FU Irma

Wed 22^nd Nov 2017

The British Virgin Islands were absolutely devastated by hurricane Irma. From our first views we were surprised to see that the vegetation had rebounded and that the hillsides looked green, but all around there are scenes of destruction. Nowhere is the damage more visible than at the marina at Nanny Cay where hundreds of boats lie all around like a mega set of pick-up sticks. In other areas the bodies of boats that were sunk and have been hauled up on land now lie waiting to be taken away for landfill. Many of the building have significant damage with roofs that were blown off or walls that are missing. Most of the cars have major dings from flying debris and many have plastic sheets to replace the caved in windshields. But throughout all of this the local people are battling hard to clean up and rebuild. I have been hugely impressed with the friendly and positive attitudes of the people I have met. In that spirit we were amused to find that the local WiFi network is called “FU Irma” – it seems so appropriate. There is a constant bustle of activity as divers work to identify and clear wreckage in the water and on shore insurance adjusters and boatyard crew work to assess damage and move vessels ready for repair or, in most cases, removal and burial. As I sit here in the marina office there are two guys planting new shrubs just outside the window. Walking around the area it seems strange to see so many lovely, colorful views mixed in with scenes of carnage. Over the next couple of weeks I hope to try and create a photo essay that captures the damage and the recovery efforts and the beauty of the area that still remains. It was my intention to try and help out by doing some voluntary work, but at this point I haven’t managed to link up with any organized efforts.