This Is Why You Don't Go To Saint-Barth This Time Of Year

[Islander]

The island has been dry, so it's great for jardins and cisterns.

Summer 1995. The year of Hurricane Luis.

It was the same weather exactly, for weeks, months. Dry weather, blue skies and not the typical summer weather of the Caribbean. But on September 5th, everything changed.

Let's hope this kind of disaster does not happen again.

And for those who think it is fun to watch a storm roll in, you obviously never experienced the real deal except maybe by watching the weather channel from the comfort of your sofa.

I can tell you: There is no fun at all. Avoid, escape, run, fly away, but don't think this will be the fun part of your vacation. Ain't no Mickey Mouse around...in the "French Disney" when a cat 5 hurricane hits the island.

 

[KevinS]

Hurricanes are not for the faint of heart -- rivers of rain flowing in the streets, limbs audibly being torn from trees & shrubs being stripped of foliage, wind sounding like a freight train passing through the room. But most SBH structures are built to -- and do -- withstand the forces, and there's usually adequate time for preparations to safely weather them. When all subside, clean-up is implemented quickly and with a camaraderie that is an earmark of SBH culture. From beginning to end, an awesome display of Mother Nature and spirited recovery.

True dat, Dennis. I never want to be in a hurricane either at home or on St Barth, but I also look at the probabilities. I buy trip insurance to cover my costs when I don't like the probabilities. I deal with a similar thing at home, but in a different flavor - snowstorms and blizzards. After last winter I have a Gold-level Frequent Sleeper card from a hotel chain which I don't even like, but which has the closest hotel to my office. Weather happens.

 

[KevinS]

And for those who think it is fun to watch a storm roll in, you obviously never experienced the real deal except maybe by watching the weather channel from the comfort of your sofa.

I can tell you: There is no fun at all. Avoid, escape, run, fly away, but don't think this will be the fun part of your vacation. Ain't no Mickey Mouse around...in the "French Disney" when a cat 5 hurricane hits the island.

I have experienced the real deal, but not on SBH. If a major storm were approaching, anything from a TS, maybe even a TD, on up, I would cheerfully pay the extra cost to fly me home in advance of the storm, and lose whatever villa rental costs were remaining. I have six words of advice for those who are trying to decide how to deal with an approaching Tropical Storm or Hurricane. BUG OUT! GO! RUN AWAY! FLEE!

 

[cec1]

Islander / Kevin . . . agreed -- no point in sticking around to see what happens. If a hurricane strikes (even if it's any "Cat" number below 5), there'll be no immediate "vacation" opportunity when it passes.

I'm reminded of many years in the past, when I used to stay on St. Jean Beach at what has become known as "Andy's Villa." While there in August / September (in my lifetime, truly among the greatest of times!), there would be occasional years when Brook Lacour, of Sibarth, would find me (there weren't a lot of restaurants in those days . . . and it was the days of "Sorry, No Telephone") to say, "It looks like we're going to be hit by a storm . . . you better leave, and I'm holding a seat for you to leave the island."

It's an aside in this thread, but I'll note nonetheless that the personal touch that ante-dated the services of "Premium IV" (incomparable, by the way) was part of the spirit of the island that attracted me to it on my first visit . . . and keeps me coming back.

 

[KevinS]

My plans are to not be on the island during a major weather event, but to return to my former plans as soon as is practical. After Luis in '95 I called a friend who was the owner of a restaurant which had been destroyed in the hurricane. I asked whether or not I should return to SBH as planned. His response was that he wouldn't be open, but that there were plenty of restaurants who would be open, and that every one of them needed my money. So Bug Out Prior, Get Back as Soon as is Practical After.

 

[cec1]

I think we had the same friend, Kevin . . . and his advice was a quintessential part of the island camaraderie that continues to this day.

 

[katva]

I think we had the same friend, Kevin . . . and his advice was a quintessential part of the island camaraderie that continues to this day.

I think we discussed this once before, but to reminisce.... the last time I was in dire circumstances due to weather, I immediately found my lipstick and made certain I was presentable for whatever was to come!

 

[cec1]

Thank you, Kathy . . . as has been famously noted, ". . . Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!"

 

[katva]

Thank you, Kathy . . . as has been famously noted, ". . . Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!"

so funny!

 

[KevinS]

I think we discussed this once before, but to reminisce.... the last time I was in dire circumstances due to weather, I immediately found my lipstick and made certain I was presentable for whatever was to come!

Kathy, If you're stuck, then why not look your best?

 

[katva]

Kathy, If you're stuck, then why not look your best?

Tis true, Kevin! My story involved being in a tiny single engine plane, over the Bahamas. In a very bad storm. Ocean spray on the windshield and low altitude alarms screaming. My only option was to search my purse for lipstick. Right?

 

[Voosh]

Tis true, Kevin! My story involved being in a tiny single engine plane, over the Bahamas. In a very bad storm. Ocean spray on the windshield and low altitude alarms screaming. My only option was to search my purse for lipstick. Right?

Why not look good? Being remembered as we want to be remembered is a good way to deal with any impending doom. IMHO. Me? I'm always the dipstick with the camera shouting to the pilot: "I got the pix, can ya tilt a little so I can get a better signal to upload them?" Being here to talk about it is one of the greatest gifts I've received.

 

[Rosemary]

Yesterday was the 24th anniversary of Hurricane Bob, a truly humbling event in these parts.

 

[MIke R]

Yesterday was the 24th anniversary of Hurricane Bob, a truly humbling event in these parts.

Bob was truly a scary event...i was riding it out on a whale watch boat in the harbor .....P Town was destroyed...two weeks of no electricity.....almost lost the CEEjay that night

I ve had to evacuate oil rigs when the oil companies waited too long to pull the plug and now it got to windy for helicopters to safely land on the rig ....send the boat ....REALLY not fun

 

[JEK]

 

[cassidain]

but there's also this from last night:
Trajectoire prévue de ‪#‎DANNY‬ à 11:00.
Le cyclone est prévu atteindre le stade d'ouragan de catégorie 1 demain ou vendredi au plus tard puis probablement la catégorie 2 samedi. Toutefois un léger affaiblissement est possible à cause d'une poche d'air sec en approchant les îles. Les avions de reconnaissance ont programmé leurs investigations à partir de samedi. Sa trajectoire est similaire à celui de ‪#‎GEORGES‬ en Septembre 1998, ce qui l'amènera sur Antigua en ouragan avec des vents soutenus de 120 à 150 km/h et une pression minimale à 980-985 hPa le lundi 24 Août au matin. Avec un passage à près de 50 kilomètres au nord, la Guadeloupe ne sera concerner que par le "demi-cercle maniable" avec des conditions cycloniques faible à modéré (rafales de vents de 55-90 ou max. 110 km/h sur le nord et l'Est de l'archipel). Les îles de Saint Barthélémy et Saint Martin seront les plus concernées avec un passage entre 10-70 kilomètres au sud et des conditions météorologiques similaires de ‪#‎GONZALO‬.

conditions similar to Gonzalo for St-Barth...

 

[JEK]

 

[GramChop]

Yesterday was the 24th anniversary of Hurricane Bob, a truly humbling event in these parts.

They certainly are 'humbling events'. The 10th anniversary of Katrina is August 29, 2015. Being left with next to nothing has a way of humbling one....totally changed my life and what I value. I REALLY hope St Barths and other Caribbean islands are spared.

 

[Peter NJ]

Amen

They certainly are 'humbling events'. The 10th anniversary of Katrina is August 29, 2015. Being left with next to nothing has a way of humbling one....totally changed my life and what I value. I REALLY hope St Barths and other Caribbean islands are spared.

 

[zin]

Sounds like the advice to us, who just arrived yesterday for an eight day stay, would be to leave the island?? We get to come here once a year and I am not ready to go back home. Being here even if I am stuck in the villa is still like being in paradise. But I don't want to tempt fate either.