This is a copied post from a Facebook chat group I am a part of ..he is a boat owner at VGYH who is there now....sharing for information for those of you not on Facebook .
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My husband and his friend have been on VG since last Thursday, they typed this up just for info purposes of what they have observed, it is long, the info for where they found a place to stay is listed...again this is just data to share : Our Experience in Virgin Gorda
This is longer, more informative message. Hopefully this helps others to better prepare for the task of salvaging personal property from their boats in Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor. You may also be working to develop a boat salvage strategy.
DISCLOSURE
What is true today probably wasn’t true two weeks ago. And it may not be as accurate two weeks from now. But this is my assessment and experience being here on the ground since Thursday 11/2/17. Today is 11/6/17.
POWER AND UTILITIES
-Many locals still don’t have power, but most do.
-There is fuel at the fuel stations
-Natural gas is working in many places.
CLEAN UP
-Much of the debris has been collected moved to piles for burning and processing. Not very enviro friendly, but there aren’t a lot of options.
-There is a lot of damage and disaster all around.
-Many, if not most people are living with partial roofs. A huge amount have lost their entire homes.
LOOTING/THIEVERY
-I haven’t witnessed looting other than for genuine survival in the first few days for fuel to run generators. Others may have experienced something different, but we haven’t.
FOOD and WATER
The grocery stores have quite a bit of inventory. Never has been a lot of organic selection. But there is an abundance between a few stores. Municipal water is working in most places but not in the North Yard at VGYH.
TARPS/SUPPLIES
There doesn’t seem to be the needs for tarps as there was before. The feedback has been for thicker, heavier duty since the light duty units get destroyed quickly.
HOUSING
We connected with Bernadette George here in VG. She is well respected, hard working, and knows that she is in the hospitality business. She is technically a realtor that manages a variety of properties for investors and home owners here. She put us up in Windy Hill for an amazing price of $160 a night for a 2 bedroom/ 1 bath condo with a complete Kitchen. There is not a lot here for rentals. I HIGHLY recommend connecting with her in advance.
bernadettegeo@gmail.com1 284 542 2118 and she uses WhatsApp. If you are not familiar with that app, I encourage people to download it. It allows people to make international calls and text using only data and not air time and long distance.
RENTAL CAR
We resisted the idea at first. But we got stranded down here with no out bound flights available. Bernadette hooked us up with a local provider and we were able to rent a Suzuki Jimny for only $45 a day all inclusive! We have enjoyed the mobility and savings.
OWNERS ARRIVING
There were no owners present when we arrived as best we could tell. We have begun to see a few more arriving. Rumor is that many are coming. This means that the laws of supply and demand will begin to work against boat owners.
GENERAL ATTITUDE OF THE LOCALS
We have had a blast connecting and conversation with a variety of locals. NO ONE has complained about their plight. Wow. Everyone has had a spirit of service and collaboration. It is easy to offer and receive favors here. Smiles and encouraging words go a long way.
RESTAURANTS
There is not a lot of choices. There is a little something most nights at Saucez across from the Marina. Coco Maya just actually opened Wed-Sun 4pm-10pm and has been amazing. Limited menu (including bar), but the food has been spectacular. Darien has been managing the kitchen and met my Vegan needs and wants. Food has been delicious. It was a big deal for them to open on Friday night. Big turn out.
YARD IN GENERAL
The yard is not really secure. We can pretend it is, but the fence is down near the ferry and foot traffic traverses the yard. But in the 5 days we have been on ground, we haven’t seen a single suspicious person. A few have come by offer condolences and support. Keith has been fun. He is really aware of the challenges and sees this all from a lot of perspectives. GM Eric has been communicating as well.
THE SALVAGE PLAN
It appears that VGYH was working to create a streamlined and responsible salvage plan. The issue is pretty massive. At last update, their insurance won’t cover the risk. It is not going to be easy untangling boats. Who accepts responsibility for extracting a boat that has penetrated 1 or more other boats?
The quote we received to crane the Rae Of Light off of another boat was staggering. There is not a lot of infrastructure here pre and post hurricane for this kind of stuff.
The current reality is that VGYH is going to have to interface with hundreds of boat owners, a variety of insurance companies, and a brand range of strategies for repair and salvage.
TIMING
It is my opinion that now is the time to take an active role in the assessment and salvage strategy for your property. It is not easy. It is hard to see the damage. But the reality is that this was a category 5 hurricane that decimated this island. Working together with an amazing attitude will accomplish a lot more than being obstinate or frustrated. Just my opinion. There is a lot to do and it will all be coming online very quickly. But no one has the crystal ball.
