AFTER THE STORM

February 2001 Table of Contents

AFTER THE STORM
by Bill Durrell

The devastation and havoc wrought by Hurricane Floyd last year is still
very much in evidence. We drove to the northern most point of the island
in December with two Bahamian friends, Alvin and Effie, and their small child. Our quest was for frozen grouper for their families in Nassau. They were going there for the holidays and fish here is about half the cost it is in Nassau. Bringing fish makes a most welcomed gift.

Floyd hovered above this gentle island for several hours pounding the
shores with 140 mile per hour winds. This is a relatively flat island, a
little less than 100 miles long and averaging three miles wide. There are
about 15,000 people living here. About 50% are black and 50% white. Perhaps 20% of the blacks are Haitians. Some of the Haitians are here legally and a fluctuating number are illegal immigrants. Every once and a while there is a sweep and hundreds are repatriated to Haiti. Then more come. It's a lousy situation.

As in North America, the newcomers do the jobs nobody else wants. Theirs is a hard lot. The average family income in Haiti is $220 per year. Many
men working on this island have left their wives and children behind and
send all the money they can back home.

The men often start new families here. Life is not easy. In most countries the last to come are on the bottom of the social pecking order. This is certainly true for the Haitians on Abaco. Some 80% of Bahamians on all the islands are black. Abaco's balance is unique.

It is a peaceful place and very religious. My wife Francine and I were
driving home at night from our trip. The road between Marsh Harbour and
Treasure Cay is lightless. There are no houses, gas stations, or anything
else for 20 miles. We came upon two cars by the side of the road and were
hailed by one of the eight or so black men.

I didn't hesitate to stop. They had a flat and not a lug wrench between the
two cars. We were able to help and five minuted later we were on our way. Abaco, unlike Nassau, is a safe place to be.

There are five small communities on the road to Crown Haven and Coopers
Town, which is one the largest towns in The Bahamas with a population of about 1,300 people. They got telephones about six years ago and electricity from the central grid in Marsh Harbour a couple of years later. Before then they generated their own power.

Hubert Ingraham, The Prime Minister, grew up Coopers Town. When he
lived there school stopped at eighth grade. We would be lucky to have a man of his vision and integrity leading one of our countries in North America.

A road was built in 1957 that connected one end of the island to the other.
It was built by Owens Illinois for the purpose of logging. Before then any
travel between villages was by boat, predominantly 12 foot sailing dinghies built on Man O' War Cay.

Before tourism, fishing was the only source of survival. All the villages
are by the sea. Floyd showed no mercy. The coast was pounded. Few can
afford insurance. The government is solvent, barely. There are no property
or income taxes for Bahamians. Foreigners do pay property taxes.

The Government derives its income from duty on all imports. Since there is little manufacturing or farming on these shores just about everything we use or consume is taxed. This is not an inexpensive place to live.
Subsidence living was once cheap if you had a boat and could fish.
Television and tourism seems to have changed all that.

The small villages look today as one might imagine they would have shortly after Floyd. Many roofs have plastic covers to keep out the rain. Shingles for even a small place might cost as much as $1,500 even with the absence of duty on building materials which was lifted after the storm until the middle of last November.

What we who have not been here since last fall do not realise is how much
restoration and clean up has been accomplished. Most homes have been
rebuilt and many of those that were completely demolished by the storm have been replaced. The construction business has flourished as a result of
Floyd. Many have been so busy their own homes still are in a state of
disrepair.

On the way back we stopped at several places along the road and gathered
air plants and wild orchids to be transplanted around our villa in Treasure
Cay. Some were flowering and very beautiful. We also saw some spectacular cactuses which we left for another trip.

Venturing on the south side of Marsh Harbour we took a side road heading
toward the settlement of Cherokee Sound. The road to Cherokee Sound was paved several years ago. Before then a dirt road was often close to impassible. Most residents got back and forth by boat from Big Mangrove dock.

This road cuts through the forest and snakes through patches of dry land
seemingly surrounded by water. A dirt road runs off to the left leading to
Little Harbour. A stop at Pete Johnson's Pub, on the harbour, was as
friendly and thirst quenching as ever.

The following day, accompanied by a Canadian friend and next door neighbour, we took my old Boston Whaler to Green Turtle Cay to pick up Raven. She is a classic 28' 1963 Tripp designed sloop. For sure a joy to sail and look at. Let there be no doubt she rejoiced to be freed from her perch on the asphalt of the Green Turtle Shipyard

Raven was one of the few that weathered Floyd. What almost did her in was a year and a half of sun and neglect while I was away. Although sound of body she desperately wants to be bathed, sanded, painted, and generally spruced up. A good months work.

The seven mile sail back was wonderful. As we rounded the point, which is
Treasure Cay, the sun was approaching the horizon. Partially hidden from
sight by a bank of dark threatening clouds, the sunset was magical. For me, the moment was totally spiritual.

After putting Raven to bed I headed for the beach. Before getting there a
torrential downpour pounded the island. I swam in the rain.

February 2001 Table of Contents