Gonzalo. Everyone in the Leewards okay?

[Gumby]

Just looking at the track of Hurricane Gonzalo. Anybody heard anything from Anarchists in Antigua or St. Marten re damage?

 

[TQA]

Lots of damage to buildings and boats on Antigua St Barts St Marten and Anguilla.

I person is reported dead from the sunken boat in the lagoon in St Marten.

French sources give this report.

The hurricane that swept the northern islands Monday evening and overnight overheard a portion of the population who do not expect such strong winds . Several people are missing and many boats have sunk.

Most residents of the northern islands were expecting a big storm , it's finally a hurricane with gusts of over 200 km / hour that swept for several hours Saint -Martin and Saint- Barthelemy from Monday night . The biggest damage was recorded in the sea and on the coast. Tuesday noon , three people were still missing and four others were being sought for failing to provide any new since the passage of Gonzalo . Reinforcements departed from Martinique and Guadeloupe in the morning. Firefighters must lend a hand to their colleagues northern islands including research at sea. Land is mainly the power grid that has suffered . Several roofs were however obtained under the onslaught of storms , some in excess of 200 km / h

St Marten All the boats bar one that were anchored or moored in Marigot Bay are ashore. 20 + boats in the lagoon are sunk or ashore. Many more boats in the lagoon road it out safely.

Antigua Jolly Harbor reports sunken boats at the docks and boats on their side in the yard.

 

[TQA]

A Facebooker on St Marten has posted 200+ pics of the aftermath to Gonzalo, homes and dreams litter the shoreline.

https://www.facebook.com/yanagibbs

There is a survival story of sorts about an untended boat that was anchored outside the lagoon on the French side. It broke free and drifted towards shore but instead found the channel towards the bridge bumping through bridge channel it was dismasted but carried on into the lagoon. It crossed from the French side to the Dutch side, finishing up in a marina where it sank two boats and put a 3 ft hole in the side of a large cat. What is the wandering boat made of, you guessed it steel.

I have an unconfirmed report of much damage in the harbor in St Barts with several sinkings. A catamaran was capsized trying to make it to St Marten, The 2 crew were rescued again not confirmed. At least one other boat was lost trying to make the crossing to St Marten. The semi official report from St Barts via Stormcarib gives a serene and somewhat understated view of the island post Gonzalo.

I quote

Hello,
Its over.
First we were definitely NOT prepared for a GONZALO Hurricane 1.
The Villa is above the Bay of St Jean and at 1600the winds whipped in from the north through the bay picked up like a giant wave, passed across the swimming pool and headed straight for the living room. Even though the wooden hurricane shutters were up and bolted in over the shatter proof glass doors, I could see a wall of water come up against us and the vacuum built......I knew then this was not a tropical storm. BUT NO RADIO, NO INTERNET AND NO PHONE MEANT NO INFORMATION!
It did not help that St Jean had a power outage starting at 1100 until the next morning, not that the patio furniture was all outside and flying around and there was no food in the house...
With lots of help the villa is cleaned up now...then there is the garden......tomorrow......
waiting for Hannah

The pics are courtesy of Yana and are all from St Marten.

 

[Rasputin22]

Those photos are just shocking. Who was asleep at the wheel on the weather forecasting. This rivals the destruction that the Lagoon experienced in 1995 when Luis pounded the anchorage. Lots of deaths among those who stayed on their boats then and I hope the same hasn't happened again.

Lat 18, was VF on the hard in SXM? I pray all is well.

 

[pipsqueak]

http://thedailyherald.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50793:gonzalo-exacts-a-heavy-toll-on-boats-boat-owners&catid=1:islands-news&Itemid=54

can anyone name the deceased, boats sunk or damaged?

 

[LoopyGirdleSniffer]

Have just made landfall in St. Marteen. In Palapa marina now after having sailed through the edges of both Fay and Gustav. Will try my best to get pics and info if I can. There is much carnage. Boat suck at docks. All kinds of shit in the water. Wild

 

[WYD_StCroix]

We were on St. Martin for Gonzalo. Came over from St. Croix for the weekend to train to be a CSA measurer. Were scheduled to leave on Monday, did not happen of course. Still here, will hopefully leave this afternoon LIAT willing.

As mentioned, lots of boats on the beach in the lagoon. Most boats are on the south side, so dragged in the first part of the storm. If you were lucky you landed on a sandbar. If unlucky on the rocks, against the seawall or with other boats on top. Most boats seemed to be prepared in terms of sails removed, dodgers down etc, we did not see many boats with shredded furling jibs for example (at least near the airport road), but hard to tell about additional anchors etc. The storm was only a depression on Sunday morning and spun up into a tropical storm Sunday afternoon. By Monday it was a Cat 1 and building rapidly, and certainly felt like it. It was clearly building as it went over and we got the eyewall on the French side (we stayed in Mont Vernon, North East corner of the island) so the eye went right over the Dutch side. I have pictures but they are big so will have to put up more later when downsized. Lots of poles down on the French side, lots of roofing metal across the fields.

As far as I know the name of the man killed has not been released. He was in his 80's and on his boat in the Simpson Bay Lagoon. Near Boca Marina according to the Daily Herald. Just read online that two people reported missing, one St. Martin, one St. Barths, have been found alive and well so that is good news.

The local radio (Laser 101.1 was the best) gave lots of information, listening to it in the car, the government requested people to leave work at 1200, and to be off the roads by 1600. Clearly something was coming. If you have lived here any length of time you know the signs. Big swells were coming in from the ESE, and the day before was calm. Heavy clouds building from the same direction. Rain squalls coming through. Classic hurricane signs. We made sure we had food, filled water containers, knew where the torches were. Parked the rental car on reasonably high ground away from coconut palms. We lowered the hurricane shutter early and rode it out. Power went out many times but for some reason came back (looking at the poles I have no idea why it workd) so we were fortunate there.

 

[Lat 18]

Got an email from St Maarten Shipyard. Says VF is okay, but lots of other damage to yard. That's all I know. Was planning to fly down next Tuesday to start work on the boat, but wonder now if I should wait awhile. Would appreciate advice from anyone who knows the situation there.

 

[Rasputin22]

Great news Lat 18. You know those Virgins are popular as sacrifices the the Hurricane gods. Wait, that must be only for Volcanoes. I'm sure everyone is relieved to hear she is safe, but I'd bet it would be hard to get anything done in the yard for a couple of weeks. Good luck.

 

[Gumby]

Bermuda is next. This from the weather.bm website this evening....

Hurricane Gonzalo continues towards Bermuda CPA: 8pm Friday within 25nm, directly over the Island

Tropical storm force winds (southeasterly 30-40 knots gusts to 50 knots) arrive later tonight.

Storm force winds (southeasterly 50-70 knots gusts to 90 knots) arrive around noon Friday with destructive hurricane force winds (southerly 70-90 knots gusts 110 knots) by mid-afternoon.

Most extreme winds (south-southwesterly 90-110 knots gusts to 140 knots in elevated areas) are expected Friday evening.

Winds ease storm force to hurricane force (westerly 55-65 knots gusts to 80 knots) after midnight Friday, then tropical storm force (westerly 35-45 knots gusts to 55 knots) by early Saturday morning.

Seas rapidly build 35-40 feet with dangerous surf and rip currents. A dangerous and life-threatening storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding and will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

 

[By the lee]

There is a survival story of sorts about an untended boat that was anchored outside the lagoon on the French side. It broke free and drifted towards shore but instead found the channel towards the bridge bumping through bridge channel it was dismasted but carried on into the lagoon. It crossed from the French side to the Dutch side, finishing up in a marina where it sank two boats and put a 3 ft hole in the side of a large cat. What is the wandering boat made of, you guessed it steel.

Crazy!

 

[TQA]

One piece of good news from St Barths/St Marten is that they are reporting all outstanding missing mariners are accounted for.

Which brings the reported death toll back to one.

There is very little specific information about the yachts that were in St Barts or Antigua. I hope it is no news is good news.

 

[Go Left]

One piece of good news from St Barths/St Marten is that they are reporting all outstanding missing mariners are accounted for.

Which brings the reported death toll back to one.

There is very little specific information about the yachts that were in St Barts or Antigua. I hope it is no news is good news.

How about the ones that were just slightly above average? Those guys OK too?

 

[Dilligaf0220]

Between Ebola & upcoming elections here I had no clue about this storm.

Just found out the boat I was planning to buy & refit at the end of the month in St.Maarten is now a total loss.

I'm usually not a believer in Karma...but it still bums me out that a nice boat is gone.

 

[SloopJonB]

One piece of good news from St Barths/St Marten is that they are reporting all outstanding missing mariners are accounted for.

Which brings the reported death toll back to one.

There is very little specific information about the yachts that were in St Barts or Antigua. I hope it is no news is good news.

How about the ones that were just slightly above average? Those guys OK too?

I like it, you arrant pedanterist you.

 

[WYD_StCroix]

As promised, some photos. Lat 18, not sure what to tell you about heading down to work on VF. The docks at St. Maarten Shipyard are pretty messed up. We looked in through the gate but did not explore as needed to head to the airport to catch our LIAT flight. This of course was futile as only made it back today, the 18th. LIAT went above and beyond the call to live up to their nickname. Anyway, power was pretty much back on the Dutch side, stores open, phones and intenet working. I think the biggest deal will be how soon you want to put her in the water. There is a lot of wreckage along the seawall. Supposedly several boats were knocked off their stands so maybe a bit of a clusterfuck in terms of moving boats around for a bit. That big uly red boat is up against the St. Maarten Shipyard seawall having taken out two of the docks and several boats. Seeing the damage makes us feel better about our off grid house built of Greenheart here on St. Croix. No power issues and strong as fuck.

Best, Dave

 

[pipsqueak]

when can we expect a name on the old salt drowned in simpson bay please.

 

[The Tug]

For some fucked up reason I was on windguru St Martin the Friday before Gonzalo and saw 50kts for Monday, then started to look at the other islands who were also up there in the 50 kt club,had a look at Intellicast and saw the blob.At this time NHC had fuck all to say.I made a post on stormcarib.com about my concerns there and then,i think they put their yello X on it later in the day.You Bajans who came into St Martin couple days after,how the fuck did you dodge Fay and Gonzalo coming from NY,I was thinking you had barebones electronics on a race boat.Lucky you.

 

[TQA]

Two cruisers in St Marten have created a website which attempts to document the names and status of all damaged boats.

http://hurricanegonzalostmartin.wordpress.com/

Kudos to Susan and Mark.