It has now been one year since Irma, the Category 5 hurricane ravaged the U.S. Virgin Islands. The wounds are still evident though the islanders are doing their best to heal the scars.
Mary, Tom and I managed to enjoy what is best about this island and found....
most of the important things cannot be blown away by a hurricane.
Tom's apartment was headquarters for many weeks for some of the islanders that suffered damage to their homes. The balcony became the center for nightly barbecues to cook up all the food that no longer had refrigeration.
This little gal is Tom's next door neighbor and a real darling.
Sitting here it is hard to believe the turmoil of the past year.
Honeymoon Beach was our go-to place for sunbathing and swimming....
...and it was perfect.
Tom is working several days a week ferrying tourists from downtown Cruz Bay to Honeymoon Beach. The beaches throughout the national park are still beautiful, however the trails to and from the highway need clearing and there were no park rangers on the Island to do the work. Volunteers are showing up and trying to help but it is an overwhelming task.
First of all, were do you put the debris once the landfill is filled? There are few answers to a job that requires major government intervention.
People are waiting for the insurance companies to come through but a year later finds them still waiting.
Tom had damage to the Sadie Sea and, even though the insurance company has approved the repairs, he is still waiting. In the meantime he uses Sadie Sea to run supplies back and forth from Island to Island.
Kenny Chesney, the country western singer has been St John's major benefactor. He has done much to get the island back on its feet and everyone I spoke to praised his efforts.
As we drove around the island we learned that every local boat had been destroyed by being rammed up onto the shore or sunk.
In total, all 401 boats were destroyed! All except the Sadie Sea. Tom's boat had dents and scratches from other boats careening into her and all the windows were blown out but she survived the storm. I credit Tom's 20 years in the Coast Guard with acquiring the knowledge that it took to survive the storm.
And how strong was that storm? Some of the gauges on the island registered 240 mph! How strong is that? Hang your head out the car window at 60 mph then multiply that force by four.
This flagpole couldn't take it.
I learned that in the midst of the storm Tom ran out into the street in an effort to stop the church steeple (shown above) from blowing down the street. When I asked him what he was thinking he just shook his head and said "I don't know. I just wanted to stop it from blowing away." The blue tarps on the church roof show they are still waiting for the insurance company as well.
But the island is coming back. The spirit is alive and well and Sadie Sea is waiting at anchor for the tourists to return. (She is the red one in the middle of the boats in the photo above.)
Mary was starting to worry about the lava in Hawaii and was on the phone several times a day checking with Jim.
On the plane back to the mainland I sat next to a young woman who was heading home to check on her husband and daughters. It had been her third trip to St John since the hurricane. She was a volunteer who was helping to rebuild homes, clear trails, paint school rooms, etc. She said this trip was not her last.
Anyone wanting to assist the island in any way get in touch with....
www.lovecitystrongvi.org
LOVE CITY STRONG
5000 Estate Enighed, Ste 102
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
00830
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