TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma

This is what happened in St. Barths and is heading for the BVI's. Scroll down for the pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/Mycaraibes1/?hc...fwUxmaoA0MRH5rc

Very limited news out of St. Martin but one is the 4 strongest government buildings were destroyed. I hope those buildings were not being used for shelters.
Hopefully the topography of Tortola and surrounding Islands protect the BVI well.

Prayers for the safety of those that stayed on Anegada!

I'm thinking of all of you there on island, and those of you with property there. I'm praying the BVI won't be utterly destroyed. Geez, Irma is huge.

Peak winds expected on Virgin Gorda around noon. Storm is moving very fast which is great as it will do the least damage.

The eye wall is 17 miles from Virgin Gorda, looks like it will pass over the top in just over a hour.

If there are any cavalier holdouts left in the BVI, I'd recommend hunkering down, NOW.

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, the forecast track is now straight over Road Town.

I'm concerned that the same Tortola topography will be subject to heavy mudslides and tremendous property damage...

Thinking of everyone at this time...

Kelly checked in via WhatsApp from Anegada. Hes Holed up in the 2.5 Story concrete Fire Station building w two others. Says its "the highest spot on the Island". Wishing you the best man.

Posts from Storm Carib say that St John lost power around 10a local, Estimated gusts at 125mph. St Thomas is reporting Frenchtown as 'a mess' and noise of cracking trees and sheet metal flying. No updates from BVIs or SXM within the last hour.

I hope Kelly and the rest on Anegada pull through okay....

Here's a wind and pressure plot from the NOAA buoy just south of St John...

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?s...;time_label=AST

You Tube video from Road Town area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvBGObN1Szk&feature=youtu.be&a=

Still in communication with Cheryl...."still here. it has started rumbling now,like a train"

According to radar, Virgin Gorda entered the eye of Irma around 12:15 PM. Tortola is now in the destructive eyewall and will start entering the eye shortly. The eye may just miss St Thomas, but they will still be subject to the eyewall destruction. Prayers for all!

The eye is large. All of Virgin Gorda is in the eye at the moment.
G

My thoughts and prayers are with all.

In the video, Looks like the dock right next to Conch Charters, which should appear when he pans right?

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in BVI.

Yes the video is taken from a balcony right above The Pub. You can see Maria's By The Sea and the cruise ship docks when he moves the lens left. The good news for people who have boats stored at Nanny Cay (on the hard) like myself is that the winds will push surge out from marinas on Tortola's south shore for the first half of the storm however the winds will push surge into those same marinas for the last half as it passes. Hopefully the surge won;t lift boats off their storage cradles and cause massive damage since they are packed pretty tight.

Here is a link to live streaming videos from the BVI on youtube. Hard to watch some of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXcyJ6OpjGg

On the TV in the breakroom, the weather person has a graphic showing the entire island of Tortola in the eye.

Photo of Paraquita Bay

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...e=3&theater

It actually encourages me a little that that tin shed hasnt blown apart yet!

That is a terrible photo. Looks like all that preparation in Paraquita was all in vain. If I still had my boat in charter, it would be right in the middle of that pile up. So sorry for anyone who had a boat there and of course for all people on the islands.

Ehhh,,, Well this is a direct-hit, bare-pole in 150mph is still a lot of force?

I guess the prep-effort would be too high, but would it of been better if they were all de-masted first?

Yes Mike, it's sickening. Today I fear for how many people are going to be lost or left without anything. There were many homeless after the floods when we were down in August. Totally incomprehensible.

Seeing Virgin Gorda and Tortola going thru the exact center of this thing on the weather channel was surreal. What are the odds you make the 20 mile wide eye with your living space on one island and your boat on another..with both?

Tomorrow I will start worrying about marine and property insurance..from st martin to Florida and beyond this is gong to be a huge drain on property and marine carriers.

Images are now coming out of Carrot Bay, on Twitter. Glenn was right, it has taken a very hard hit.

And Jose will be close behind. Just so cruel...
At the very least that will hamper recovery efforts...

Jose looks like it may get pushed North, but might bring rain and lighter winds.. all though Irma wasn't predicted to be so strong and ramped up quickly..

Certainly not what everyone wants to worry about!

I have been following the storm all day with great sadness.

here is a link to moorings base. Hard to believe we were just there in June... total devastation...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...e=3&theater

Astonishing damage...so sad....

I'm really surprised at the upside down cats, but them my scientist comes out and applies Bernoulli's principle, They must have "flown and flipped", unbelievable. so sad.

Now we have to evacuate our in-laws from Florida...IRMA GET THE F OUT!

SusanC any chance of a link to those pics of Carrot Bay? Worried about family there. Thanks.

Sending love and prayers to long ago though not forgotten friends in Virgin Gorda. I hope for your safety.

Sending prayers to those that stayed on Anegada.

Yes, wondering how things are up at Anegada.

Sorry, just seeing your post.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJD5uN7XkAABTXC.jpg:large

Lorriane Briggs has some videos from Tortola...not good.

https://twitter.com/briggsoto

Also, there is a twitter feed of a broadcast from the Barbuda PM "It is totally destroyed. 90% at least"

https://twitter.com/ldobsonhughes?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

I will feel much better when I know my cousins in St Croix, and my hosts in VG and St John are safe. Sending positive vibes to all that are affected.

Well, your prediction last night was exactly right!

This was just posted on Facebook...Roadtown, VG

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...p;set=p.10159424434935422&type=3

From a very long string within that site, There is a guy who is on VHF radio and spoke to Nick at Leverick Bay...he and his wife are safe.

Exchanged texts with my cousin...St Croix was not hit nearly as hard. They sustained little damage (in case BVI folks want updates on STX).

That shot of the Moorings base was from before the back wall hit from the south. It drove the surge directly into the docks. Most of the docks are gone. Many cats turned turtle, others sunk. I my guess is 50-60% of the fleet sunkor disabled. That on top of close to 90% loss of all boats sheltered in Paraquita Bay.