People often admire the fact that I live in the Virgin Islands. I hear a lot of “19 years? Really? What brought you here?” and “Wow, it must be great living here.” And it is, I will admit, most of the time anyway.
St. Thomas has beautiful views from almost everywhere. We have warm mostly calm waters brushing up against palm shaded beaches. We are in close proximity to a dozen other accessible islands, and all year round we have gorgeous weather giving residents almost unlimited time to enjoy it, most of the time anyway.
Today, however, I spent the day clearing brush, cleaning the pool, and taking down hurricane shutters, after spending Sunday trimming trees, and taking a swim in the pool before putting up the hurricane shutters.
At day break Monday, I went to my studio to plastic wrap my computers, printers, and art work in case a window blew or the roof leaked. At home, we listened to radio reports and checked NOAA’s website every hour as Earl slowed his pace and built his strength. Category 2 was our early expectations but by mid afternoon website and Facebook updates said he had grown to a Cat 4, had smacked St. Maarten, and was only a couple hours away.
Eventually, out went the cable and then the power. A generator kept the lights and computers on. We watched a movie as the wind howled like a wolf trying to blow down the house. Luckily, for Virgin Islanders anyway, we escaped major damage.
Today, we give thanks for the present. Tomorrow, we’ll remember the past, and we’ll always pray for the future.
By the end of the week, the roads will be cleared and the power turned back on. The seas will settle and we’ll all get back in the water.
For a taste of what it’s like before a major storm, check this video: Here Comes Earl This was shot in the a.m. in 30-40 knot winds. No big deal really. St. Thomas eventually recorded winds of 70 mph per hour with gusts in the 90′s only because Earl veered 65 miles to the north. A direct hit would’ve meant 135 mph with gusts above 150. Can you imagine?
Yes, I’ve been here for 19 years and I do love the island beach beauty and year round weather which is the envy of our many visitors. Remember, however, on the flip side spins the hurricanes that are also a part of life in the VI. C’est La Vie! (French for “That’s Caribbean Island Life, Me Son!”)
Ej
Tags: hurricanes, personal, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, www.paradisepictures.vi