The people of VG are strong and resilient.

This year’s trip was marked by a lot of hugging. While we didn’t always know names, we recognized many people we have met over the years. This was particularly true of the maids at GSB. The walk from Tulip to the beach often resulted in chats about how they dealt with Irma in the immediate aftermath and continue to do so. We also had a “wave and how are you doing relationship” with the construction guys. They seemed to appreciate the attention and we would always compliment them on their efforts which were well deserved. There was also a time or two when they would show us some of the special techniques specifically employed by the Deltac houses to ensure stability. There are three construction crews working on GSB. The supervisor of one is Noel. Noel had been a waiter at Fischer’s for several years. He was pleased that we remembered him, and it seemed to give him a special status with his crew that tourists knew him.

The sense we got was that while a hurricane was expected, few envisioned the extent of it. They boarded up and prepared as they always did, but as one person told us, “this was apocalyptic.” The days after were particularly traumatic when basic survival items were almost non-existent. One maid talked of finding shelter in her church with others only to have it blown apart. Her apartment which she tried to escape remained intact. Vincent, one of the maintenance men, was so worried about Tina and GSB that he walked from his home near the gas station by Little Dix. The road was impassable, and he was forced to climb over trees. Tina had the same problem. The road from her house to the office was strewn with trees and other vegetation. Verna, one of the maids, and her husband had to machete it to clear a path.

Strong emotions and some anxiety are still attached to Irma. There are two people we have come to know well over the years. Shorn the taxi driver and Leilani, the daughter of the owner of Island Pot. Both wanted to take us to see what happened to their houses. Being invited to their houses never happened before. Shorn’s family lived on the second floor of an apartment. The roof was completed blown off as he and his family huddled with their upstairs’ neighbors until a break in the storm allowed all to go down to the first floor. The family has since relocated to a much smaller, but dry and protected living space. While we were with Shorn, he said hello to a neighbor who continues to live in his old home without a roof or tarp for protection. Leilani, her mother Siska and the rest of the family fared better. They rented out the second floor of their apartment. The roof blew off and the tenants were forced to find new living arrangements. Leilani decided not to rent it out giving the family more space. They have already replaced the roof, painted the inside and are slowly refurnishing it. The first floor required a lot of clean-up. Almost a year out, rehashing the experience of Irma with us seemed important for both Shorn and Leilani. There is probably not much opportunities to do so with friends and neighbors. The housing situation is a real remaining source of stress. Most of the reconstruction activity has been geared to tourists’ places. Many houses remain uninhabitable and families and friends have been forced to share space. But the general sense we got is that at least they survived and are alive. They believe things will return to what they once were. A state of apprehension over the weather remains. One night while we were out to dinners, we were told about upcoming weather. We were told it was going to get bad overnight and that the weather would be bad the next day, that we should expect very windy conditions and that the waves would be large. Heavy, tropical wave rain was expected, and we should be ready. There was real concern. As it turned out, that night and the next day had perhaps two short bursts of rain and it was a normal beach day in the water.

There is also the new. We met Connor, Michelle and Chill’s baby. He is a real cutie. He enjoys interacting with guests and staff. There was far more baby talk going on than we imagined and most of it was not coming from Connor. We couldn’t help but think he is going to grow up to be a real extrovert. Connor has brought about one of the more significant changes at GSB. At least as of our visit, the front part of the office resembled a nursery as much as anything. Connor is the recipient of many children’s cribs, rockers and seats – all with attached devices to keep him occupied. There is also an assortment of toys and books. We have a hunch that future guests might want to bring things to Connor. It might not be a bad idea to check with Michelle to see what might be most needed. We enjoyed this new style seeing it as a sign of positive change and progress. We have a hunch it might diminish in size as more guests start to arrive. The same is probably true of the lounge area which serves as a bit of a storage area at present.

Botnot,
Thanks so much for sharing your vacation
We were in Tulip for the last 2 weeks of June and had a very similar experience
The day we left, they were pouring the sides for the cistern at Hibiscus
Reconstruction, island wide, was going at a feverish pace by any standard
To hear the stories told and see the up beat attitudes is inspiring
The people of Virgin Gorda are resilient "plus"
Looking forward to the next chapter

Mike
Sometimes I sit and think
Sometimes I just sit