Dorian was a monster!

[Frank]

I've been on the ground here for a week and still comprehending how bad it is!
Green Turtle Cay certainly has changed. Although they have worked extremely hard and it's very much improved from right after the storm, it's sad both in the boatyard and on the town streets. So much devastation!
So many dream lost. So much hard work to be ruined...
It's actually overwhelming.....
I'm next to local here now and simply can't imagine!
A Cat 5 is 150mph winds. There is no cat 6 but if there was... this was it!
185mph gusting 220. Highest recorded was 259. Tornadoes register at 200.
This wasn't a hurricane....this was a monster!
I simply can't imagine being hunkered down, you and your family as your home shakes, debri slams into your home, projectiles pierce the walls and then roofs and walls begin to disappear. To go outside meant being killed by high speed debri. This lasted hours and long hours...
Many here are still shell shocked (ptsd for young folk) most have lost weight although I'm sure it's a diet not recommended...
No home or boat was totally spared...
Some were luckier than others
Many were a total loss...
This was the worst recorded hurricane in the Caribbean ever.
Greta isn't crazy....

[Frank]

I could post hundreds of pics...
The destruction is endless...

Sadly, a rare, prestige 1960 Tritan with original yawl rig sank after dragging out of the mangroves in Black Sound. So many sank but I loved that boat!

[Norman]

Frank, you picked a perfect year to store your boat in Indiantown.  Are you over there now sailing?  I guess that transient land based lodging is near impossible to find.  Restaurant meals, too.

Truly devastating to all who are permanent residents.  My wife has endured a tornado, and several more that passed within a dozen miles.  They only lost windows and trees, the house structure survived.  She is antsy about any strong thunderstorm, and if the wind gets up enough to rattle windows, she is ready for the basement.

Unfortunately, out there in Dorians path, few houses have basements for the needed shelter from those incredibly high winds.

Norman

[Frank]

Norman, funny how small things make a huge difference when everything is so upside down. Syd's grocery opened with limited stock..... hurray!
The other 2 small grocery stores are still in repair, Lowe's may not reopen.
Sundowners bar was totalled! Only the slab floor left. Well, walls up, roof on, not finished with 2x6s for a bar top and pails of salt water to flush the toilets with but heh.... we gathered last night for a gam and beer
One by one more homes are getting power and defying typical Bahamian ways, the crews are working very long hours 7 days a week to reconnect. People seem to rise to the occasion....
Lodging is available but certainly not like it was with so many places in disrepair.
Although several are still closed with damage, in town Macintosh's restaurant has opened and Davids is open for breakfast and lunch and 2 Shorty's little take out is open as well
So, slowly there are places opening to give some sense of normalcy to everyone here.
So

[Tim]

Thanks for posting the photos. We up here in the higher latitudes easily forget the amount of devastation reeked by these events. The rebuilding efforts take decades to complete and then only to be hit again with our ongoing climate issues. Have a meaningful holiday down there, I am sure you will.

[s/v Faith]

Wow Frank, really terrible...  dare I ask about Manjack?

[Frank]

Manjack survived....
Only a few shingles up on the front corner of the porch.
New owner painted it white. I liked the light yellow better.
Hope all is well in your world Craig

[w00dy]

Thanks for sharing these photos, Frank. Glad you came out relatively unscathed.

[s/v Faith]

Manjack survived....
Only a few shingles up on the front corner of the porch.
New owner painted it white. I liked the light yellow better.
Hope all is well in your world Craig

Wow! That is absolutely amazing Frank!  I know you are a heck of a builder, but those were more like tornado strength winds then hurricane!

  I do agree that the yellow was better, thank you for sharing it. 🙏.  I hope you have a great experience this year, I know there is so much damage but I am sure the amazing spirit of the people remains...  you have a way of finding it, and I am sure your being there will be helpful.

[hdeeks@videotron.ca]

Wow Frank, Thanks for sharing the scary hurricane photos.  My heart goes out to the people of Green Turtle Cay.   I'll never complain about a snow storm again..wind is wicked.

[Jim_ME]

Also appreciate your posting these photos, Frank. After hearing reports of the devastation from Dorian, I wondered whether you would still be going there this year. They must especially welcome visitors and next to locals like yourself at times like this. Grog to you.

Norman asked if you were there sailing, and I'm curious about whether you are there on your boat, too. I'm tempted to assume so...but wonder about this, as well, under these circumstances.

[Frank]

I landed at Treasure Cay airport Dec 16, took the ferry to Green Turtle.
The boat yard is, after much dedication from the crew, in order. It was a total shambles of boats tipped over and debri all over.
All boats had some damage. Sadly, many will never see the water again. So many dreams altered. End of an era for many.
Atmosphere at the yard is good as boaters help boaters. From holed hulls to cracked rudders to broken masts... it's a busy place.
Most all of us attended to sand blown in every crack and anywhere from a bit of mould to a lot! I was fortunate that both sand inside and mould were minimal. My mast however didn't fair so well. There was so much flying debri and boats tipping over its impossible to tell causes.
Most of us helped the locals as we could. Several helped at the school and library clean up. Others helped fixing up a severely damaged public dock so it was usable. Others helped shingling roofs or clearing debri. Boaters are contributing!
I left early Wednesday morning and motored to St Lucie cut into Stuart Florida. Will haul out Tuesday at Indiantown for repairs.
I have soo many pictures ... far too many to post,
In a nut shelll, Green Turtle has come a long way! Grocery store is open, a couple of restaurants, fuel etc and sundowners bar on weekends.
Marsh Harbour is gone...apocalyptic.
Maxwells grocery and a gas station. After a 24ft surge, It's unrecognizeable!
Hopetown is severely damaged...14ft surge,  looks like a bomb went off.
Guana is beat up
Man of War... a long time hurricane hole, is a boat graveyard.
Between sunk and washed ashore there must be over 100 boats lost.
That's all for now. Bunk time. Still recovering from the run across
On the lighter side, took this about 30minutes before sun rise yesterday about20 miles off Florida
Some things don't get old..

[Norman]

I guess that I miss remembered.  I thought that you sailed to Florida last year, and left it on the hard there.

You are indeed fortunate to be able to bring your boat back to the mainland for repairs.  Any pictures of the marina and your boat before relaunching?

This is a different kind of winter vacation than you usually have.  Keep us informed on the progress.

Norman

[Frank]

Pics are Just after Dorian

Abaco yacht services did an incredible job hauling out as many boats as possible and securing them as soundly as they could with stands, blocking and heavy straps anchored into concrete.
Nothing could prepare for the monster Dorian. I mean that literally!! I've been there in the aftermath of 4 previous hurricanes. This was not a hurricane.
Hurricanes go to "catagory 5"
There is no 6 or 7
This would have been a 7
Tornadoes are defined around 210 mph
This was sustained 185 gusting 225 with the highest recorded gust at 257mph!
Straps held but many cleats pulled out of decks.
Flying debri and boats going over took down others masts.
The veranda roof from a home 1/4 mile away took out the ferry boat front window and cabin as it became a passenger.  It is truly hard to fathom what it would have been like and the utter terror of living through it! You can imagine the look of the yard with boats toppled into each other, shrouds and ropes entangled with debri from houses blown all over as well.
Then, once the dust settled, although no power, no water, no grocery store etc and their own homes and lives in turmoil, the crew at AYS set about the huge task of righting boats and cleaning up the yard. And they did! It took months but there is order where there was chaos. The yard looks good now although many boats will never see the water again.

[Jim_ME]

"...when everything is so upside down."

Referred to Wiki to refresh my memory about Dorian ...this photo [from the International Space Station] reminded me of your words.

(Also has other interesting photos including one taken at "near peak intensity over the Abaco Islands on September 1" and another of a boatyard...possibly the same one...?)

Thanks for the additional photos and reporting on the boatyard and your boat. Good luck getting the mast repaired.

[w00dy]

Wow. Those pictures of the boatyard are incredible.

[Frank]

It's all over Woody...
Man Of War Cay was always a safe hurricane hole.
Boat graveyard now...
Hundreds either washed up ashore or sunk...
Really have to see it to comprehend the devastation....

[Frank]

More from MOW

[Frank]

More from MOW

[Frank]

More from Man Of War
So very many more pictures I could post
So many more places devastated
Will take many years just to clean up
So very many more to rebuild...