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Old 05-09-2019, 19:31   #1
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Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

I've been thinking today about how to help the people affected by Hurricane Dorian. Giving money right now helps get some immediate assistance but afterwards they are going to need some long term help rebuilding.

During a phone call with one of my sailing mates, we discussed how we have had a lot of fun over the years sailing, exploring, eating, and drinking. Maybe this year we would spend some time simply working to rebuild something. He liked the idea and said not only would he be there, but his brother who is a retired builder would come also. As the idea started to grow, I thought it might be interesting if we, as a cruising community, organized to really provide some significant help over a longer term.

Once hurricane season is over most likely the urgent need for survival items will be resolved but the rebuilding will be just beginning. A lot of cruisers will also be leaving ports in the US and Canada for the winter migration so what if there was a project we all worked on together in say the Abacos that would help some folks who can't get help otherwise. Like building shelters, cleaning up debris, fixing mechanical things that we have skills to fix, etc. It would be a fantastic feeling to look back years from now and say "Look at that, that's what the cruising community did after Dorian".

Personally, I don't know the Abacos well enough nor have ever really participated in a long term relief process but am willing to help with both time and money if the opportunity allows. It's fun to drink some Sands or Kalik's down in the Exumas but the feeling we could get by working to help others (and then have a beer) would be special. And, if you think about it, we have the perfect set up to do this. We have floating homes with kitchens, watermakers, generators, tools, and dinghies to get around. We don't need hotels and restaurants to provide the labor. And, many of us have extra space that for a period of time would allow extra volunteers to join in the work. Even if everyone passing by did just one week of rebuilding it could make a serious difference.

I'm throwing it out there just to see what you all think. Palarran and her crew will somehow do something but I need to figure out what.
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Old 06-09-2019, 03:21   #2
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

I think I'm proud to "know" you.
Great idea!
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Old 06-09-2019, 03:29   #3
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Fantastic, Palarran!

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Old 06-09-2019, 03:32   #4
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...559508642.html
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Old 06-09-2019, 03:35   #5
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Thats a great idea! We spend time enjoying these areas, giving back is appropriate.

Maybe form an organization that goes beyond one time assistance in the Abacos to become a permanent organization which organizes cruisers to assist in cruising areas.

Im in. Whats next?

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Old 06-09-2019, 03:39   #6
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Palarran View Post
I've been thinking today about how to help the people affected by Hurricane Dorian.

...It would be a fantastic feeling to look back years from now and say "Look at that, that's what the cruising community did after Dorian".

...many of us have extra space that for a period of time would allow extra volunteers to join in the work. Even if everyone passing by did just one week of rebuilding it could make a serious difference.

...I'm throwing it out there just to see what you all think. Palarran and her crew will somehow do something but I need to figure out what.
Yes, I agree it would be fantastic to be able to look back and see that the Cruising Community made an active positive difference, especially because by nature we are often transient.

I think it is a great idea.

A huge to you sir!
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Old 06-09-2019, 03:48   #7
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pirate Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Palarran.. RESPECT..
Hope it comes together, an awesome project and a grand sense of humanitarianism.
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Old 06-09-2019, 04:11   #8
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

It's an excellent idea that's for sure.. I sent you a private message David..
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Old 06-09-2019, 04:14   #9
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Great idea Palarran and I think most practical from a labor management perspective of volunteer carpenters being self contained in their own boat

If I was in that part of the world, I would join in, but its a long slog from Asia.

We did get involved after super typhoon Yolanda with rebuilding their fishing bancas, with modern design and materials.... but there we let the bigger organizations provide the materials and we helped in the design and quality control during construction to get it right.

So perhaps aligning with bigger organizations working there, would be how yachties could best help.

Just thinking of a name for a volunteer yacht fleet helping to rebuild a storm damaged community.

"Chips Ahoy" is traditional and who knows, maybe you can get the cookie company to be a premier sponsor in positioning the boats where needed.
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Old 06-09-2019, 05:06   #10
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Outstanding idea, Palarran! I can swing a hammer, help clear debris, help rewire electrical, etc.
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Old 06-09-2019, 05:26   #11
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

It was nice to wake up this morning and see the positive responses. It's also occured to me that while the CF is probably the largest online forum group for cruisers, we aren't the only one. I reached out to a moderator on the facebook group "Bahamas Cruising and Sailing" (BCS) and am going to send a message to my contact at the Bradford Marine Fort Lauderdale yard. Bradford Marine is in contact with many large yacht owners who might have crews that can help or be in a financial position to provide supplies. BCS has a lot of members who obviously are in the Bahamas. Another group I thought about is the Salty Dawgs. It might be a nice end to their Bahama rally to join in the efforts and they have a lot of contacts.

Pelagic, great idea about getting a good name for the effort and one that hopefully can be put into an acronym. Do you want to work on some ideas?

AA3JY's post about donation scams is very valid. I feel like they are already forming with 1000 gofundme requests on FB. Also, it in the past with local charities that I've donated to, it's important to me that the overhead to deliver the assistance is controlled because so many of them syphon off the money to fund their lives and to collect even more donations.
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Old 06-09-2019, 05:47   #12
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Ram Oh sent me this info which is pretty good:

Good idea, I don't know if you've ever been in a disaster zone like this but, I spent years doing this and it's not easy.. once upon a time I was a FEMA sub contractor,.. what needs to be done is connect to the right people to organize what really is needed.
I spent a lot of time there (decades ago)and I have some strong ties over there.. I'm happy to connect you to those folks already working on this recovery thing in motion.. one of my friends developed the Internet service in the Abacos, she says it's so bad even though her house wasn't affected, she's coming back here in the next day or two, her family is very influential over there..
Her brother is a pilot for the big airlines
And he's got a small plane that he's getting ready to start flying back and forth delivering goods and stuff.. right now on Facebook he's suggested people send him things and he made some suggestions on what they needed..that you could buy through Amazon have sent to his house. Yesterday he received 149 packages in one day..
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Old 06-09-2019, 07:15   #13
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

There are numerous legitimate organizations providing immediate “first response” aid to the Bahamas.
Some are identified here:
https://www.bahamas.com/relief
“Hurricane Dorian aid: How to donate to rescue, relief and recovery in the Bahamas”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...db6_story.html

Cruisers may be in a unique position to assist the Islands in their longer term recovery. We have the ability, not to just donate money (I encourage anyone to donate what they comfortably can), but to contribute our varied skills, and do so, without imposing any burden on the community. Not only are we self-sufficient, but also a generally very “handy” bunch (some with specific trades skills), and also able to bring over some small amount of matériel.

Come November/December, many of us may have been planning a pleasure cruise to the Bahamas. This could be an opportunity to stop over, in Grand Bahama or the Abacos, and lend a hand with ad hoc, or CF sponsored rebuilding project(s).

Others of us may be more able to lend a hand in organizing this proposed CF project. Coordinating the endeavors of a dispersed and diverse group of individual contributors will be a substantial (but rewarding) effort.

Hopefully, we will soon form a committee, to organize our CruisersForum members activities.

Anyone willing to join in is asked to so note here, indicating the specific type of help they are best able to provide.
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Old 06-09-2019, 07:30   #14
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

Thanks Gord. I was hoping you would help head up this effort.

For Palarran we can be onsite around December 1st and spend 3 weeks. Without a doubt I can get 8 to 10 people to assist during this period. For assets we carry a large amount of diesel, twin generators, and a 40 gph watermaker. My galley is pretty big so we could also assist in cooking large quantity meals. I'll be coming from the Ft. Lauderdale area so we can also stock up on a lot of non-perishable food supplies.
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Old 06-09-2019, 08:06   #15
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Re: Bahamas Hurricane Relief by Cruisers

I’ve been thinking that “we” should brainstorm some specific RECOVERY projects that cruisers might be uniquely qualified to undertake.
Things such as:
- Supply & install an R/O desalination watermaker facility. Could be attached to a clinic, shelter, school, or church.
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