This report on aid to Dominica by Joan Conover first appeared in Caribbean Compass, the excellent monthly magazine for the Windward and Leeward Isles of the Caribbean. Joan, who is an SSCA and Salty Dawg Rally volunteer and veteran cruiser, has been one of a very active group who are helping the people of Dominica where their essential agricultural industry was destroyed.
Irmageddon
Thousands of people across the northern Leeward Islands battened down for the worst that evening as Hurricane Irma approached, surging in strength to become the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic. As of 7:00PM EDT, Irma’s top sustained winds were an incredible 160 knots.
In the early morning hours of September 6th, Category 5 Hurricane Irma destroyed Barbuda and moved on to nearly demolish St. Barths, St. Maarten-St. Martin, and the British and US Virgin Islands. Irma caused less destruction on St. Croix, the Spanish Virgins and Puerto Rico, but the damage was still significant. Irma then travelled over the northern Dominican Republic and the Turks & Caicos prior to severely impacting Cuba’s northern coastline and then raking the Florida Keys and the western side of Florida.
A few days after “Irmageddon”, Hurricane Maria formed. Read more.
