Just my personal thoughts......

but the island has been down this road before, though admittedly, not to the degree of destruction Irma has wreaked. And on top of her, they have another visitor, Jose I think?, waiting to possibly pay a call, too.

What we all need to do is stand back, take a deep breath and let the island start to sort itself out. I'm willing to bet there will be a goodly period of time when you won't be allowed to visit unless you are a resident or an island property owner but that remains to be seen......

Like so many others, I have two SXM vacations on the books all bought and paid for and both scheduled within the next 6 months, and in absolute honesty, I doubt we'll be making either trip. Not that we don't want to - although really, I won't even consider making our November trip this year, but I just can't believe the island will be up to accepting vacationers, and even if it is, and as much as we want to help - think about the logistics.

Assuming hotels are up and running, which in too many cases is a huge assumption - rental car companies have severely diminished cars available; roads are a mess and there is debris everywhere; restaurants are pretty much destroyed in too many locations to think about; the police will have their own problems as already indicated by the island-wide looting that's being described and will have little time or desire to hear the problems of vacationers. And the list of negative possibilities goes on and on.....

The island needs time to heal its wounds before well-intentioned visitors descend on it. I know we want to help but perhaps the best way for a while is through our donations - monetary and other-wise and of course, our prayers rather than our physical presence.

We had to change our post-Luis November vacation because the island wasn't accepting visitors at the time but we made our April trip the following year and yes, the beaches were there, but I honestly felt we were in the way, and once there and seeing the state the people were still in, I got it. They were typically accommodating and welcoming but as much as they needed their jobs and the revenues from them, they had personal lives to rebuild first.

As much as we want to help, and we do, there will be so many problems across the island that IMHO, what they won't need is outsider vacationers to add to their worries. And in the end, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the island itself didn't impose a temporary moratorium on admitting vacationers.

Just MHO and perhaps I'm mistaken but I hope all who read this will accept my opinions in the spirit in which they are offered. I love this island and have for many years but I truly think my support will be financial through donations this year and my return will be down the road a bit.

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Edited to add:

Without mentioning names, I just received a message from an island resident who describes a horrible island situation.

They have a roof over their head and have opened their home to multiple family, friends and pets staying with them since so many don't have that luxury. Drinking water is premium and water for flushing and bathing is a luxury. They have a generator but only run it sporadically to conserve fuel which is a premium item. There is a strict curfew and they are not allowed on the roads, not even to replenish supplies and supplies are running low. The looters are everywhere and there's little left in the island businesses left to loot. The police there have always been ineffective by the standards of most visitors and don't forget, they, too, are feeling the same deprivations of the other islanders. Tempers are flaring and nerves are frayed and sadly, no big improvement is closely in sight for them. And these are the lucky ones who still have homes.

No, I don't think this sounds like a place I'm eager to visit for a while.

Please God, take care of these people.