FROM THE HELM

By Bob Osborn, SV Pandora, President SDSA

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD IN THE WAKE OF BERYL?

In late June hurricane Beryl tore a swath of destruction through the southeast Caribbean, the strongest early season hurricane ever recorded.  Her path, through parts of Grenada and the Grenadines, leveled nearly every structure on several islands and caused massive damage to boats that did not leave the area.  The unprecedented power of Beryl, so early in the season, was a result of record high sea temperatures, a trend that is forecasted to continue in the coming years.  

As Beryl approached, nearly 200 cruising boats headed south to Trinidad from Grenada and the Grenadines with the hope of getting out of harm’s way.  Many returned north after the storm passed to deliver relief supplies to those who lost everything. 

We have all seen photos of the hundreds of cruising boats that were washed ashore or sunk, and those that were hauled and tied down did not fare much better.  Several Salty Dawg members lost their boats and news of exorbitant fees being charged to assist in salvage continue to surface.  

There have been a lot of questions about how cruisers might help and there is an excellent article on Noonsite that draws attention to the ongoing efforts to help the many owners that lost their boats as well as locals that need help on the affected islands.   Follow this link to learn how you can help.  

As the intensity of storms continues to grow, insurance companies are increasing restrictions to their coverage.  In many cases, this means that there is no coverage for any major storm, inside or outside of the “hurricane box,” regardless of where the boat is located.  

Additionally, as the cost of insurance continues to escalate, many opt to self-insure, so that when losses happen it is difficult for owners to initiate salvage or repairs as the costs exceed the value of their boat. 

While the winter season is generally free of risk from tropical storms, for those who do not opt to run their boats north for the summer questions arise about the best places to keep their boats when risks are greatest.  With this in mind, SDSA will hold a special webinar to help you better understanding options to keep your boat safe, especially for those who wish to keep their boats, either as liveaboards or in storage, in the Caribbean during the hurricane season. 

This webinar will feature Chris Parker, the official weather router for the Caribbean Rally.  Chris will share his thoughts on the best places to keep boats during the summer including Trinidad, which Chris describes as the least likely place for a hurricane to hit in the eastern Caribbean. 

When I talked to Chris he observed that had Beryl tracked even 30 miles further south, the damage to the main island of Grenada would have been catastrophic.   Hurricane Ivan caused massive devastation in Grenada in 2004 and other major storms have hit the island in past years.   While Grenada is safer than many of the islands to the north, the risk is still there. 

We will also hear from Jesse James from Trinidad, known for helping countless cruisers over the years and representing the Government to many of us that visit the island.  He will share what cruisers and the government of Trinidad have done to assist cruisers and islanders who lost so much.  In addition to Jesse’s work on behalf of the government of Trinidad, he is known as the “go to” resource offering many tours of the island and has helped make Trinidad one of cruiser’s favorite places to explore in the Caribbean. 

Additionally, Trinidad is widely known as an excellent place to have work done at reasonable prices and Amos of Perfect Finish will detail the services of all types that cruisers rely on.   

With interest in cruising the Caribbean at all time highs and our fall rally attracting near record participation, understanding your best options for safely leaving your boat south for the summer is more important than ever. 

Join us on August 28^th at 17:00 Eastern Time.  Follow this link to register.

Also, space is filling up in Hampton so do not delay if you haven’t reserved your spot in the rally or docks space prior to departure.  Sign up here.

Bob Osborn, SV Pandora, 

President, SDSA, Rally Director, Port Captain Antigua