fortuna around 2 pm. No
driving
for me on a Friday the 14th. We are completely saturated. Numerous new
mudslides appear after every passing shower. Black skies create fear
constantly. We are expecting more rain with gusts over next 48 hrs. Is it
Philippe?
>
> September 30 continues with rain, flooding and new rivers to cross.
> After 38 yrs of marriage the urge for domestic duty had waned markedly.
> Post Hurricanes everything you remember about home economics, cleanliness,
> the lack of there of, bugs, germs and boiling dishwater comes back.
>
> With no leaves on the trees ,the bugs have to live somewhere. Whether you
> live with screens or roofs or not...the bugs will find you.
> They want your walls and counters and floors for warmth, they want your
> person
> or dogs for blood. Keeping up with flies, gnats, mosquitoes , spiders , moths
> and cockroaches replaces any idle time game you ever played. Weapons of
> choice are Dr Bronner's Peppermint soap made into a spray, vinegar spray,
> ammonia, isopropyl alcohol, Raid, Off, Spray bleach . Sweeping little dead
> carcasses a few times a day along with re cleaning every counter top and
> surface in the house becomes an OCD
> ritual. The cockroaches obviously got rained out of the ground and are
> coming up out of drains in the middle of the night . The quickest fix is
> grabbing the isopropyl alcohol and giving them a sadistic bath. Glass
> cleaner is a favorite
> weapon.
> Early on we boiled pool water or rain bucket water to wash dishes in and hope
> for no
> diarrhea follow up. We now have found enough power in the battery bank to
> flush twice a day and fill up sinks and pots to boil from cistern pump. Paper
> plates , reams of paper towels and plastic utensils are tried too, but the
> trash guilt is hard to bear. Like the farmers before me I am separating out
> the burnables to burn in the grill to smoke mosquitoes out.
> A few super hot days (always hotter without leaves on the trees)brought a
> zillion baby flies looked for nurturing on every warm wall and surface. These
> babies grow up in a few days and there are not enough swatters in the world
> .
> Then there is the laundry. Another hand wringing story.
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- Irma Marie Part III Hot Yoga Dragon Breath
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2017 08:48:17 -0400
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More too wordy diary , from Sept 30, forgive the length
We say goodbye to September 2017 in the islands but we will never forget this last month. Yesterday afternoon into 4 am this morning the downpour never stopped and the thunder woke us at 1:30 am with heavy barking for the next hours.
When it rains you think about your own drips, and tears in the roof and then the bigger picture of leaning power poles finally succumbing to more saturated ground. You wonder about the families with partial roofs, no roofs, tarps, broken windows, and more water invading what is left . Fears of mudslides start with our own backyard now littered with fallen galvanized roofing sheets and weakened, broken trees. Will the hill in back just slide into our bedroom wall ?
We live in the West End, one road in and out. These fears take you back to Sept 6, Irma's big day to plant your flashbacks, you remember you have been thru worse. October rains soon come, sometimes last into November. The cool dry perfect weather of December feels like a con's promise.
Did I tell you about Irma's deep breathing exercises? We experienced no eye of the storm, no calm in the middle of fury as we have in other hurricanes. Being on the eye wall for hours makes you a part of the storm . During Irma's worst behavior around 3 pm on Sept 6 Irma took very very deeps breaths. She drew in and in and in........almost reached a quiet calm place and then blew out her exhale like 100 huge dragons collectively; a bigger exhale every time. She was working hard on destruction.Her next deep inhale was scarier as you knew the next exhale would be worse. These must have been the over 200 mph gusts ., one friend's weather station in Contant blew up at 240 mph. Irma's gusts were so big she could not get the gust out all in one blow....Irma could not catch up with her own power. She was the deep breathing hot yoga mistress you never want to be around ever again.
Radio tell us news of other islands losses, and our gains. We have support from the USA. We are US taxpayers and soldiers, and patriots, but we are also islanders ;a Caribbean potluck of folks from every other island and world culture. We are lucky to be citizens of the USA. We live here with diversity on purpose. We are one people from so many stories.There are many in need that will be saved by the distribution of food and water and will feel rebuilt by our supporters. There are many that will not take any food or water out of the hands of the needy. We will support our local grocers and vendors. We will live small and rebuild stronger. Many will leave to live with families stateside.
We are not pretty now. We are not a paradise for pina coladas and beach combing. We are the real small towns on real islands that must concoct a different life . We can't wait for rescue.
The sugarbirds and humming birds are waiting for their provisions. More seeds to be planted today. The arugula, lettuce, peppers and beans are doing well. We are still dining on preserved tomatoes and jalapeños. Growing our own is for survival now.
The few trips into town so far to find signals are miles away and over the wires and thru the debris. Connecting does not pull me the way it did on Sept 6. Staying home and making a new life is the attraction. There is no waiting for the roof fix, the rewiring fix, the gutter fix. We will live and when the fixes come we will be ready .
Later today, so much more rain it is hard to believe how much our road and ghuts can take. Yes, the word is ghut....it means the valleys, and ditches, and wedges and creases in the earth that receive and move water. The house becomes the island, the courtyard is the pool, and the driveway is the river that reforms the driving path after every hard rain. Nature will respond by growing green around the tin, wires, roofs, and other man made flotsam still on the ground. The race is on...to compete with Mother Nature and move those inorganic materials out before she buries them in greenery.
Time now to check the drains and runoff holes before the next onslaught. The sky is silver with black puff balls moving fast. The horizon is non . The pilots are in jeopardy . Looking for horizon lines is critical.
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- Yesterday
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2017 08:26:34 -0400
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Flash floods in St Thomas, it was a rough day, tarp # 2 only leaked a little.
Started tarragon,dill,zucchini and cantaloupe seeds.
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- Part 2 Irma Maria
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2017 14:50:10 -0400
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These are notes from weeks ago. Again, getting to the Internet is not the top priority anymore. I apologize for how lengthy this is, but hopefully these words will convince anyone that can drive away stateside from a storm to just DO IT.
The evening of September 6 and forward, We wined and sighed with great relief, with sheet rock from the ceiling getting soggier
and mopping up the drips and inside rain in the kitchen and living room. Post
Irma anxiety along with the total blackout left us mosquitoes whining in our
ears and no fan to blow them away. The hurricane Marilyn flashbacks and aftermath
haunted our sleep. What would daylight show us about our life change?
The crack of dawn view was like sleepy hollow times a hundred. Every
leaf off of every tree, uprooted ancient palms ,twisted in agony genips, topless
Christmas palms, spaghetti bundles of wires and bougainvillea camouflaged the
missing roof and pieces of our neighbors home. Jimmy was already out digging
thru fallen trees to bring us the news. We were acre to acre side by side blocked
by fallen trees among our cars and new rivers to cross. We still could not believe
our changed landscapes and our views into everyone's homes around us. 24 hrs earlier
we could barely see 2 houses thru the bush, now ten houses were exposed. Our neighbors lost the whole kit , we lost part of the kaboodle. They had invited another friend and her dog from town to join them in the storm ride out so she would not be alone.
How could she know she was in for a lifesaving mid storm escape adventure and
another 2 nights with the end of the road gang? Neighbors climbed thru heavy twisted
roof and botanical debris the 1/4 mile to the main road looking for a cell signal to
call friends and family with none to be found. Most of the new build no overhang
hip roofs on cement buildings held up. Everyone suffered something in our
neck of the devastation. It must have been a tornado that took the next door
roof and some of ours....the burning path of destruction clearly marked.
Exhaustion, shock, and need to tell the escape story, brought us altogether
around our table with promises of a bed to sleep in for all under the shelter
of our leaky roof. Late afternoon on Thursday Sept 7 came shouts of our
names down the cluttered block road from our dear frantic friends looking
to check on our survival. Nothing feels like joy and fear more than knowing that
there are those that would take the risk to drive under and over and downed power poles and wires and walk a distance into the unknown to find friends. They left a full car of worry on the road and took our contact info into town with them for all of our for friends and family and we settled in right at dusk with 5 people and 5 dogs collapsing in sleep. Around 3 am the ceiling in the living room fell about 3 feet from Cathy and Daisy the dog and they slept right thru it.
The rain continued inside and out and the mosquitoes kept the ear hum torture
going.
By Friday mid day we had cleared, chopped, and sawed our way down the estate road
to the new mud lake connecting us to the last 2 houses on the road. We greeted,
and helped a neighbor with her gate and were rewarded with just off the tree
avocado and bottles of water. Exhaustion set in again and the same guest list
lasted thru another night. By midday on Saturday Sept 9 the downtown guest
and dog were delivered home in the old yellow Jeep after the obstacle course
ride into town. Shock after shock of blown up buildings. Literally every other
power pole was down. The houseguest found that her upstairs apartment was
A O K and would have been a good place to sit tight for Irma... who knew?
For days we ate well off of the thawing frozen animal proteins from the neighbors
expiring fridge. Our home was declared base camp, and theirs as K2 . Superman
got the generator to charge the solar battery bank and with extension cord
Rube Goldberg expertise we had 1 fan,1 small fridge and 1 lamp. JOY .....
The fan at the end of the bed muted the mosquito hums and sleep was
the payoff. All of this clean up and daily maintenance is so
physical, sleep hits hard by 8:30 pm and first light at 5 am is the wake up call.
No more angst over American politics, or brain scrambling TV or IPads before bed.
This insomniac can't get enough of the hard earned sound sleep.No more
worry about plans, schedules, bills....when the daily need is water, bush work, sweeping flies and mosquitoes, creative canned cooking and collapsing again. Cleaning the perimeter of our little house of fallen tin,branches, wires, and muck is our future now.
There are constant small improvements hour by hour, with hope of
accelerated growth into some form of recovery. The rain kept coming and
held down the accomplished mood with constant mopping and dripping and
more ceiling collapsing. We were unwired, unplumbed and gutter less. All
that rain and no cistern water collecting happening! Except inside of course. We were using buckets of green pool water to flush toilets and boil at length to wash dishes...ick.
Some took showers in that stuff....some can use a half gallon of bottled water
to bathe.
The neighbors moved on to a cottage up the road after 5 nights. We still held
base camp for cocktails and updates near the end of the day. Curfew hours
were strict.Radio WSTA 1340 let us know what was up and not. Driving among
downed wires and poles at night is just plain stupid but some need martial law
to figure it out. By the next Wednesday we had connected with our family hero who sent 5 tarps and an envelope of cash on the fast boat called Midnight Express from Puerto Rico for us. We remain grateful, and more grateful. Little did we know that all the Puerto Ricans andCrucians that were helping us would soon get whomped by another Cat 5 named Maria. We were able to contact by text some friends and family and get reports on survivors. Our friend Vivian lost her house too.
Thirteen days after Sept 6 , I suppressed my agoraphobic tendency and rode into
town for the first time since Sept 5 with the chief engineer and obstacle driver. OMG. OMG. OMG .....not even tears...just shock...how could our little paradise still look so bad after 13 days. This was 2 days before Hurricane Maria picked our dance card.
Hysteria set in. We knew that Maria would be visiting us by Wednesday
Sept 20. Be ready by Tuesday night....really? Really? Surrounded by loose galvanized
rusty metal scraps, pieces of roofs, wires, downed trees, building and natural debris with a marginal roof just tarped, dodgy roads , everyone on Irma burnout and we are suppose to face Maria ? Hard to relate the anxiety and sick feelings we had .
The aviator did create the escape hatch into the wash house this time, with
wine and corkscrew in the washer for good measure. Dogs were installed with halters and leashes, and the rummy games began. Maria was going to visit at night and we heard from the governor by 9 pm via AM radio that we would be some 80 miles north of her eye and to expect tropical force winds. We relaxed a little. We remembered that
we had been on Irma's violent eyewall for many hours. Did I mention that the
real weather watcher in this house told me after I asked when the calm of the
eye with Irma would come.."by the way we won't be experiencing any eye ,
we are on the edge of the eye." I could not picture what he meant, but I sure
felt it.
Did I tell you that the ringing in my ears from chikungunya yrs ago subsided
during the low pressure of Irma and that the bridge of 5 teeth in my mouth actually
loosened up? That is how powerful the low pressure of storms are. They change
you in every way.
Back to bitchy Maria. She was really SLOW , ....we hate slow moving storms..
Marilyn was about 12 mph ? , and Maria took forever to move over our little
island. We continued to hear from the NWS via radio that she was really acting
crazy around 1 am as she was becoming 2 eyed, growing huge and we knew she was pulling up moisture from the S. America ad nauseam. She went on and on, and again by 4 am I bagged up all that stuff I had un bagged a few days before, just in case. We did hear tree frogs and night chirpers til about 3 am, then Maria started smacking us down
with higher winds then we expected. Some gusts by 3 am were over a 100 mph.
She was leaving us with a memory. Maria was not to be outdone by Irma in Culebra, Vieques, St Croix and Puerto Rico. Maria had already ruined Dominica and she was on
the war path. We heard horrible news from Puerto Rico. To be on a tiny rock
with 50,000 had to be better than to be with millions in metropolita.
Good thing we received 5 tarps. Tarp # 2 went up a few days later after
raining in the kitchen ruined a pseudo gourmet meal. Keeping the chef
dry is essential . The tarp installer received the message and
follow up was executed. More tarps ended up with those in need. Another remains stashed in secret.
Time for the siesta.....a new ritual as 5 am comes too early
before all that physical labor. Remind me to tell you about the
promised 2011 bottle of Pommard that awaited us post Maria. And laundry...
not!
So very lucky to have not been 100 yards east....so grateful to be alive.
We are more alert, more engaged , more forgiving and certainly exhausted.
We are feeling more of everything now all the time. We are proud of our
country and thankful for all the support.
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- Hurricanes Irma Sept 6 and Maria Sept 20,2017 Fortuna, St Thomas, US 🇻🇮 Virgin Islands
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2017 13:59:05 -0400
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I finally started writing on Sept 30. Sorry this is so long. The last 23 days
in our
> island world have been environmentally revolutionary.
>
> Tuesday Sept 5 was a super hot clear gorgeous day as we prepped for Irma and
> took a last picture of Brewers Beach on the way back up Blackpoint Hill west
> to our rainforest neighborhood; homes intact,power running,pantries stocked,
> and fridges cooling.Our friend Eric came around 2 to help bring down the
> 30 solar panels. We smugly thought we would have those panels back up
> and collecting solar power within the next 72 hrs. There can be no smugness
> we know now when you are facing a Cat 5 storm. A closer look at the old
> rusty galvanize up top was the red flag warning that we were too late to fix.
>
> There is no whining,crying,
> moaning or depression allowed. At this point I appreciate those around me for
> not giving in.
>
> On Wed Sept 6 we shuttered up in the morning,we had the weather channel on,
> had read reports about the destruction of Antigua , Barbuda,St Marten,
> Anguilla and knew that Irma was coming for us. Somehow there is always a
> pinch of hope and
> Pollyanna in us to think that the storm will turn away in our favor. This
> fantasy continued until hours before the raving maniac showed up in our
> neighborhood. Around 2 pm I was still talking on my landline to friends
> stateside from the shower stall while having them listen to what 110 mph
> sounds like. Irma was ripping tin from neighborhood homes, we could hear that,
> and then it was our turn. Why were we so shocked to feel our luck runout?
> How could we stop believing in our 1981 jungle hut that had made it thru
> Hugo, Marilyn and so many others ? A bomb went off on the roof and pulled our
> weatherhead
> and all the wiring out of our circuit breaker box by the fridge in literally
> seconds. Lights out, all forms of communication gone and dread, fear, nausea,
> the creepy feeling that we are in for it moved in. We were slow to react to
> our own safety issues. We had not created a safe place to escape to. We had
> a storm room downstairs by the battery bank wide open to the elements, and
> a cement wash house out the back door. Getting to either one meant running
> thru more wind that our bodies could not handle and enough flying galvanize
> to
> behead a village. We put the halters and leashes on the dogs, and starting
> bagging
> clothes, tech equipment, jewelry, documents, and toothbrushes like the
> eviction
> notice had been tacked on the door. A daylight storm is always preferred
> so you can see the flying weapon coming and maybe have time to
> duck on your way to the hidey hole. We paid for our lack of foresight. We
> caved in and fully dressed with shoes on laid on the bed listening to the
> layers
> of our roof curling up and banging down repeatedly with over 200mph winds
> fueling the noisy melee. Irma means sea goddess in German and I pictured
> a hefty angry St Pauli Girl ,with braids askew and gigantic wooden clogs
> stomping
> on our roof from 2:30 pm until 5 :30 pm . The aviator gave up all power and
> control and tried to nap while I continually asked "Did you hear that ? OMG,
> what was that ? OMG, what should we do?" Like a long drawn out car accident,
> the screeching of roofing tin being pulled out by it's nails, the high speed
> train of wind, the slapping of piles of rain, seen thru the cracks in the
> shutters as a total whiteout like any Colorado blizzard we had been thru kept
> the crazy going. Irma was moving forward we thought at 16 mph, it felt like 2
> mph, she just would not stop. My heart was pounding so hard, my meditation
> practices were all spent,my 21 yr old cat named Pratt not known for purring
> jumped
> on my pounding chest with the loudest purr of her life.The terrier Jill was
> wedged
> between us and the German Shepherd was feeling her normal catholic guilt
> for not being able to fix everything. I made some big promises to Irma .
> Goddess
> of the Wrath of Nature , I begged her to leave. Please leave, move away now.
> At 16 mph , I surely thought she should be fading,I asked the man with the
> watch
> next to me, what time is it now? about every 15 minutes until he just handed
> me the
> watch. It took hours to get up the nerve to open a door and hope no gust
> would throw
> something your way. We knew it was bad when no tree frog or night music was
> heard
> from all the missing foliage. By 7 pm with doors open we were surprised that
> we could
> see a light on in the bottom workshop of our neighbors house an acre away. We
> did not
> understand why they would still be down in their hidey hole with the storm
> over? We did not know of our neighbors newly homeless status until the next
> day.
So many homeless and some hungry. Shelters are closing too soon without places
for storm victims to go. This will take a very long time to fix.
Gorgeous day today after too much rain last night . Hoping Nate does not hurt
anyone.
>
>
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- From St. Thomas
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- By Susan Russell <sue at caribbeansoulcharters.com>
- Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2017 14:15:49 +0000
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Gert,
Saw a lot of utility poles being delivered yesterday. AT&T internet finally
good today. Good improvements!
Sue
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- Update Kim Caley from STT by text
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2017 22:15:24 -0700
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(1/4) What day is it? September? Aftermath... I see people walking around just hugging. Cell service is spotty at best and people cling to others who have shared this natural disaster. My perspective from the east end of STT - BARS OPEN! which in some ways good (Bernies at AYH has been feeding people free from day 2!) And some ways bad..
I've seen no WAPA crews clearing lines, but have seen others doing it. People have been helping people. Occasional tempers flare, but all in all it's been positive... Just SLOW.
(1/5) Normal things that take 20 minutes take hours - grocery, fuel, and now water. Flushing toilets, bathing, washing clothes by the piece.. cooking and dishes. Maybe a wake up call when folks have to haul gallons at a time to do simple things. I'm a boatie and many of these things are normal... but I'm in the
Stores have been opening and dealing with the mad rush of folks.. it's been fairly organized. These businesses have been doing it on their own - with help from national guard or private security.
Stunned Shocked Numb
All of us. But we're making it. I don't have faith for Christmas lights. . other than my own solar powered ones.
(Thanks for caring Gert!)
PS. Bernies was open for beverages but has served over 10k free meals to anyone who's asked, military included
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- Update from Linda on St.Thomas
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2017 09:28:19 -0700
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Good morning everyone
After flash flood warnings last night (and continuing through the weekend) the rain hit with a vengeance, causing more flooding, more rock slides, and even more misery to those that have not yet received their tarps for their roofs. It just seems it is one step forward and two back these days!
After a gas and diesel shortage panic this week we have been assured that all is well and supplies are on their way.
Looks like a few grocery stores get their supplies from Puerto Rico so their shelves are getting a little on the thin side.
Chin up to all fellow Caribbean friends. I've been told that SOME day we will look back and laugh at some of this nightmare but right now it seems to be an impossibility. Tomorrow is another day!
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- From Dave by Text
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2017 09:27:35 -0700
|
Good morning!
ST. CROIX — Governor Kenneth Mapp announced during his Friday press briefing a further easing of the curfews in the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John districts. For St. Croix, the curfew is now 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., meaning St. Croix residents have between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily to conduct their business. For the St. Thomas-St. John District, the curfew is now 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Mr. Mapp announced that 866 people on St. Croix were accommodated on Royal Caribbean’s Adventures of the Seas cruise ship today, as part of the government’s “mercy mission” voyages. The ship left the Frederiksted dock at 5:00 p.m. today and headed to St. Thomas, where it will accommodate more persons before making a two-day trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Once there, mercy mission passengers are to make their own way.
In a press conference on Monday to be held in St. Thomas, Attorney General Claude Walker, along with the Medical Examiner’s Office, will reveal for the first time the identity of those who died as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Mr. Mapp said the death toll, once said to be 7, had been reduced to 5, following autopsy results.
While the governor expressed sympathy to the families of those who died, he lauded residents’ heeding of warnings to either prepare themselves or evacuate their homes, stating that the small number of deaths and trauma served as a testament to their preparation.
“I cannot say that it’s five [deaths] in two hurricanes without saying that that’s still — for the kind of winds that went through the V.I. and the kinds of destruction that we suffered, to lose five souls and to not have a lot of trauma — is amazing,” Mr. Mapp said.
On a sad note, a Virgin Islands National Guard soldier was killed in St. Thomas on Thursday, according to Adjutant General Deborah Howell. The soldier, Private First Class Kyjuan Naughton, 21, was killed in the Smith Bay area while off duty. Private Naughton joined the V.I. National Guard in December 2014 and served honorably with the 661st Military Police Detachment, according to Adjt. Gen. Howell. She relayed the news to Private Naughton’s family on Thursday, and said that, “It is the most difficult charge as a commander to relay the news of losing a service member.”
Private Naughton’s death has been deemed a homicide, and the V.I.P.D. along with its federal partners are investigating the incident. The governor, along with William Vogel, federal coordinating officer of FEMA Region II and V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards, expressed condolences to Private Naughton’s family.
Below, find the other important updates from Mr. Mapp’s Friday press briefing.
The Department of Planning and Natural will begin regulation of non-permitted generators and air pollution control where these generators are being used. Homes utilizing these non-permitted generators are allowed to operate from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Operation thereafter would be violation of law and persons found wanting will be subject to penalty. D.P.N.R. enforcement teams will be out in neighborhoods enforcing the regulation, according to Mr. Mapp.
Distribution Centers will open from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. Saturday on St. Croix only.
The governor will host a joint press conference next week with cruise line CEOs to discuss the potential for cruise ships to resume visits to both St. Thomas and St. Croix.
The governor said weather forecasts predict thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in the territory through Sunday, and urged residents to take precautionary measures.
No more meals ready to eat (MREs) will be coming into the territory, the governor said, stressing his administration’s efforts to move to the recovery stage following the two disasters. In light of this, distribution centers, beginning next week, will open four days a week for four hours a day.
The territory’s leader stressed that displaced residents currently staying at shelters should not worry about being put out. He said while the government is aiming for an October 9 school reopening for the St. Thomas-St. John District, and will need the Lockhart Elementary School to accommodate students, housing would first be arranged for those in shelters.
The governor said the Blue Roof Project will kick off in a big way on Saturday, and promised to give more details during his Saturday briefing.
The University of the Virgin Islands suffered heavy damage to both of its campuses. Even so, the institution of higher learning said all of its facilities are expected to be cleaned, restored and ready for operations in two weeks – approximately Oct. 9. Some classes may resume even sooner, depending on the restoration of permanent power and internet communications. UVI will utilize some traditional classes, but also online courses. UVI will also utilize YouTube to upload lectures.
Department of Labor Commissioner Catherine Hendry announced that the Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (D.U.A.) has been extended to St. Thomas and St. John residents for Hurricane Irma. The D.U.A. applies to persons who have lost their jobs, live in St. Thomas and St. John, or have been displaced by Hurricane Irma. D.O.L.’s requirements for the D.U.A. requires that an individual does not qualify for regular unemployment benefits; individuals and small business owners who have lost incomes due to Hurricane Irma; individuals prevented from working due to an injury caused by the disaster; individuals who have become the sole supporter of the household due to a disaster-related death or injury of another family member; individuals who are unable to reach their places of employment because of the disaster.
D.O.L. offices in the St. Thomas-St. John are open on week days to process claims. These claims must be filed by Monday, October 30. D.O.L. is calling a meeting that all St. Croix employees are expected to attend on Monday, October 2 at the St. Croix Dept. of Labor at 11:00 a.m.
The V.I.P.D. will continue to enforcing the curfew, according to Mr. Richards. He said 6 persons — among them a store owner and security officer — were arrested on Thursday. The commissioner also noted a rise in domestic violence incidents.
Department of Health said it’s formulating a plan to return medical evacuees to the territory, as the recovery process continues to take shape.
Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams will be offering registration services from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Old Post Office in Christiansted on Saturday.
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- Update from Dave
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2017 15:37:10 -0700
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Radar down both sites in Puerto Rico so I accessed NOAA Satellite image. This is what is around us. Lots of heavy rain like we need more after Maria. As I informed you previously flash flood watch is now an advisory and will be a warning soon. Coming up from SSE so its gonna be around a bit. Please take all necessary precautions. Tonight and tomorrow morning is gonna be ugly again rain and flooding wise. Be safe all.
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- In town with online !
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2017 10:29:56 -0400
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First time on line since Sept 6 . Irma was a terrorist and Maria was a Bitch.
We are the lucky ones. Neighbors and friends are homeless. We have damage.
We are grateful to be alive. Someday will let you know how I really feel about
Irma.
This will take a very very long time for our dear Islands to recover.
Don't forget us. We need your support and patience.
One Love , One Heart ....we are island strong.
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- Update from Dave - Electricity and Water
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2017 07:00:53 -0700
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VIA VI Consortium
Here’s the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’s latest power and potable restoration update post-Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
ELECTRIC SYSTEM
Emergency call centers on St. Thomas & St. Croix will go live on Wednesday. The centers will operate from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m., seven days a week. The call centers are the primary means by which customers can advise the Authority of isolated service interruptions once crews have begun restoration work in various neighborhoods and communities. To contact the Emergency Call Center on St. Croix, call 340-773-0150, and on St. Thomas – St. John the call center’s telephone number is 340-774-1424. The activation of the call centers was delayed due to telecommunications challenges.
WAPA announces limited hours of operation at the St. Croix Customer Services office at Sunny Isle. The office will be open each weekday day from 12 noon – 3:30 pm. These hours may be adjusted based on the curfew. Customer service hours on St. Thomas and St. John are suspended pending a relocation of offices. The Four Winds Plaza location on St. Thomas was heavily damaged by the hurricanes.
WAPA is finalizing the mobilization for 240 linemen from the United States to assist in the restoration efforts. The additional manpower and equipment will be arriving on island over the next few days.
WAPA is expected to take inventory and stage a major movement of supplies from the shipping port to our storage facilities and to some work areas this week. This shipment includes additional poles, cable and other equipment.
WAPA continues to work jointly with Viya, the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority, and the Department of Public Works on a clean-up initiative across the territory.
Work continued on St. Croix Tuesday to re-energize customers in downtown Christiansted, and Frederiksted from the Midland substation to the Paul E. Joseph Stadium. In addition, the hangar and FAA control tower at Rohlsen airport has been energized. Crews also planted new poles for lines going into the Hannah’s Rest community. Clean up crews made significant progress on the roadways leading to both the Central High School campus and the John H. Woodson, Jr. High School.
On St. Thomas, the crews are working on the “A” Feeders: 6A, 7A, 8A and 9A. Work will also continue through the end of the week to restore electrical service to the Superior Court, VI Police Callwood Command and the Bureau of Corrections at the Farrelly Justice Center. Crews also energized Third, Eighth and Ninth Streets in Sugar Estate while clean-up crews were on Second Street. Feeder 6A was partially energized as was parts of Contant Towers. Additional buildings in the Harris Court housing community were also energized Tuesday, more should be fully restored this week.
POTABLE WATER SYSTEM We are building additional storage on all three islands slowly. St. John has four days of emergency storage, St. Thomas three days, and St. Croix three days.
The Concordia potable water pump station on St. Croix is on line. Overnight, the Kingshill tank should begin to build storage and the west end of the island should begin to receive potable water service.
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- Want to leave San Juan or St.Thomas?
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:56:21 -0700
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Received from Dave:
VIA Leigh Goldman
Adventure of the Seas is picking up Evacuees this week..
If you know people that want to get out of STT or San Juan., Please have them email:
Stormhelp at rccl.com
Have them email copy of US passport or proper visas information that allows them into the US..
If they cannot get into the US, the ship will not pick them up..
Adventure – San Juan September 28…
St. Thomas September 30…
Dropping them off in Fort Lauderdale Oct. 3…
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- Update from Dave
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:46:55 -0700
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Good morning! Post office stuff:
The following is an official update from the Postal Service regarding operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico for Tuesday, September 26.
USVI:
ST. JOHN
The Cruz Bay Post Office will be provide handout of mail service on Tuesday, September 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Packages and mail are being transported to St John for availability. There will be no retail service (stamps, money orders, shipping) available. This particular post office is located at 100 Vesper Gade.
ST. THOMAS
Additional quantities of packages and mail are being transported to St Thomas for Tuesday availability.
The Charlotte Amalie Post Office will provide mail and package pickup for customers whose addresses include the ZIP codes 00801, 00802, and 00803
Havensight Station has been providing mail for post office box addresses with ZIP Code 00802.
Customers are now directed to Havensight also for mail handout for customers in the ZIP Code 00804, served by the Emancipation Gardens office.
East End /Tutu Mall continues handout for addresses in ZIP Code 00805
ST.CROIX There is no service yet on St Croix.
PUERTO RICO
There will be no postal services in Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
However, on Tuesday, the Postal Service is asking postal employees to return to work to support the Postal Service’s recovery effort, deeming it an important start on the road to service.
On Tuesday in the San Juan processing plant:
All tour 2 employees report at the normal time on Tuesday.
All tour 3 employees report at 10 am.
All tour 1 employees by 6 am.
That is all employees of the plant, including managers and supervisors.
Outside of the processing plant, all postmasters, supervisors and managers are asked to report to work at their regular duty location and post office. Their help is needed to assess conditions and to assist in locating postal employees. No other employees should report to work, but all are asked to check-in by phone or in person at one of six area offices open for check-in purposes. “The welfare of our employees is essential for our recovery to service,” the Postal Service said.
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- Lots of useful info, received from Dave on STT.
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:03:13 -0700
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- Update from Linda
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2017 09:12:41 -0700
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Update from Linda (frenchtownfishing) by text:
Good morning, Gert
Sitting here looking around my little area of the island area and realizing just how lucky we are compared to ALL of our sister islands. Even with this sporadic internet connection I am able to see the horrendous damages done in Vieques, Culebra and Puerto Rico.
Here on St. Thomas we are in recovery mode. It breaks my heart to see how many of my friends and acquaintances are trying to leave, just pulling up lock, stock and barrel.
Our lives are spent in lineups, feeling ridiculously excited when we score things like ice, and sick when we can't get any and have to throw things out in case of spoilage.
The mosquito population has increased 20 fold and I swear that all roosters and chickens that were on islands previously hit by Irma and Maria were blown over to St Thomas.
There is no sign of when the airport will open. From my understanding, the only flights coming in are military flights. So many family members and friends trying to get goods here but it has been an impossible task thus far.
As usual, my phone is running out of juice and I will cut myself off here.
Take care of yourselves!
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- More from Dave
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:56:38 -0700
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Wapa
NEWS RELEASE
www.viwapa.vi
September 22, 2017
HURRICANE RESTORATION UPDATE
ELECTRIC SYSTEM
· There is limited electricity being distributed on St. Thomas. Portions of five feeders are presently energized. WAPA is also providing electrical service to the Cyril E. King Airport and Schneider Regional Medical Center. Crews worked in the following areas on Friday: Lindbergh Bay, PG Gas / GERS, Estate Thomas and the Oswald Harris Court housing community .
· On St. Croix, the Rohlsen airport has been re-energized and we continue to provide service to the Gov Juan F. Luis Hospital. Crews were deployed Friday to begin the clean-up of fallen poles, transmission lines and other damaged electrtical equipment.
· Assessments will be made over the next few days to determine the extent of damage to WAPA distribution systems. Restoration plans for both districts will then be developed and made public once the damage assessment process is completed. The restoration plans cannot be developed until the conclusion of the assessment phase.
· While the damage assessment is being conducted, WAPA has mapped out a tentative schedule of preliminary reconstruction of the distribution system over the next few weeks.
o On St. Thomas, work will be focused on the “A” feeders which run from mid-town to the west end. Over the next few weeks, crews will work on the paths of Feeders 6 A to the west end, 7A to Estate Altona, 8A and 9A into Savan, all extending outwards from the Harley plant.
o On St. Croix, the focus will be on Feeders 1A which powers the downtown Christiansted area, and on the path of Feeder 8B which runs from the Midland Substation through Estates Whim and Carlton up to the Frederiksted Ballpark on the west end of the island.
· By the middle of next week, a shipment of additional inventory including about 1,300 poles will arrive on St. Thomas as the reconstruction work begins to take shape.
· WAPA is now working in concert with Viya, the V.I. Waste Management Authority and the Department of Public Works on a clean-up initiative. This strategy is aimed at clearing the roadways of fallen cables, poles and other hardware and allowing both utilities to scrap the damaged equipment while WMA will gain access to public dump sites for regular waste hauling. In many instances, public dumping sites have been blocked by downed power and telecommunications cable and hardware.
· Emergency call centers will be activated in both island districts on Monday. More information will be provided over the weekend on these call centers which will be the primary means by which residents can report service interruptions once restoration begins.
POTABLE WATER
· There are three days of emergency water storage on St. John. Potable water service is available throughout Cruz Bay.
· There are two days of emergency water storage on St. Thomas. Potable water service has been restored to all communities on the island’s east end. Service is also available to Estate Thomas, Bakkeroe and Government Hill. Service will be restored to Savan, Bergs Home, and Contant Knolls over the next few days.
· There are two days of emergency water storage on St. Croix. Plant electricians on Friday installed electrical service to the Seven Seas water production plants. Water distribution crews are commissioning newly installed generators at the Contentment Pump Station which will replenish water storage at the Kingshill tank and allow for water service to become available to communities toward the west end of the island.
# # #
HURRICANE MARIA SURVIVORS IN ST. JOHN AND ST. THOMAS MAY APPLY FOR FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE
News / Virgin Islands / September 23, 2017
ST. CROIX — Hurricane Maria survivors in St. John and St. Thomas (including Water Island) may now register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA announced today. Saturday’s amendment to the major disaster declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands for Hurricane Maria makes FEMA Individual Assistance available to eligible individuals and families on those two islands, FEMA said.
As a result of today’s amendment, survivors on all U.S. Virgin Islands may now apply for FEMA assistance if they sustained uninsured or underinsured property damage because of Hurricane Maria.
Virgin Islanders in St. John and St. Thomas were already eligible to apply for assistance as a result of the September 7 disaster declaration for Hurricane Irma.
“We know many individuals and families in the Virgin Islands are struggling as a result of these powerful hurricanes and we want you to know that help is available,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William Vogel. “Registering is the first step to help get you on the path to a variety of recovery programs.”
Registration can be done online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, in Spanish at www.DisasterAssistance.gov/es, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.
The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Operators are standing by to assist survivors in English, Spanish and many other languages.
Due to power outages, FEMA will also be working with the territory to make options available for disaster survivors to register in person. More information will be forthcoming on that effort.
Federal disaster assistance helps eligible applicants with home repairs, uninsured personal property losses and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster. It also helps cover other disaster-related expenses and other needs.
Survivors should contact their insurance company to file an insurance claim. FEMA is unable to duplicate insurance payments. However, those without insurance or who may be underinsured may still receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.
Survivors will be asked to provide:
Social Security number
Address of the damaged home or apartment
Description of the damage
Information about insurance coverage
A current contact telephone number
An address where they can get mail
Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance
Survivors who have already registered with FEMA and have questions or concerns may call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362
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- USVI Update
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 19:10:10 -0700
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More from Dave....
VIA VI Consortium
BREAKING NEWS
ST. CROIX — At Governor Kenneth Mapp’s third press conference following Hurricane Maria to update the territory on his administration’s recovery and relief efforts, the following details were divulged.
Residents and visitors looking to leave the territory on a mercy cruise (a cruise line will arrive in the territory late next week with the capacity to carry about 2,000 passengers, according to Mr. Mapp), or a mercy flight, should call 340-772-0357, as the Dept. of Tourism is ready to start taking inventory.
The governor again temporarily lifted the 24-hour curfew on St. Croix on Sunday, which he said would allow those in the faith-based community to worship their god. He asked that religious persons pray for the recovery of the territory. The temporary curfew lift begins at 12 noon and ends at 4:00 p.m.
St. Thomas’s airport should reopen between Thursday and Friday next week for limited commercial flights. The governor will give an update on the status of the St. Croix airport — which remains closed — next week.
The Blue Roof Project started in earnest today, with the first roof being installed in Anna’s Retreat (Old Tutu), in St. Thomas.
8,245 people were furnished with meals ready to eat (MREs), as well as water, at the five St. Croix distribution centers today. According to Adjutant General of the V.I. National Guard, Deborah Howell, 1,576 persons were furnished at Alexander Henderson School, 2,533 at the Juanita Gardine School, 2,029 at the Eulalie Rivera School, 600 at the Cotton Valley Fire Station, and 2,097 at the St. Croix Educational Complex.
Dept. of Health is offering baby bed nets. Call 340-712-6245 to request one.
Dept. of Health, accompanied by V.I. National Guardsmen, will visit USVI patients currently in Puerto Rico, and link them with their loved ones in the territory.
V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards said the curfew will continue to be enforced, and announced the following arrests for violation of the regulation: Shaun Miller, 37; Juvanni Roach, 30, and Kester Clersont, 26. Mr. Richards said a number of criminal incidents were reported today, and that the department would continue to respond to them. He said incidents in St. Thomas and St. John had subsided significantly, and acknowledged the help of additional law enforcement from the U.S. mainland, the presence of the V.I. National Guard, as well as soldiers from the U.S. who are here as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mission, for their support.
Working with FEMA, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority was able to turn on potable water for residents living on the west side of the island.
FEMA warned against persons who may show up at the homes of residents affected by the storms claiming to be representatives of the federal agency. William Vogel, federal coordinating officer of FEMA Region II, said FEMA representatives wear an official FEMA badge, they never ask for money, and FEMA does not work with contractors so there’s no such thing as a FEMA-approved contractor. If you detect fraud, call the FEMA fraud hotline at 866-720-5721.
More meals and water are arriving in the territory, Mr. Vogel said, revealing today that a C17 aircraft with 200,000 meals and 150,000 liters of water, along with a civilian 767 Boeing aircraft loaded with tarps had arrived in the USVI. On its way here was another C17 aircraft carrying hygienic items, as well baby food and other baby items.
So far 5,455 people have registered for federal assistance for Hurricane Irma, and 901 for Hurricane Maria. You may signup here, or call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Individuals who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
Two vessels, one of them the Celebration cruise ship, will arrive in the territory in the coming days, with the Celebration serving as a home for FEMA first responders.
Dept. of Property and Procurement (DPP), currently seeking contractors for debris cleanup, signed contracts on Saturday night at Government House with a number of the local waste haulers, among them Bates Trucking and Just Right Trucking. DPP Commissioner Lloyd Bough Jr. said between 6 and 7 contracts with local contractors were signed tonight. Mr. Mapp reminded that the government can only sign contracts with licensed companies.
The BCB Middle School shelter in St. Thomas was permanently closed, and the shelter’s 7 remaining occupants were transferred to the Lockhart Elementary School shelter, which now has a total of 266 occupants, according to Dept. of Human Services Commissioner Felecia Blyden. The Knud Hansen facility, as of Saturday, housed 47 occupants. On St. Croix, the Educational Complex shelter as of today had 257 occupants, Herbert Grigg had 37, and 42 at the Canegata Ballpark center. D.H.S. said it’s working with shelter occupants to assess their needs to aid with the transition back to normalcy.
The Bureau of Information Technology, along with the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network, will erect WiFi hot spots in various locations on St. Croix, as the government entities did in the St. Thomas-St. John District during the early aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
As an aside, the governor began his press conference today by apologizing to marshals of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, who he had assailed for using their government authority and “flashing their blue lights” to take family and friends around during the curfew, while failing to perform any constructive work to help with the recovery. Mr. Mapp said he spoke with Supreme Court Chief Justice Rhys S. Hodge, who explained to the governor the role of the court during times of emergency.
Good evening!! Ill try to have more tomorrow. An exhaustive day
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- Update
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2017 08:26:03 -0700
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Received from Dave on St.Thomas via Text, it looks like that it came from: http://viconsortium.com/featured/mapp-announces-12-noon-to-400-p-m-curfew-lift-for-saturday-start-of-limited-commercial-flights-at-st-thomas-airport/
Governor Kenneth Mapp on Friday held his second press conference following Hurricane Maria’s passage in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Below, find the latest updates from the administration’s recovery and relief efforts.
The governor has extended the suspension of the 24-hour curfew on St. Croix, giving residents from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday to conduct business. The governor said more time would not be allowed because first responders needed to clear the roads, and he did not want the government to be held liable for anyone injured as a result of debris.
Mr. Mapp also changed the curfew hours for the St. Thomas St. John District. Effective Saturday, the curfew hours in the aforementioned district is 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Previously, it was 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
The USS Wright, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was scheduled to arrive at the West Indian Company (WICO) dock at 7:00 p.m. Friday night, carrying 1 million meals to be shared between the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix districts. A C17 aircraft was also scheduled to arrive with 50,000 meals and 36,000 litters of water.
The governor said his administration along with federal partners are hoping to reopen the St. Thomas airport for limited commercial flights in the middle of next week. The governor said the St. Croix airport needed some additional work before reopening, and added that he would provide more updates on Saturday.
One death related to Hurricane Maria was confirmed by the governor. The incident occurred in St. Thomas and involved a woman who Mr. Mapp said had drowned.
There’s a cruise ship coming to St. Croix at the end of next week to carry residents who want to leave the island. The vessel is part of the Mapp administration’s “mercy” trips, and comes at no cost to Hurricane Maria victims looking to leave the island. The governor said the arrival of the ship next weekend gives enough time for those who plan on leaving to have discussions with their families. He said the mercy mission will drop everyone off in Florida, at which point the victims will have to make their way.
WAPA will be getting help from outside firms that are coming into the territory to help with power restoration. The governor said while these firms will help WAPA move quickly to restore power, they are not part of the governor’s stated intention to move all the territory’s power lines underground, as such a project would take multiple years.
The governor accepted responsibility and apologized for delays that occurred at food distribution centers today. Mr. Mapp noted a situation at the Juanita Gardine School, which saw meals being delivered hours later than the stated time. There were reports of a similar situation occurring at the Alexander Henderson School, another distribution center. Mr. Mapp said someone would be fired for the mishap, as the problem arose because orders were not followed, he said. And the order, it appears, came from Adjutant General of the V.I. National Guard Deborah Howell, who also took responsibility for the failure and vowed to relieve the individual.
The distribution centers on St. Croix will be open tomorrow from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m., keeping in line with the curfew. Today, the governor announced the addition of a fifth distribution center. The list now includes Cotton Valley Fire Station, Alexander Henderson School, St. Croix Educational Complex, Juanita Gardine School, and the Eulalie Rivera School in Grove.
F.E.M.A.’s Blue Roof Project, which sees heavy duty tarpaulins being professionally installed on homes without roofs or homes with damage roofs, will commence soon, the governor said, with Anna’s Retreat being the first community where the tarps will be installed, Mr. Mapp said. He said more information about how to sign up would soon be made available.
The recovery and debris cleanup process, which is being paid for by the federal government, includes a lot of work, and the governor urged local contractors to seek contracts with the government be signing up with the Dept. of Property and Procurement.
Dept. of Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty, along with the governor, will meet with business leaders in the private sector on St. Thomas on Wednesday, and later next week on St. Croix, to discuss the potential attractions and other areas of appeal in the territory as sights that tourists could visit. Mr. Mapp said the discussions were being had because there’s a possibility that cruise lines could start visiting the islands sooner than anticipated. He did stress “may”, though, and said the outcome would depend on the readiness of the territory and its people.
viNGN is working on internet hots spots for St. Croix
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Governor Mapp recently spoke over the phone about adequate and appropriate housing for V.I. housing community residents displaced by both hurricanes Irma and Maria. The discussion was fruitful, the governor said, with Mr. Carson agreeing to address the thousands who are displaced. ” I expressed to the secretary my deep concern that we really have to address this issue, and it needs to be addressed really, really, rapidly,” the governor said.
Police Commissioner Delroy Richards fired two deputy chiefs in the St. Thomas-St. John District, who he said had not followed the plan he laid out in responding to the crisis of hurricanes Irma and Maria. He said two deputy chiefs in the St. Croix district would be fired as well. The governor endorsed Mr. Richards’s move, and said more firings would come in other government departments and agencies, for individuals who had simply failed to perform at a time when the government needed them the most.
Distribution centers will reopen on Saturday in St. Thomas (they were closed on Thursday and Friday).
The mobile hospital outside the Schneider Regional Medical Center in St. Thomas that was taken down because of Hurricane Maria, was reestablished, according to FEMA. Two more were requested and will soon arrive in the territory to service both St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Seniors residing at Flamboyant Gardens, Whim Gardens and the facility located at the back of Sunny Isle, do not have to visit distribution centers to receive meals ready to eat (MREs), as Fire Service personnel will be delivering the MREs and water to these seniors on Saturday.
Dept. of Health will have minimal operation next week out of its mobile van, as the Harwood Complex building was damaged by incessant rain.
On Friday, disaster survivor assistance teams canvassed the St. Croix community letting residents know that FEMA is here to provide assistance. According to William Vogel, federal coordinating officer of FEMA Region II, roughly 5,625 Virgin Islanders have registered for assistance, 5,100 of whom did so for Hurricane Irma, and the remainder for hurricane Maria.
Port facilities now open are West Gregory, East Gregory, Homeport Pier, Crawley and Tropical Shipping in St. Thomas, and Limetree Bay and Krause Lagoon in St. Croix. Port facilities in St. John remain closed.
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- WAPA Update
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2017 06:55:54 -0700
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Received from Dave via text message (he lives on St.Thomas) Good morning. WAPA update
VIRGIN ISLANDS WATER AND POWER AUTHORITY STATUS UPDATE
WAPA’s power plants at Estate Richmond, St. Croix and Krum Bay, St. Thomas fared relatively well during the passage of Hurricane Maria on Tuesday and Wednesday. The plants provided uninterrupted electrical service prior, during and after the hurricane’s passage providing electricity to both hospitals.
The plants were on line Thursday providing electricity to both hospitals and to the Cyril E. King Airport and the Lockhart Elementary School emergency shelter on St. Thomas. At late afternoon, efforts were being made to energize the Henry E. Rohlsen airport on St. Croix. On St. Thomas, portions of several feeders are also energized.
Over the next few days, WAPA will be assessing the damage to the electrical transmission and distribution systems in both districts as well as on Hassel Island and Water Island.
While the territory-wide assessment is being completed, we will begin the process of planting new poles in critical areas to begin restoring service once a plan for restoration has been completed. The restoration plans cannot be developed until the damage assessment procedure is completed.
On St. Croix, WAPA water distribution crews are working to resolve an issue with water availability. WAPA personnel is now installing a standby generator to energize the Contentment pump station. Once functional, potable water will be pumped St. Croix’s west end and allow the Kingshill tank to gain storage. The tank has been emptied by an apparent leak which developed during the hurricane. Electrical service has also been restored at the Richmond pump station which will allow for the continued building of storage. Currently, there are 7.5 million gallons of water on St. Croix which is a three-day water supply.
St. John has three days of emergency water storage. St. Thomas has two days of water storage. Customers in higher elevations will experience low pressure or no service at all until all pump stations have been restored with electricity.
The Seven Seas water production facility is fully operational on St. Thomas. Electrical service has also been restored to the Donoe pump station and storage is being replenished there as well as at the storage tanks on Sara Hill.
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- US Virgin Relief Fund
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 18:02:01 -0700
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US Virgin Relief Fund Forwarded by Dave, no power, so flashlight used....
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- Federal Distaster Relief Assistance
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 17:56:33 -0700
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Forwarded by Dave, no power still, so shown by flashlight. This is for both Irma and Maria.
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- Airport Updates
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:31:02 -0700
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Received via Dave: Airports:
VIA Jason Coscia
Airport information (source FAA)
St Thomas Airport
Closed till further notice with exception of military hurricane relief operations.
Currently navigation instruments, landing assistance instruments (ILS, PAPI) and weather advisory systems non operational. Also runway and taxi related lighting out. Air Traffic control not fully operational.
St Croix Airport
Closed until further notice with exception of military hurricane relief operations
Currently VOR and ILS navigation and landing instruments not operational. further assessment is underway
San Juan Airport
The airport is closed pending further damage assessment with exception of military hurricane relief operations.
Currently the runway PAPI and airport navigation systems are not operational and weather advisory system not operational
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- Waiting
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- By Ronald Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 16:07:17 -0400
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Maria has us waiting. Midnight they say. Been raining a little, blowing a
little. Hopefully we won't have that much to worry about. Should be a Cat 4 as
she passes. St Croix will get some damage. Hope not too much. We can't have
three islands destroyed in 2 weeks! Records set!
Ronnie
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- Maria
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- By Ronald Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 06:31:00 -0400
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Good morning. Now I can't believe we are sitting here getting ready to prep for
Hurricane Maria. Maria is forecast to be a category 4 hurricane as she passes
Tuesday night, Wednesday morning. We're starting all over again. I certainly
hope we pull through this one as we can't take any more damages to the island.
St Croix and Puerto Rico where people have been sent to escape the wrath of
Irma, will now be getting the brunt of Maria.
Ronnie
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- From Sue in STT
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- By Susan Russell <sue at caribbeansoulcharters.com>
- Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2017 17:37:42 +0000
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Gert,
Thank you for your email. We were fine in Vieques for Irma. Think we got 80-100mph. There were 9 boats in there and all were fine. When we sailed back to St. Thomas we found another situation. Looks like a war zone but Tropical Shipping has been
busy, busy and have had lots of relief boats from PR. The grocery store shelves are well stocked. Crown Bay Marina has been selling fuel as are some gas stations. Haven’t had much time on shore as my car was damaged. Also lost 2 dinghies.
Today, everyone is gearing up for H. Maria. Weird vibe as lots of residents waiting for ferries to go to PR to fly out - many for good :-(
We’re headed back to the mangroves and hoping this thing misses poor BVI and USVI and PR.
God bless everyone in Maria’s path.
Sue
PS. Gert, we won’t have comms after we go into the mangroves Tuesday AM but will try to get in touch whenever we come out. Depends on PR cell towers.
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- Update
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 22:16:05 -0700
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Update from Linda and Jimmy (frenchtownfishing) via text messages:
Greetings from St. Thomas
I am able to.post thanks to Gert contacting me and allowing me to post through messaging.
Just finished dinner and sitting on the porch, under curfew, radio going, with a warm glass of white wine and reflecting on this last week and a bit.
Our area of Frenchtown was very lucky and ended up with minimal damage but less than a "city block" away there are roofs gone, baseball park stands twisted and destroyed, and power lines and transformers and poles down everywhere.
Wait until I tell you I am done. *sips warm wine*
I understand that the power grid is 90 to 95 per cent down. I drove up Crown Mountain Road yesterday and could not believe the beating houses took to my right. Why is there a water cistern in the middle of the road???? The rock slides and mud slides only got worse the higher I got.
When I got to work, looking down from the top of the island I was shocked at the damage I could see from there.
The number of houses without roofs is sickening. I am only seeing the South side of the island. I could go on and on ... The hurricane destroyed our hospital with patients being transferred to st Croix and puerto Rico. Just got word that the field hospital that the.military had set up for emergencies is being dismantled due to next hurricane coming in. Looking to the east and west of the island my heart just fell .
The island has been stripped. Thousands of poles down, wires and transformers down. We now live a life of lines, searches for ice and batteries! Our fears now are the next system coming next week and we pray as one that this goes north of us because I honestly don't know how we can take another hit after this one.
Our thoughts and.prayers are with our sister islands of St John and the British Virgin Islands. Thanks Gert. --
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- Update
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 18:51:12 -0700
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Received from Dave via text:
Latest from here
VIA VI Consortium
Breaking News: Maria is expected to hit St. Croix directly, or pass between St.
Thomas and St. Croix on Tuesday packing between 100-120 mile-per-hour winds;
public schools closed Monday; Curfew hours on Sunday and Monday now 6:00 p.m.
to 8:00 a.m. in the STT-STJ District, so residents can make last-minute
preparations; distribution centers to quadruple food items to residents ahead
of storm; Mapp urges STT-STJ residents to head to shelters. “Listen,
concentrate on your family and the protection of yourselves," the governor said.
Sent from my iPhone
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- Hello
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- By Ronald Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2017 07:43:42 -0400
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I'm sorry I have not been giving updates about Hurricane Irma. This was the
worst hurricane I've been through in my life. I actually thought I was going to
lose The roof on the Crystal Palace. The winds were fierce and since they were
coming from the west, we have never really experienced that before. I'm happy
that my great grandfather in his wisdom chose to rebuild this house completely
with a steel frame and solid poured concrete. The corrugated galvanize roofing
is held down with nuts and bolts.
I'm sure many of you have seen the damages to St Thomas. What has ensued in the
past 10 days has been pure chaos. We weren't allowed out for 48 hours. A curfew
was imposed on us to only be out from noon to 6 PM. This is where the chaos
began. Running around to find supplies became a task where you had so many
people just driving around to look at what was going on. My purpose was for
supplies, just ice basically, as we had most everything else, there's was
seeing what's going on. It made for a mess with the traffic and apparently the
police did not feel it was necessary for them to direct traffic at major
intersections. What could've been done in an hour took three hours. As the days
passed, it's gotten better and we now have an extra two hours to be on the
street from 10 AM to 6 PM. Lines to the gas stations have gone from a three
hour wait to now less than five minutes. The supply ships are coming in with
food and grocery stores are open. Relief efforts on the way here as well and
being distributed daily. The one missing element that's dearly needed is tarps
to cover the rooves that have been blown away. At first they were only three
distribution centers, they have added a few more in the past two days. One
center was distributing tarps that were 8 x 10'. There are so many homes that
lost their entire roof that need at least 30 x 60'. We just have to wait and
see how it pans out.
There are many friends of the Islands all over that are putting together
packages and sending them. We are grateful for these friends. Tim Duncan raise
a whole bunch of money and shipped items in and actually came to help
distribute them. He is an angel in making.
Like I said I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch. We lost electricity and cell
phone service during the storm. AT&T came back online fortunately in the area
in which I am. There's an area to the east that I called 'the dead zone' as you
get there you have no service on the entire eastern end of the island as well
as St John who got battered more than St. Thomas. Sprint phones have not come
back up as yet and I hear that people are trying to switch to AT&T since it's
working. The third carrier VIYA I haven't checked for a signal as yet as they
have been down since the storm. I will plan a few more updates every evening.
Take care,
Ronnie
Sent from my Ronnie's iPhone
crystalpalaceusvi.com
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- life after Irma
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- By James Latham <latham52 at gmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2017 17:07:44 -0400
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We are alive. We went through Irma huddled in our wooded house. As the winds increased we peeked out around midnight and watched our 20x 30 foot patio cover lift off like a rocket bound for the moon. Straight up it went maybe 100 feet sailing the winds until the electrical cables still attached snatched it back. Down it came crashing with a hammer blow to the side of our house. Again and again it did this until the ropes and lines holding it like kite string gave out. It finally hit the ground and rolled up, a 20 foot ball of metal tubing and roof panels. More was to come, about the peak of the storm we heard some loud ponding on the roof. My wife and I new the house roof was next to go. I looked out from our bathroom door watching our ceilings 4x6 wooden beams that spanned 18 feet across our living room start to vibrate like a guitar string. They stopped for a moment then flexed like bow. This is it I thought, the roof is going to go even with all the hurricane clips I installed. The violent pounding increased but the roof stopped vibrating after what seems like hours. I turned to my wife and asked "it seems to have hit its peak?". I did something I would not suggest anyone do, I stepped outside drawn to look the storm by some unreasonable urge I can't explain. Below our house a giant thread of horizontal rain and wind was twisting below weaving its way through are community and houses of my neighbors it looked ghostly like a silvery river making its on course. I tried to photo it but each time rain splattered the camera lens. The wind turned and I ran inside. Well the house roof stayed on. Come light we emerged into a world changed.
Jim Latham |
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- St. Thomas
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- By poohwear at aol.com
- Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:56:05 -0400
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 This is a before and after shot of Magens Bay...decimated and devastated...
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- Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 11:52:08 -0700
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Received from Claire Ochoa, former St.Thomas resident: The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands has set up a fund to help Virgin Islanders recover from Hurricane Irma, according to a statement from Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett. “The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands has started the FUND FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. The purpose of this fund is to provide monies for critical needs in the Virgin Islands,” Plaskett said. The CFVI is a fiduciary for a number of smaller charities and holds 501c3 tax status, so donations to it are tax deductible. It has been a fixture in the territory for more than 25 years.
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- Report from Mandahl
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- By James Latham <latham52 at gmail.com>
- Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 10:00:28 -0400
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Lots of trees down, can't see the salt pond right now but last seen most the boats were all on the east end next to each other. Heavy rain and some lightning.
Please move on Irma.
Jim Latham ARS KP2XX |
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- FireChat
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 06:49:07 -0700
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Found this on the St.Thomas forum: http://help.stormcarib.com/index.php?58
Re: No reception on St. Thomas, VI to find my love ones. new Posted by: Katie (71.40.85.186) Date: September 07, 2017 06:44AM Download the Firechat app - there's a #sttirma group you should follow and they've been giving updates through the storm on people and places.
I'm sure you will find your loved ones! Still trying to reach my brother in St. Thomas as well.
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- Update
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- By Gabriel Lowry <lowrygd at gmail.com>
- Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 02:33:48 -0400
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This is Gabriel Lowry again....
I just wanted to thanks to Gert and Dave and your families for allowing you to do what you do. I'd also like to thank anyone else that's behind the scenes running the website and keeping things updated. I'd like to buy you all a few drinks sometime!
Thanks Again, Gabriel Lowry 817.706.8020 Monitoring Ch 16 VHF |
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- Irma
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- By Gabriel Lowry <lowrygd at gmail.com>
- Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 01:25:32 -0400
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Good Evening All,
I hope you are well. We are in Estate Lerkenlund near Fairchild Park. We will be out at daybreak cutting our way down to 4coners trying to help in anyway we can along the way. Ultimately heading to East Caret Bay, if you know of anyone in this area that needs help, please let us know. We will be on channel 16 on VHF (call for Lowry) and my cell phone number is 817.706.8020. We will have chainsaw, winches, jacks, first aid, etc.
Be safe.
Gabriel Lowry 817.706.8020 |
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- Fwd: #EXTRA: Public Health Emergency declared in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
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- By Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 16:02:55 -0700
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#EXTRA: Public health emergency declared in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
A public health emergency has been declared in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price due to Hurricane Irma.
HHS has also sent a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) to Puerto Rico. This includes health care providers and support staff who are non-government but are called to federal service in cases
of disasters. They are able to aid local officials and assist with urgently needed medical care.
This designation follows an emergency declaration by President Trump for the same islands.
Price made the same declaration in Texas and Louisiana last week following Hurricane Harvey’s landfall.
Full statement from HHS:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
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HHS Secretary Price declares public health emergency in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands due to Hurricane Irma
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Following the lead of President Trump’s emergency declarations for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., today declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as Hurricane
Irma continues its track in the Caribbean. In addition, he has taken action that gives HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) beneficiaries and their healthcare providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs.
“As Hurricane Irma bears down on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, HHS stands ready to help our fellow Americans and do all we can to ensure they have access to the healthcare services and support they need,” said HHS Secretary Tom Price, M.D. “Assets
are being mobilized to address both immediate healthcare needs and prepare for long-term challenges. We are doing everything in our power to maintain access to care for those with Medicare and Medicaid by supporting the ability of hospitals and other healthcare
facilities that participate in those programs to provide timely care to as many people impacted by the storm as possible.”
In addition to increasing the flexibility in providing services to, and assistance for, CMS beneficiaries, HHS has deployed approximately 70 personnel to affected areas to help state and local authorities plan and respond to communities’ medical needs, and
additional staff is on standby to assist.
Today’s declaration of public health emergencies for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands follows similar emergency declarations for Texas and Louisiana that Secretary Price signed to help residents affected by Hurricane Harvey. Secretary Price acted
under his authority in the Public Health Service Act and Social Security Act.
These actions and flexibilities are effective retroactively to September 5, 2017.
Public health and safety information for Hurricane Irma can be found at
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/events/irma2017/Pages/default.aspx
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If you would rather not receive future communications from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), let us know by clicking
here.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 200 Independence Avenue, SW 6th Floor Room 647-D, Washington, DC 20201 United States
-- Gert van Dijken Caribbean Hurricane Network http://stormcarib.com |
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- Bad eye contact
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 13:47:12 -0400
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Looks like no breaks for us, no eye as long as she keeps going her way, we are
feeling some breakdown of trees falling against shutters. Very viscous
Cable out
This will go soon I'm sure
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- Anguilla post
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 13:15:52 -0400
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Joanie, so grateful for your post from Anguilla. Keep updating please.
If you hear anything about Welches Village let us know. Good thing
Angullians love cement fortresses,yea!
We are in psycho world now. We are over a hundred mph guessing now
And we want that Irma to scoot her big eye out of here so we can assess.
She does seem to be in control of the situation.
This is scary loud freight train shaking colossal power.
We are shocked that communications are still open.
I apologize for over posting but it keeps me occupied.
Maybe another hour and half of this cray cray stuff, then eye break then more
cray.
Let us know how you are doing. Can't believe the guy in Mandahl still
has panels on his roof..Wow?..awesomeness
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- In the worst of it
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 12:27:57 -0400
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Irma, why are you so mad at us ? You take super long deep breaths and blow it
out harder each time. This is the worst situation of our lives. Never had so
much fear, but I didn't go thru childbirth so there's that.
We hear many trees cracking, thinks hitting roof, neighbors metal roofs flying.
These are 100plus mph winds according to the aviator in the house.
The house is shaking. Everything is shaking.
The Lays potato chips and Heineken helped !
Let's just go thru each minute .....then hour, then hope for tomorrow.
Can't believe we still have wifi, bravo VIYA!
Let's try to send some good vibes to Irma and get her to calm down please.
Let us know how you are doing.
We are island strong.
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- Report from Mandahl Salt Pond
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- By James Latham <latham52 at gmail.com>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 12:14:03 -0400
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Winds are strong here in Mandahl. Just lost a small section of the patio roof. Lots of shaking and noise. Running on our big battery bank, solar panels giving a small charge . Boats in Salt pond seem to be OK some three are next to each other now like there anchors dragged . wind here seem to be out of North. The old wooden house holding so far.
Jim Latham ARS. KP2XX |
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- Cracking trees
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 11:49:52 -0400
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Jill the Red Cross NP, Just drove from Frenchtown back to shelter by
stadium downtown. South side of island, sea level, not sure how she did it.
She said town is a mess.
We hear cracking trees, and sheet metal flying. Nauseous, shaky,
scary. Feels like house is shaking.
Maybe an earthquake?
This is bad.
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- Flyaway Kit
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 10:04:31 -0400
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Aviators call it a fly away kit and we just put one together for the first
time in
our 24 yrs in St Thomas after experiencing many storms and 6 major hurricanes.
Into plastic bags, into plastic bin in a strong area of house, laptops, jewelry,
paperwork, purse, wallet, car keys etc. After a rest, will do some clothing and
toiletries, shoes.
We have never had wind like this from this direction. I just heard a car with
loud boom box drive by. CRAY CRAY .We hear from 2 sources that Fortuna
West End power is out. We are working off battery bank while it holds.
Our friend Bonnie and Isaiah built the smartest house we have ever seen
in Anguilla.We wish ours was as strong.
Fingers crossed the Viya Evo communications bundle wire holds, but realize
no news is normal. We have no idea how cell towers are.
Now going to change into "fly away " outfit. Be ready to survive. With all
your best jewels on !
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- Irma Wednesday Morning NW side Of St Thoma
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 09:04:53 -0400
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Sleep has been rare for last 4 days. This will be brief. The sea is up and
angry.
Surrounded by grey. Some hard rain, then mist then not. We live off the grid
so use generator to boost batteries. We are watching too much weather channel.
Nauseated about Anguilla, just heard that St Maarten is in the eye.
Brave of our friend Jill NP to be on Red Cross duty in town. They had 58 folks
overnight. She has badges so can drive in curfew. She drove the less than
1 mile to Frenchtown at 6 am and was shocked already. She was stopped
twice, apparently curfew from 6 am today til Thursday 6 pm is being enforced.
GOOD.
Our friends in Lerkenlund north side over a Magens were feeling breezy
by 9:30 last night. We are experiencing the most wind from the North now
ever and we have been in this house since 2001. This house was built in
1964. Not sure if the roof will hold. I have been making big promises to
wind gods to show some mercy. We will start to feel it stronger from the West
soon. Backdoor west side is wearing plywood first time ever. East side shutters
are still cracked open for ventilation but that will change soon. So glad we
had those trees cut in the back just 2 days ago.
This is the most anxious we've ever been about our house.
Stay in touch. Dear family and friends in states , out of energy to answer
texts and emails. Will try to make some calls if landline holds as cell
never works here anyway. Dear islanders, please let us know how it is going.
The wind is so loud now.
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- 0700, up a south facing hill in Nadir
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- By Kim Caley <mantaray357 at yahoo.com>
- Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 07:03:05 -0400
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Winds stared picking up about 5, still not bad yet. My kitty is hiding behind a
pillow on the couch, and I wish I could sleep. Keep the faith that cell towers
come back online soon, so we can keep our families stateside informed to our
welfare.
Kim aka Kimmie
Sent from Planet Earth
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- Hurricane prep done
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- By James Latham <latham52 at gmail.com>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 22:21:02 -0400
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Tuesday night at 10pm . I just finished up three days of preparation of house, hope those Solar Panels stay on the roof. (And the roof stays on). Also lowered my 60 foot ham radio towers to the ground and stored the antennas. Planning on setting it all back up after the hurricane passes to assist with communication off island. Hope everyone stays safe.
Best,
Jim Latham Mandahl Salt Pond, St. Thomas
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- Brewers Beach St Thomas This Morning
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 15:46:11 -0400
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- Marine Forecast | Weather Underground
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 15:28:55 -0400
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The copters and planes are tucked in with boats in the hangar.
>
> Tomorrow....up to 31 ft seas !!
> https://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AM/725.html
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- A Little Help Putting Up The Shutters
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 15:27:31 -0400
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As long as he stays outside.
>
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- Where Do You Keep Your Solar Panels ?
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 14:59:47 -0400
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Let us know how you are doing?we see choppy seas and December like wind.
cooling down.
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- Shelters
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- By Ronald Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 10:57:37 -0400
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Ronnie
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- Irma
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- By Ronnie Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2017 07:46:07 -0400
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Much too close for comfort. Stores running out of supplies. Latest projection at 5am is over the BVIs tomorrow.
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- Tree Surgery before Irma
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 16:21:46 -0400
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Today's $$ gone
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- Wind Fields and Solar Panels
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 09:44:06 -0400
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Dave, thanks for your updates. Can you please discuss wind fields and
timing . Lots of solar panels in limbo in St Thomas.
Jane on the NW side , Fortuna.
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- Attitude About Latitude ,Closest Point of Approach - Caribbean Hurricane Network
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 08:20:13 -0400
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Cheese n bread, really Irma? I don't like your latitude......
http://www.stormcarib.com/closest.cgi
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- Irma nears
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- By Ronnie Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2017 07:36:05 -0400
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There has been lots of people getting ready for what is now the impending storm. Seems like it will pass close to us. As we know they are so many variables and things can change. The two big box stores have been filled with people since Thursday. Up to yesterday they were jammed as well as Home Depot. Our local supplier MSI opened yesterday and will again today for any one needing plywood and the like.
Haven't heard if we have been put on watch. No VITEMA updates being emailed. They say their website is down. Their Facebook page is up for info. From their Facebook page came this. Pretty much the only thing from the GVI.
Sand bag distribution locations will be opened throughout the
territory beginning on Monday, September 4, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m. at the following locations:
St. Croix:
• Department of Public Works, Anna’s Hope
• Department of Public Works, Frederiksted
• Grove Fire Station
• Cotton Valley Fire Station
St. Thomas:
• Department of Public Works
• Bordeaux Fire Station
• Tutu Fire Station
St. John:
• Department of Public Works
Ronnie
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- : Tropical_Tidbits_—_[Saturday]_Irma_a _Dangerous _Hurricane_–_Could_Impact_Leew ard_Antilles_Nex t_Week
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2017 08:52:41 -0400
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To the Northern Leewards, please listen to this video. Thanks Frank.
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- Warnings for St.Thomas...St. John.. and Adjacent Islands, Virgin Islands | Weather Underground
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2017 21:23:21 -0400
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We live at 650 feet and can hear the surf pounding. High rip current warning.
Spent some time with post hole digger cleaning muck out of drain today, lots of
cardio, no need for gym . We will keep cleaning the perimeters. Arborist
coming tomorrow.
Even if Irma goes fishing Jose will be behind her soon to stir it up.
https://www.wunderground.com/US/VI/001.html?utm_source=HomeCard&utm_content=Alert&cm_ven=HomeCardAlert&hdf=1
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- Baiting The Hook?
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 16:27:55 -0400
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Fingers crossed that Irma decides to go fishing.
Meanwhile, might as well get ready for her buddies coming southeast of her.
Please donate to StormCarib.
Gert, thanks again for everything.
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- Irma Spaghetti Models | Cyclocane
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 09:07:30 -0400
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Another way to look at Irma. She is way to far away to call it. She is big and
in
a hot environment to lose her temper. The 967 mb is strong. She is big. Better
to be ready by Tuesday sundown. No reason not to.
https://www.cyclocane.com/irma-spaghetti-models/
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- Irma
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- By Ronnie Lockhart <ronusvi at aol.com>
- Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 07:59:49 -0400
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So much fun with all of the reports and speculation. Irma seems to be heading our way. As stateside friends look at the reports they are convinced we will be hit dead on. I will wait while it gets closer to speculate. Right now I believe we will be brushed by her. Stay tuned.
Ronnie Lockhart
St Thomas
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- Prep for Irma
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2017 21:23:28 -0400
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I've been informed by the aviator to fully prep for Irma.
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- Harvey Warnings
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2017 08:13:04 -0400
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Storm seasoned islanders will always tell statesiders facing ominous long term
forecasts, if you can drive away do it. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes do
give you more time to prepare.
We spend our summers clearing our perimeters and stocking our pantry.
Now it is our turn to be prepared. Look East to Africa. Get ready.
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- St Thomas Texas Society Chili Cook Off Spicy Reggae Fabulous Again
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2017 17:58:23 -0400
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Many thanks to the chefs ,musicians, sponsors , volunteers and organizers.
Happy to report we made it till 3:30 before the huge blast of a storm landed on
the venue. Over 40 chefs spiced it up and Reggae Music was so sweet on Brewers
Bay by the runway on UVI campus. Lots of moisture hanging out now. Peace out.
Get ready.
https://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=JUA&lat=18.35000038&lon=-64.93333435&label=Saint%20Thomas%2c%20VI
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- Cold Thunder Barking Til 4 am, WAKE UP CALL
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2017 08:32:09 -0400
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The German Shepherd was on bark guard duty til 4 am . Not much sleep was had in this little jungle hut. It was a cold stormy night and only 73 now. We have been off the grid for a few years so not sure how the current held up for others. We are running the generator for about an hour to beef up the battery bank as it looks like a grey morning. Our friends in St John lost power at dusk last night and it still is not back on. We hear there is power in Cruz Bay. Let us know how you fared last night and see attached link to see what is coming. I think we are still in for it all over BVI Festival and down island. Looks like Culebra and Vieques are right under it. This is our warning. Time to wake up and recognize what season we are in. Isabel from St Croix, your pictures are amazing. We had lateral lightening that crackled crazy. If we could just explain thunder to the dogs. If my neighbor could just bring his dog inside during storms, we would all sleep better. Stay safe .
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- Cold, racing clouds, really windy ,lots of boomers ,right now
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2017 18:46:50 -0400
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- August Cold
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2017 18:25:51 -0400
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73 degrees in daylight hours in August here on the Northwest side of St Thomas.
High deep,clouds; lots of thunder barking going on. Mother Nature is busy.
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- Tail End of Storm
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2017 15:39:18 -0400
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We are feeling the tail end of a storm forming over us right now.
A pilot from St Maarten just diverted to St Croix to get to St Thomas.
Thunder and sideways rain all around. Fingers crossed it just keeps moving on.
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- Windy, Hazy ,Hot , Hello August
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2017 12:26:43 -0400
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August is bringing in the Sahara dust haze and we'll take it as protection
from storms coming off of Africa. It is windy today and the horizon line
is blurred. The aviation mechanic is on his way to St Maarten to
perform some surgery on an aircraft. Hoping for some decent weather
down there and baguettes and Brie on the return.
Thank you again StormCarib for this forum to air our weather concerns
and give preparation suggestions.
Picking up loose items and getting organized on your property perimeters
will come in handy when something pops up down the road. We recently
had to re plumb the entire cement jungle hut so exterior wall clean
up was mandatory. Those old copper pipes were full of pin holes and
wasted the cistern bounty.
Building up your pantry with some canned goods now every time you
go to the store will help too. We've been freezing extra peppers and tomatoes
from the garden and know they will come in handy if we can't get to the store.
The Mango warnings are clear! Old timers always say a good year for mangoes
means get ready for everything, right? The mangoes have been off the
charts. I had to freeze some to keep up with the ripest ones; perfect for
instant smoothies.
Stay in touch with StormCarib and let us know how you are faring down island.
Jane Higgins in Breezy West End Fortuna
St Thomas
jhigginswear at islands.vi
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- Rain Dance
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2017 08:26:32 -0400
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Call the water truck, put white clothes on the line, do the rain
dance.....Thank You Mother Nature, we really needed that .
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- Storm Season Sunset
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- By Jane Higgins <jhigginswear at islands.vi>
- Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 19:14:57 -0400
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The side effect of much needed moisture in the form of a masterpiece sunset.
Thank you Mother Nature.
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