Caribbean after Irma

Some good insight in this article, and also some positive news coming out of some other areas like Anguilla for a change...

"...the biggest thing you can do for the livelihood of this whole region is to keep coming back to the Caribbean.

For now, keep traveling to the islands that were unaffected. Then, stay updated as islands rebuild and recover, and then travel there when they’re ready to welcome you."

https://www.caribjournal.com/

The Virgin Islands Consortium has also been a good source of news for the USVI. Seems that FEMA & Military responses have really ramped up.

It’s been announced that the President will be visiting in the next few days. Leaving politics aside (please), this is good because the press is forced to cover the destruction which will hopefully lead to more donations & volunteers.

The Virgin Islands Consortium has also been a good source of news for the USVI. Seems that FEMA & Military responses have really ramped up.

 

It’s been announced that the President will be visiting in the next few days. Leaving politics aside (please), this is good because the press is forced to cover the destruction which will hopefully lead to more donations & volunteers.

Good to see the response from the US mainland is on the move.

Praying that St. Thomas and the rest of the Caribbean are back to normal as soon as possible.

Praying that St. Thomas and the rest of the Caribbean are back to normal as soon as possible.

From what I have gathered PR which is the lifeline for the islands affected by Irma, at this time is thought to be in line to receive a direct hit by a category 3 hurricane. Some of the relief efforts have even haulted because of Maria as PR prepares for it.

Sorry!! Here is more as to what is hitting these scenic islands. Very sad and challenging situation with above details from another CC Board thread. We will all hope for the best, but "two-in-a-row" are too, too many dire happenings.

From the London/UK Daily Mail today, they have this headline: “Category 3 Maria takes aim at the Caribbean islands leveled by Irma” with these story highlights: “The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that Hurricane Maria has strengthened to a Category 3 storm and was 'rapidly' intensifying into a major hurricane. The eye is expected to move through the Leeward Islands later Monday. The storm's center was about 60 miles east of Martinique, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm is on a path that would take it near many of the islands wrecked by Hurricane Irma and on toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Hurricane warnings were posted for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Martinique. A tropical storm warning was issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Lucia.”

Below are a couple of their graphics to better show where this storm is headed, etc.

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4895266/Hurricane-Jose-pound-East-Coast-week.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 187,278 views for this posting.

From the Daily Mail, here are the graphics/charts showing the Hurricane Maria path and direction.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

Terry we are all following the hurricanes closely, and I don't think it helps to post this general info in all of the specific island forums like Tortola and St Thomas.

We are praying for everyone still trying to recover from Irma...

Terry we are all following the hurricanes closely, and I don't think it helps to post this general info in all of the specific island forums like Tortola and St Thomas. We are praying for everyone still trying to recover from Irma...

Very sad. The impacts on these different islands vary and most all of us are interested as to how these recoveries are gong to happen. And, when?? There is a challenging question as to whether to cancel an upcoming cruise for these areas . . . VERSUS. . . not scrubbing as a way to help their local economies. SE Asia is our next major destination in early 2018. So, we do not have any travels to these scenic eastern Caribbean areas planned for the next year or two.

From the New York Times this morning, they have this headline:“Storms Moved On. Caribbean Islands Fear Tourists Might, Too” with these highlights: “Two ferocious hurricanes in less than two weeks caused widespread devastation, leaving dozens dead, millions without power or drinking water and countless homes destroyed. The storms also ripped through the tourism industry in a region unusually dependent on well-heeled visitors. In the wake, cruise ports and airports throughout the Caribbean are closed, beachside bars are flooded and, on many islands, tourists are absent. And the risk of a far longer term ripple effect looms, threatening the region’s ability to rebuild: Without a steady influx of cash from tourists, businesses suffer, employers cut back and local residents lose jobs; workers on especially hurricane-stricken islands could move elsewhere for opportunity, denting the local economy further.”

Their chart/graphic, shown below, gives background on the paths from these two hurricanes, plus the important shares of the local economies affected by these storm. There are many aspects from these impacts that we do not always consider. This includes: "In the Caribbean region, travel and tourism account for a higher share of the gross domestic product than they do in any other region of the world, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, and officials say it is far too soon to know when the industry will fully recover. At stake are some of the more than 2.3 million travel and tourism-related jobs in the region." This is a fairly comprehensive look at these impacts, who is hurt most and which locations can recover more quickly. As shown below, Dominica depends on tourism for 35% of their total GDP, while that economic number for the U.S. Virgin Islands is at 32%. That impacts the 12,000 jobs there in tourism.

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/23/us/tourism-hurricane-economy-caribbean-islands.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 53,403 views for these postings.

Here are the NY Times charts on the hurricane impacts in these key Caribbean areas.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger!)

>> There is a challenging question as to whether to cancel an upcoming cruise for these areas . . . VERSUS. . . not scrubbing as a way to help their local economies. <<

Understanding the extent of the damage that has been done to these islands and the many months of just recovery ahead, I don't think there is a challenge there at all. Expecting to keep an upcoming cruise to STT or Tortola in the coming months just doesn't make sense.

The people who are still there are very resilient and will rebuild their lives. During the coming several months, as power and communications are slowly restored, they will need financial support, materials, and volunteers who have the experience needed to help them. Let's help them get back their island rather than get in the way, we will know when the islands are ready to welcome us back. ;)

My point above was it's so much easier to follow the updates from each island or island group by not posting general Caribbean updates or general cruise info on the specific island forums. Perhaps cc can create a separate forum for the Windward Islands Recovery updates that you can utilize if the "Caribbean - Other" isn't appropriate. Thanks for understanding...