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Diverat to the rescue....
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:27 pm
by Geoff M
Kevin
You are a star! Just been going through this lot and was getting seriously worried. I've mailed Duane but I guess he'll be a bit busy.
Cannot believe this has happened. We purposley went for Tobago because it is out of the Hurrican belt.
If the hotel and dive centre are ok, I suppose the only other thing to worry about is the state of the diving. I guess if there has been a lot of wind and flooding, the viz may be a bit iffy. What do you think?
HI Steve and Kevin
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:43 pm
by Liz W
Many thanks for the up-dates. Glad to hear BWI and Tobago are relatively OK - will finally do our booking once things return to normal - let's hope that isn't before too long and that they get the necessary help.
Liz W
Hurricane
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:54 pm
by David Warne
Well we booked our flights last night for Tobago. Little did we know. Our flight route is London, Barbados, Grenada and Tobago. Quite a route.
Still have to book accomodation so might be interesting to try and work out what will be available.
Am stunned by the complete lack of information in the UK on the situation . It took us a while to even find anything of major importance on the BBC website .
To those posting on this site we thank you for the information which is helping us greatly in deciding whether or not we come next week. It is not that we are concerned about the potential hardships we might encounter, (what does that matter when people have lost their homes and lives) . It is more to do with the fact that we did go to St Lucia a couple of days after a Hurricane hit. We did stay in a nice hotel (a rex) and we finally findout that while the tourists were living in some degree of luxury (quite a reasonable one) we also found out that the locals were living without electricity ( we had air con in the hotel) the locals had no water ( we had hot showers) and somehow it did not feel right. We would not wish to get in the way of any recovery efforts
I am not sure if we will come , we probably will, but our hearts go out to those who have lost much
many thanks for all the info
David
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:56 pm
by Kevin Hampson
Hi Geoff,
I guess Duane will be more than a bit busy, I emailed Alice before Ivan hit and she really is a star to take the time and give me the update, I don't suppose there will be much diving for a day or two till they get themselves sorted out. At a guess there may be some damage to the shallower reefs and the vis may be a bit grim for a little while probably no better than about 10m. On a positive note with all the nutrients that have been stirred up you may get some good shark and manta action.
The bay that BWI has got a lot of natural protection from big surges because of Little Tobago and Goat Island. The Speyside bay is a bit more open and I expect Jemmas took a pounding as she is right on the beach.
The really important thing is no one was injured.
Regards
Kevin
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:57 pm
by Geoff M
Amen to that.
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:59 pm
by Steve Wooler
GRENADA
Tobago has got off lightly, thank God. We must send our best wishes to Grenada who really got hit, big time. I believe the loss of life there is over 40 currently and expected to rise.
Although slightly off-topic, may I pass on some information just sent to me and which may be of benefit to people booked to holiday there shortly.
We are still waiting to hear first hand from some of the hotels in Grenada. We have just had good news via email about the Rex Grenadian. A member of staff was able to pass a message on via mobile phone that "all resident guest were uninjured and appear to be in good humor". We have heard also that La Source guests are all OK too and the resort has only minor damage to the roof of the hotel.
Addendum: My figure of 40 deaths quoted above was taken from a newscast published just before I make the post. Fortunately the figure seems to have been wildly inaccurate. Press reports this morning indicate that up to 24 fatalities were being reported up until last night.
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:02 pm
by Steve Wooler
Hi David
Just read you message. By the look of things, you won't have anything to worry about if you were considering staying in the south of the island (Crown Point through to Scarborough, or up the Caribbean coast). It's only a mopping and tidying-up situation in those areas. The vast majority of that end of the island still even has power and telephones.
The only thing that might change is the routing of your flight, but given that it's two weeks, it should be no problem. Go for it!
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:43 pm
by Paul Tallet
For those that are interested to hear of Grenada ... this is the latest information from the Carib Stormwatch Website :-
- NEWS RELEASE: Relief effort underway to help hurricane-hit Grenada
• From: CDERA Information Unit <pubinfo AT cdera.org>
• Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 20:08:39 GMT
ISSUED BY: Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
DATE: September 8, 2004
TIME: 3:00 pm
Barbados, Sep 08, 2004: 3:00 pm (CDERA) – The Caribbean Disaster Emergency
Response Agency (CDERA) has started operations involving numerous agencies to
provide relief assistance to hurricane-hit Grenada.
The British Naval vessel HMS Richmond has arrived in St George’s harbour and
has done a fly over to provide an initial assessment. They confirm previous
reports of widespread damage. In addition, the police headquarters has been
badly damaged.
The Regional Security System (RSS) has departed Barbados to assist with
internal security.
Deputy Coordinator of CDERA Audrey Mullings is leading an initial assessment
team to Grenada at 2:30PM today September 8, 2004. The team comprises a
representative of the United States Agency for International Development/
Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance, Pan American Health Organisation, an
engineer, and the Caribbean Media Corporation which will distribute pool
reports to Caribbean media.
Contact with the Emergency Operations Centre has been re-established through
Grenada amateur radio operators. The HMS Richmond is also facilitating
communication between CDERA and the Government of Grenada.
HMS Richmond medical personnel are providing an initial assessment of needs at
the Grenada General Hospital ahead of the arrival of the Pan American Health
Organisation representative. The road to the hospital has been cleared.
The harbour is open though a 300-foot vessel is lodged there. The airport
runway has been cleared but the control tower is not yet functional. The road
from the airport has been cleared.
The Caribbean Disaster Relief Unit which is also operated by the RSS is
deploying a restoration team to the Spice Isle as well as CARILEC which is
flying in power utility restoration crews.
Trinidad and Tobago, the CDERA sub-regional focal point for Grenada is
mobilizing a vessel to deploy relief supplies tomorrow.
In the last 24 hours CDERA has been flooded with hundreds of calls from the
Grenada Diaspora around the world and in an effort to assist with health and
welfare information, CDERA is in communication with the International
Federation of the Red Cross to organize a mechanism, possibly through the
Internet to post information that would answer many of the enquires being
received.
CDERA will attempt to standardize information releases twice per day – at 10 am
and 6 pm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jeremy Collymore
Coordinator, CDERA
Tel: (246) 425-0386
Donovan Gentles
Preparedness and Response Manager
Tel: (246) 425-0386
Terry Ally
Public Education and Information Specialist
Tel: (246) 425-0386
Please go to
http://www.stormcarib.com if you need more information.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:32 am
by Renee
Hi,
This is my first post to this wonderful site. Until now I've been able to find answers to all of our questions. Ivan has definitely complicated things! I'm relieved Tobago was somewhat spared and very sorry for all the deaths in Grenada. Unfortunately we are suppposed to fly out Friday. There was an update on
http://stormcarib.com/reports/2004/trinidad.shtml saying the Tobago airport is only available for emergency flights at this time. Has anyone else heard any more?
Thanks for any help,
Renee
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 1:44 am
by Paul Tallet
Hi Renee
I think you have to take each day as it comes.
I understand that an Excel flight scheduled to leave yesterday departed from the UK.
I am sure it will be tidied up pretty quickly in Crown Point ... that area was not affected so badly and of course the airport would be one of the first places to be sorted out.
Your flight operator would probably have the best answers for you.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 1:50 am
by Renee
Thanks Paul. We're flying American to Trinidad and Tobago Express over to Crown Point. I know American's flights are on schedule, I just wasn't sure about Tobago Express. I guess we'll just wait and play it by ear - always an adventure!
Renee
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:42 am
by Brent
Hi All
Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your kind thoughts for all of us here in Tobago. Sorry that I could not get to this sooner, but Ivan has kept us busy down here. As reports indicate, damage is minimal, one unfortunate loss of life, and for the most of the Island all services have been restored. While we may have felt the fury of Ivan, we certainly escaped it's devestating wrath which most unfortunatly Grenada did not.
The fisrt pictures and news comming out of Grenada paints a vivid picture of total destruction, with 90% of all buildings either damaged or totally destroyed. The latest count for loss of life stands at 24, but is likely to rise over the next few days. In all appearences it's just short of a total disaster for the Island, and it will take months for Grenada to recover.
It is a grim warning for those of us who live in Tobago. Once again we have been spared. We were unprepared, uninformed, and arrogent. Traits that could have cost us dearly. In the aftermath of Ivan, I am confident that the powers that be will take hurricanes far more seriously.
As a thought Steve It may prove useful while compiling your information on Hotels and Guest House's, to include questions relating to Hurricane and Earthquake preparedness.
It's 11.30pm here, the sky is clear, and for the most part things are returning to normal. Now our thoughts are with Grenadians, and just how lucky we've been here in Tobago.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:09 am
by John Hill
Here is alink Media Player required pictures from Grenada
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/40050 ... p09_vi.ram
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:59 am
by Terence H
This from Lowlands-
" - scary stuff, I never knew that my roof sheets could flap against the wood (but not fly off thank goodness) and we lost three banana trees, but the only big trees to come down were in wild plots nearby. A shed opposite us ended in the road, looking a little flatter. One death (pregnant girl from Bethel, tree crashed through house) but Grenada had 23+ deaths and is ravaged apparently - the T&T government has sent one of the 2 aid ships full of soldiers lined up for Tobago to Grenada instead, plus $10 million in cash to help "
Just like to thank everyones updates of information , which were very helpful.
Its a tragedy for Grenada , sincerely hope they do not have any further deaths.
Conrado
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:58 am
by Rachel Jones
anyone have any news on any damage to Conrado and Pigeon Point area.
Thanks
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:03 am
by Steve Wooler
Hi Rachel
No specific mention of the Conrado or Pigeon Point but given that some of my best contacts live and work in that immediate area we can safely take it that I would have heard if that area had been affected. I've had communication with at least a dozen people in the Crown Point/lower Caribbean stretch and they all report the same - no structural damage, no loss of life or injury other than the tragic case of the lady at Bethel, and "business as usual". They've obviously had a lot of rainfall and one or two uprooted trees, but it's primarily just a job of mopping up and sweeping up. By the time anyone gets there in a week or two, you'll never even notice that there's been a hurrican. So lucky!
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:12 am
by Steve Wooler
UPDATE
I've just had confirmation from Excel that their schedule to Tobago is unaffected. This morning's flight will/should be loading as I type. The airport is fully open and the main parts of Tobago are now totally unaffected. It is "business as usual" everywhere - just a bit of mopping and tidying up to do.
Charlotteville and Speyside still have power and phone lines down so are out of communication. However early reports indicate that this is largely the extent of the problem.
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:23 am
by Wanda
Have just received an email from a contact in Canaan who confirms all that has been said upto now. Damage mostly to trees and some roofs, lots of mopping up to be done and power is restored to most but not all of the island. Clearly the serious damage seems to be in Grenada which looks fairly devastaed.
Can I thank Paul and Steve for keeping us so well informed about what was happening on Tobago, this has been a very worrying time thinking about friends and people we know on the island and not being able to contact them. Having such regular info was a great help (in the absence of the BBC taking much of an interest!)
Wanda
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:25 am
by Arianne
I'v got an e-mail from my contact in Tobago saying that:
'it was a pretty scary experience but Tobago is getting back to normal today. Lots of debris, a few roofs gone, one fatality, sadly, and lots of stories.'
Hurricane
Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:18 pm
by David Warne
My thanks to Steve and all who contributed to the excellent information flow covering the current events.
We still plan coming out next week assuming we can find accomodation. We dont anticipate this being too much of a problem .
regards to all. Lets hope this is an isolated and rare incidence.
David