On Oct. 9, 1780, the Great Hurricane came to the Caribbean.

Huracan San Calixto lasted 11 days in the West Indies, pummeling the southeastern Caribbean with terrifying winds as high as 200 miles per hour, destroying homes and livelihoods.

Almost 22,000 people died across the West Indies in islands including Barbados, Martinique, St Lucia, St Eustatius then northern islands like Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.

This terrible tempest remains the deadliest recorded hurricane in the history of the Western Hemisphere. Everything was washed away. Or so it seemed.

Just about every island in the Caribbean has its own hurricane story, from Omar in Nevis to Ivan in Grenada to the Great Storm of Cayman Brac in 1932.

But all of these islands are still here. And they are not going anywhere.

Because that’s the thing about Caribbean people: they cannot be defeated. They rebuild, they restore and they live again.

It is the cost of the region’s unimaginable natural beauty that, by the caprice of fate, there is the periodic risk of ruin, an intermittent reminder of the supremacy of Mother Nature.

But after each storm, after each tragedy, the Caribbean waves its finger at Mother Nature; “storms may come and go, but we are here to stay.”

There is nothing to be said of this past week’s tragedies that has not yet been said, and our hearts go out to the people who died.

What needs to be said is this: the Caribbean will rebuild.

It will not be easy, it may not be quick, but it will happen.

And then think of the destinations that escaped Irma’s wrath: the vast majority of the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St. Kitts, Nevis, Guadeloupe, Punta Cana, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, the Colombian Caribbean, the Venezuelan Caribbean, Belize, Panama, Honduras, the Mexican Caribbean … the list goes on. That’s along with islands like Puerto Rico, Antigua, St. Croix and Providenciales, places which were “largely” unscathed and quickly getting back to business.

So what should you do, as someone who loves the Caribbean?

Come back.

Of course, you should donate to any legitimate charity, send money to those in need, donate items for relief and recovery, something we’ll continue to highlight in the coming weeks.

But 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.

Because tourism remains the life blood of the Caribbean — it is the way this beautiful region makes a living, and without it there is no oil or copper or large industry to fall back on.

It is the fundament of the Caribbean economy, and it is a direct conduit to the pocketbooks of the people of this region.

Hurricane Irma put the Caribbean in an unfortunate global spotlight. But in a few weeks, the spotlight will dim and the news cycle will forget.

You cannot forget.

Keep coming back. Because the Caribbean is still here. And it is not going anywhere.

Alexander Britell, Founder and Editor in Chief, Caribbean Journal

The post Editor’s Note: The Caribbean, After Irma appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Above: a British relief flight

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Anguilla was devastated by Hurricane Irma, but the island is beginning recovery and relief efforts.

Anguilla’s Governor and Chief Minister are continuing to assess the damage, they said in a statement, with aid from the UK already beginning to arrive on the island as Anguilla begins what will be a massive cleanup campaign.

The airport is now open and receiving charter and relief flights.

And what about the island’s vital tourism sector?

Some properties have offered updates, which you can find below:

Carimar Beach Club

Management and staff are fine and Carimar is standing strong.  The garden looks worst and a few doors and windows.  The team has started the clean-up process and will advise of their reopening date, now that Hurricane Jose has passed.

CeBlue Villas & Beach Resort

CeBlue’s staff is safe and the resort had no guests as it was already closed for the season. The villas and resort buildings held up strongly against the hurricane and they are all structurally sound. The resort has begun the clean up process as the damages sustained are repairable and they look forward to welcoming guests for the season.

Fountain Anguilla

The Fountain buildings and grounds are structurally intact. A few of the units suffered some damage from debris hitting the windows and they are currently assessing the clean-up and repair. They anticipate being open for the season.

CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and The Reef by CuisinArt

This property was significantly affected, and their engineers are presently assessing the full extent of the damage. The ownership and management are steadfastly committed to restoring, rebuilding and reopening, as well as doing everything possible to help and support their employees through this most difficult time. They look forward to welcoming back all their guests as soon as possible, and greatly appreciate the extraordinary outpouring of encouragement and support during this difficult time. Additional information will be posted on their website and social media networks as soon as it is available.

Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort 

Upon preliminary review there appears to be no major structural damage to the resort. The team is now assessing the extent of the clean up required in greater detail and once this is completed they will advise on their proposed reopening date.

Quintessence Boutique Resort

The property sustained a fair amount of damage, but nothing that can’t be repaired; however the proposed November 1 opening will be delayed.

Zemi Beach House 

Zemi Beach had closed to guests in advance of the hurricane. The property held strong during the storm so they will be able to welcome guests back before long, although the timing is still uncertain, as they are still assessing the situation. The owners, management and staff of Zemi Beach House would like to thank everyone for their kind words and concerns during this heart-rending period for Anguilla and Zemi Beach House. For any further inquiries, please contact Frank Pierce Director of Sales & Marketing at frank.pierce@zemibeach.com.

The post An Update on Anguilla Tourism, After Irma appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Airports in St. Kitts and Nevis have reopened following Hurricane Irma, officials said.

The storm only caused “minimal damage” overall, with both St. Kitts’ Robert L Bradshaw International Airport and Nevis’ Vance Amory International Airport having already reopened.

As for the country’s crucial tourism sector, St. Kitts hotels reported no structural damage, while Nevis hotels had several updates:

·        Four Seasons Resort Nevis is reporting the resort is in fine shape and all areas are generally dry

·         Hermitage Inn reported general debris and no structural damage

·         The Great House and Cottages at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club are in excellent condition. However, there was damage to the Sea Breeze Beach Bar, the decking and the beach.

— Caribbean Journal staff

The post St. Kitts, Nevis Airports Reopen appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The latest reports on Anguilla are in following Hurricane Irma, a storm that rocked the island and caused one death.

According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the island’s airport runway and most roads leading to the airport have been cleared of debris.

The agency is also reporting that 90 percent of government buildings and business structures were damaged, as well as 90 percent of the island’s electricity infrastructure.

There has also been significant damage to Anguilla’s main water supply.

The British government has deployed three humanitarian aid experts from the UK to assist with needs assessments and coordination.

The British naval ship Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay has arrived in the territory, with 40 Royal Marines and Army engineers on board.

The ship carries a range of equipment to support humanitarian responses including vehicles, tents and facilities to purify water.hundreds of troops and the Royal Navy flagship HMS Ocean to its overseas islands.

There have not yet been full reports of the island’s hotel sector, although the Quintessence Hotel, which had been slated to open in November, suffered major damage during Irma and its opening has been delayed.

— Caribbean Journal staff

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Hurricane Irma was moving near the north coast of Cuba on Saturday evening, heading toward the Florida Keys, according to the latest projections from the NOAA.

The storm was pounding the north coast of Cuba, leading officials to evacuate even parts of Havana near the Malecon.

A number of smaller beach towns on the north coast were hammered with wind, rain and storm surge.

The storm’s eye was about 110 miles southeast of Key West on Saturday evening, and about 30 miles east-northeast of Varadero, Cuba’s popular beach destination.

While the storm had weakened from a Category 5 down to a Category 3 storm, it was forecast to restrengthen when it moved away from Cuba and approached Florida.

Caribbean territories still under hurricane warning included the Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara, Matanzas, and Havana, along with the Bahamian islands of Andros, Bimini and Grand Bahama.

The rest of the Bahamas has been given an “all clear” by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, however.

The post Irma Hits Cuba, Nears Florida appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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