Carribean during hurricane season

[zeehag]

watch your weather ......more than once daily....

we survived the "you ARE gonna die" season in gulf of mexico---we didnt die.
i love big winds, but i do not seek out named storms for sailing purposes--they are to hide from or to be somewhere other than ....
more storms seem to form from mid july to end of season, but.....
there is usually a 2 day warning before death occurs, anyway....

then, again, that is why the gods made weather sites on puters.....

[Amapola]

We live in SW Florida and cruise the Bahamas during the winter/spring. We always head home by mid-July before peak hurricane season. In addition to hurricanes, kick a$$ storms and squalls are normal during the summer months. Last month in the Exumas we were in a storm with 45kt winds. Believe me, it was no picnic.

[foolishsailor]

If you were already in the Caribbean I would say sure stay, why not? Many friends of mine dance between hogs head in Grenada and Trinidadian during the season. Hurricane season is actually the best time to be in the Caribbean. Less boats and much better weather, except for the ol death by hurricane thing....

But to sail from Florida to get to a reasonable safe zone is utterly foolish, and this is coming from someone who has foolish in his CF name....

[Mexdon]

All of the posts so far have concentraded on the east Caribbean Windward and Leeward Islands. Have you thought of the San Blas Islands in Panama? According to the maps showing hurricane tracks since 1850 or so the San Blas Islands have never had a hurricane track over them, which does not say they do not suffer peripheral strong winds and rain. There are charter operators in the San Blas area.

[TeddyDiver]

Go to ABC's then.. they are south of the hurricane paths, or Venezuela thou dunno how safe you there, more thiefes and robbers they say.. Tobago is not far from Greneda if there's danger..

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by John A

I hear that it's also possible to jaywalk across a freeway.

Accept the risks you are comfortable with.

Jaywalk across a freeway? Pretty silly comparison. I guess in your opinion everyone living in the state of Florida, which is right in the hurricane zone, is complete fool and taking their lives in their hands.

Maybe all the residents of the Bahamas should evacuate every summer as well.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Go to ABC's then.. they are south of the hurricane paths, or Venezuela thou dunno how safe you there, more thiefes and robbers they say.. Tobago is not far from Greneda if there's danger..

ABC, Tobago, Venezuela... all hit by hurricanes or they passed south of them, hence, a lottery.

cheers,
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Jaywalk across a freeway? Pretty silly comparison. I guess in your opinion everyone living in the state of Florida, which is right in the hurricane zone, is complete fool and taking their lives in their hands.

Maybe all the residents of the Bahamas should evacuate every summer as well.

Just as the people who live in Florida aren't all fools, the owners of the thousand boats lost when a hurricane hit St. Maarten weren't all fools either. They just lost all their boats, most were dragged out the lagoon to deep water and sunk just to get rid of the mass. When you look at places like St. Maarten, or Marin in Martinique now, you wouldn't say anything is wrong... but if you look better, you can still find some wrecks or parts of boats submerged here and there. Same for Grenada: oh ouch, Ivan hit, but the previous one was Janet in the '50s so now we're good for at least 50 years... until hit again right the next year with big losses because memory of what had passed just one year before was already faded and Grenada was deemed safe again. Go look now and I bet there's a thousand boats again.

Ignoring the fact that hurricanes come and destroy everything does not make them stay away. Just because people live in Florida doesn't mean that they must (or even should) promote for other people to go sail in the Carieb or Bahamas during hurricane season! Why would you do that?? just to make sure others also run the risk of being hit? When you go sail there during hurricane season, why would that mean that we must do so too? For people living in Florida it doesn't matter much as they are in it anyway, so might as well enjoy it. Just as I don't call that foolish, I would expect them to respect others decisions who live outside the hurricane zone and opt to stay out during hurricane season as well.

I've been in the hurricane zone with the opinion that the risk is so low... but got hit twice in 6 years anyway.

Edit: I don't like to pull these pics up but it's needed to make people aware now and then: this is what you find after a hurricane;

Almost every boat destroyed in the yard:


Try to save what is left before the looters take it or kill you over it: (don't think that is 3rd world only... remember the killings in New Orleans?!)


Every direction you turn:


devastation ashore; some places even the grass is ripped from the soil (at right) by tornadoes that join in:



This ain't no game, don't go there if you don't need to. Be safe.

cheers,
Nick.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Just as the people who live in Florida aren't all fools, the owners of the thousand boats lost when a hurricane hit St. Maarten weren't all fools either. They just lost all their boats, most were dragged out the lagoon to deep water and sunk just to get rid of the mass. When you look at places like St. Maarten, or Marin in Martinique now, you wouldn't say anything is wrong... but if you look better, you can still find some wrecks or parts of boats submerged here and there. Same for Grenada: oh ouch, Ivan hit, but the previous one was Janet in the '50s so now we're good for at least 50 years... until hit again right the next year with big losses because memory of what had passed just one year before was already faded and Grenada was deemed safe again. Go look now and I bet there's a thousand boats again.

Ignoring the fact that hurricanes come and destroy everything does not make them stay away. Just because people live in Florida doesn't mean that they must (or even should) promote for other people to go sail in the Carieb or Bahamas during hurricane season! Why would you do that?? just to make sure others also run the risk of being hit? When you go sail there during hurricane season, why would that mean that we must do so too? For people living in Florida it doesn't matter much as they are in it anyway, so might as well enjoy it. Just as I don't call that foolish, I would expect them to respect others decisions who live outside the hurricane zone and opt to stay out during hurricane season as well.

I've been in the hurricane zone with the opinion that the risk is so low... but got hit twice in 6 years anyway.

cheers,
Nick.

Perhaps you misunderstand my point. I agree completely with all you say. But....

1. Nowhere on the west side of the North Atlantic is completely immune to a hurricane, as you illustrate in your previous post. Last year New England was hit and that is not exactly considered hurricane alley. Of course the odds are higher in some places, much higher in some. Also no season is completely immune. I believe historically there have been tropical storms recorded in every month of the year or close to it.

2. I would wager that few of the thousand boats you mention lost in St Maarten were active cruisers or live-aboards. Would you agree that most likely the great majority were owned by absentee owners, charter boats, or locals the could not or did not move the boats out of the path.

3. With today's weather forecasts and satellite imaging we can often have notice weeks in advance that a tropical depression is forming and days notice that a hurricane is headed in our direction. Plenty of time to depart for safer waters or, if on holiday, fly home.

And just so I'm perfectly clear.

Hurricanes do hit the Caribbean. There is a season where there are more hurricanes. The odds of experiencing a hurricane increase dramatically depending on location and month.

If you watch the weather these odds are manageable and your chance of being caught by surprise extremely small.

You say you were caught twice in 6 years. So did you have no idea a hurricane was on the way and just wake up one morning in the midst of a storm? Bet not.

[John A]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Jaywalk across a freeway? Pretty silly comparison. I guess in your opinion everyone living in the state of Florida, which is right in the hurricane zone, is complete fool and taking their lives in their hands.

Maybe all the residents of the Bahamas should evacuate every summer as well.

Originally Posted by John A
I hear that it's also possible to jaywalk across a freeway.

Accept the risks you are comfortable with.
---
Sorry you chose to ignore the second sentence.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Ignoring the fact that hurricanes come and destroy everything does not make them stay away. Just because people live in Florida doesn't mean that they must (or even should) promote for other people to go sail in the Carieb or Bahamas during hurricane season! Why would you do that?? just to make sure others also run the risk of being hit? When you go sail there during hurricane season, why would that mean that we must do so too? For people living in Florida it doesn't matter much as they are in it anyway, so might as well enjoy it. Just as I don't call that foolish, I would expect them to respect others decisions who live outside the hurricane zone and opt to stay out during hurricane season as well.

By the way, I am not trying to convince anyone to do anything. Just trying to present a balance picture of the risks and counter the arguments that going any where south of GA in August-September is the height of folly.

If you want drama I can post a few photos from SC and other points north showing major hurricane damage and piles of wrecked boats. People in New England still talk about the hurricane of 1938 that wiped out entire islands and coastal communities.

Bottom line, in hurricane season you have to pay attention, no matter where you are.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by John A

Originally Posted by John A
I hear that it's also possible to jaywalk across a freeway.

Accept the risks you are comfortable with.
---
Sorry you chose to ignore the second sentence.

Did not ignore it at all. Read it and agreed, but was not able to ignore the comment preceding. Apologize if I took it personally and it wasn't intended so but I hardly think making an informed decision about when and where one considers it safe to cruise is akin to jaywalking across a freeway.

[svadagio]

Another option is to hang around the Bay Islands of Honduras until about August 15 then go into the Rio Dulce until November. If you look at the history it is pretty safe.
Bob
Roatan Honduras

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Jaywalk across a freeway? Pretty silly comparison. I guess in your opinion everyone living in the state of Florida, which is right in the hurricane zone, is complete fool and taking their lives in their hands.

Maybe all the residents of the Bahamas should evacuate every summer as well.

Oh my gawd.

I was thinking how many people the N and W should accept.

Everyone from S of the Mason Dixon line and ever one E of AZ should be no real problem for the rest of the country to adopt from June to Nov.

Pity they probably won't accept the entire Windward/Leeward population too. Those poor people............

I prefer hurricane to tornado though so I'll stay in FL and give up a spot up north.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by skipmac

You say you were caught twice in 6 years. So did you have no idea a hurricane was on the way and just wake up one morning in the midst of a storm? Bet not.

First time the boat was supposedly safe in Grenada so we took a 2-week holiday in Holland.

Second time we ran out of room... can't go further south than the coast of South America.

I'm not really posting these pics for people in Florida; I'm posting them for people in Europe who think a hurricane is just like a storm as they know it and everything will be alright during their charter in the Carieb. Most have never seen this kind of pictures from it, let alone have experienced it first hand.

cheers,
Nick.