Almost a year ago I left teaching in Vermont for a second grade position in Anguilla, British West Indies. It was a transitional moment indeed, but that moment was soon surpassed by another; experiencing being in the middle of the worst recorded hurricane to ever strike the Atlantic Ocean. Anguilla suffered sustained winds of 185 mph with gusts to 225. Shipping containers were pushed along the landscape for hundreds of meters at a time – wiping away anything in their path. Thankfully only one human life was taken. Phone poles were snapped, houses blown away, decades old landmarks blown into the sea. It was, simply put, terrifying. Below is my account of the hurricane as it happened from the pages of my journal and a new camera that I brought down with me. The journal continues on through the rest of that trying year of 2017 and my hope is to have the rest of the journal uploaded before school starts again for 2018 – 2019.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
So, after five days of being on the island it seems as if I’m going to be in a category five hurricane.
Screen Shot 2017-09-04 at 2.46.08 PM
It’s a little after 4:00 pm and the forecasters on CNN say that this hurricane, Irma, is the 2nd worst storm to hit this area in 20 years.
Somehow I feel as if I should be more nervous. Perhaps it’s just because I’m naïve, or feeling lucky, or believing that my job here on Anguilla isn’t going to stop before I got started. Whatever happens over the next few days, I’ll emerge and put in every bit of energy I have toward getting Omololu International School ready for a good year.
This was a picture I took of my porch and view with my new camera before the storm.
I can feel the low pressure hitting my ears. Right now it’s just windy, but I think it’s going to start up soon –
I don’t like journaling. Don’t like the word. Don’t like my handwriting. I create better prose on a keyboard, but there is value in pen on paper – especially as the power will be out, potentially for a week or more. [Ultimately I was without direct current for about 100 days. We had a generator to pump water after a few weeks, and a newer generator after about two months to power our house about five hours a day.]
I have enough H20 + food for a week. My landlord, Toby, is doing a nice job of locking us down. I’m in the upstairs apartment of a cement poured house 170′ above the coast. This seems like a good place to be – my biggest concern, except for the lives and all else that’s in danger, is my new used car that will likely get damaged in some way. Terribly materialistic, I know, but I really like this car! It’s 100% Japanese – 2005 Altezza – Toby just came in to finish up – we talked for a while about his [life] – Toby’s very nice and takes good care around here. He talked – I listened. He encouraged me to go out for a walk to get out of the house for a while – strolled slowly for an hour towards the west – wind is really picking up now. Really humid now that all but the west side windows are shut.
Toby installed these protective doors two days before the hurricane came.
6:20 PM
The Murdochs, the previous tenants, left me a bottle of Absolut Vodka which I just cracked.
Vodka + Tonic w/ lemon… It’s good, drinking with appetizers – crackers, smoked oysters, gouda, garlic and my smoked hot peppers from Vermont.
The sun is setting now. It will be dark in about 45 minutes. The storm is being helped by a full moon – comes tomorrow. Wind steady.
No rain.
6:30 PM
Rain
6:38 PM
Time for some music – first choice? What else? Bob Dylan’s Hurricane!
6:57 PM
Lost power. Writing by tea light candle.
Now by hurricane lamp.
Now what to write?
Nothing happening at all.
I brought a hurricane lamp with me by coincidence – it’s among one of the most favorite things I own.
7:13 PM
Power back on
7:28 PM
B[ob].D[ylan]: Shelter from the Storm
7:40 PM
Irma is now strongest Atlantic storm system ever measured.
The Hold Steady – Hurricane J
8:27 PM
Internet down – Power on. Listening to radio – Radio Anguilla 95.5
8:40 PM
Wind and rain really picking up now!
I had cell service thought the first parts of Irma – kept in touch the best I could until service was gone. Irma, on the west, is closing in on Anguilla. José is to the east.
11:15 PM
Another storm, José, is following this in a few days. If ”the current” is out for an extended period I’m not sure whether we can hold school. I really want to teach soon. Limbo isn’t a good look for me.
I’ve done no concrete planning – can’t focus on anything except this storm and settling in. I’ve never been good at working away from my room. My style is so dependent on feel and the moment. Once I get to OIS I may not want to leave at all. So much to do there.
I’m enjoying the radio – I couldn’t open to battery compartment and neglected to get batteries anyway. I’m regretting that now as the current will inevitably be out soon. This is a ”Potentially catastrophic hurricane.”
185 mph, 916 millibars @ center
The radio weather forecast was both comforting for providing its information and frightening for the information it provided.
Wednesday, September 6
12:07 AM
The core should be 8 miles away @ 8:00pm – long night ahead.
Really feeling this storm in my ears.
The pressure is really noticeable.
Tired.
1:00 – 3:00 AM
Listened to radio {Video} until the power went out. Slept for maybe 45 minutes. I got up to check things and there was water coming through the kitchen windows {Video}. Spent an hour getting at that and need to take a break.
6:00 AM
It is so loud! Building shaking. Sounds like 30 people at the door knocking again, again + again. Still 2 hours to core!
Water coming under the front door now. Lost cell service 1/2 hour ago.
6:30 AM
The 150 mph wind is blowing so much rain through the windows in the kitchen that it is essentially raining in there {Video}. There’s about 3 inches of water in the kitchen now.
I can’t keep up with the toweling, mopping and wringing. Enough. I think it’s time to go to my hidey-hole and rest + stay.
7:00 AM
Can’t hold back the water anymore. Not trying. In bathroom – only one small window. Door closed. I did my best for 3 hours, but now done. My ears are popping something fierce!
Earned a rum + tonic + enjoying it now as I “journal.” I am journaling! Who would’ve believed it.
I heard the loudest noise yet, louder than a gunshot. No idea what it was. Something hitting the house I guess. My car! My new old car! I hope it’s still drivable. I don’t care what it looks like – although a 185 mph sandblast can’t be a good look.
I think I slept for 45 minutes about 4 hours ago. Tired.
My handwriting is so much better when kids are around. My white board skills aren’t too bad – surprisingly – compared to these hieroglyphics.
Now the wind is changing and this south window is taking a beating. This is the safest place to be though. Two doors, small window.
I went to get some more rum + tonic and discovered what the noise was. The largest wooden structure made for the porch double doors blew off completely. The door is part open and completely unprotected. Rain is pouring in. I wisely left it alone, got the rum and slowly and carefully walked back to the bathroom.
Oh – how I wish I had a radio!
7:16 AM
Stuffing towels under the bedroom door (first door) to keep out water. Wind in apartment blows it out.
Rock just hit window – LOUD!
Shut shower curtain to protect me from the window.
Now just my own thoughts…no work to distract.
Learning that thoughts are just that – let them slide by…
According to what I heard @ 2:00 am the Eye should be about 8 miles away in 45 minutes.
I hate how I cross my ”i” – I’ve done it since middle school. I think it has to do with my impulsivity. I try to notice it but so ingrained.
7:20 AM
I want to listen to something, but only have a full laptop and [about] 85% on my iPhone – it may be a few days before I can get the phone to a generator. If the current is out for a month, this is going to be an unusual month: personally and professionally.
9:21 AM
Managed to sleep for almost 2 hours. In the eye now I think. Calm. Apartment is trashed but not awful. Sliding window – doors ruined. Dirt and water everywhere.
Making coffee now.
Will assess after.
9:35 AM
Toby came by to see the damage and help get the water out. No news. Radio is out. He says the storm has started to go by us. Good news.
10:51 AM
Spent the last 1 1/2 hours picking up water from the floor and cabinets.
Outside is a mess. Banisters down. Spiral staircase destroyed.
Car could have suffered much much more damage – just a few scrapes from the stair banister that came off.
Poor Toby has so much work to do! He said he was worried more for me than himself – which I believe.
He kindly asked me if I was planning on staying here, and of course I said yes. Can’t imagine moving anywhere else in Anguilla!
No power means no cistern water. No water to clean with or boil to drink. We’ll need to get a generator going – none to be had now.
Current will be out at least a week here I figure – likely longer.
Hopefully The Valley will get it within a week – but I have no idea. No news. No power – no radio – no cell service.
Hungry.
11:27 AM
Leftover rice and beans – good!
Quiet here except for mild wind – no birds, no tree frogs, no insects, no rooster, no chickens.
Going for a walk but first have to:
Boil eggs
Move perishables into freezer
Cook what won’t keep
11:44 AM
Really tired – won’t be able to sleep yet.
Have mayo that will go bad and boiled eggs. Yay! Egg salad! Looks like I’m going to eat 8 eggs today and tonight.
12:22 PM
Heard a couple of birds and one chicken.
All the family linens I brought – which is quite a bit got soaked in the brackish rain. I hung each one to dry and will have to wash with a little bleach and iron.
Sun’s trying.
Going for a walk and then hopefully nap.
Still 2” – 3” of water in the second bath have to take care of that too.
1:57 PM
Went for a walk with Toby – North Hill Village and Sandy Ground devastated. Almost every pole down. No injuries to report thankfully.
My car got hit by a few things but was remarkably spared much damage.
So lucky that our damage wasn’t worse.
House next door.
Toby seeing the damage done.
This house was nearly destroyed.
It took many months before anyone could live in this again.
Famous Sandy Ground landmarks are gone. I took as many pictures as I could before my battery gave out.
Some houses completely destroyed, others heavily damaged. I feel very lucky to have been where I was last night.
I know folks at home must be worried, but no way to get a message out!
If we have electricity here within two weeks I’ll be surprised.
So tired now.
4:15 PM
Slept hard – almost 2 hours.
My porch is damaged but not destroyed – 2 of 3 railings gone and the roof mostly sheared off.
I’m lucky for dozens of reasons – one of them is that I can sit and write in this notebook – there’s plenty to do, but none is essential at the moment – I can rest -assess -reflect.
It will be dark in a couple of hours. All I have to do is eat, set up a way to read by lantern + read.
Tomorrow I can start bringing things back.