Tropical island report: Ivan the Terrible - part 2
Oct 17, 2004 10: 34 EST
With the Florida hurricanes fresh in memory, we continue today the 3-part series by Peter the "Fixman" on hurricane Ivan's recent visit to Bequia. Last we took off all the church leaders organized a prayer-chain and lo and behold, Ivan did a wobble and veered a bit to the south as if Someone had told Ivan to do so because not enough people further south down in Grenada took part in the praying scenario...
Outside wasn’t for real and all the wine contributed
Bunkered down behind the several feet thick stone walls in the wine cellar at the Old Fort, it was if we were in a world of our own and what was going on outside wasn’t for real and all the wine contributed was to reinforce this sensation
And because wine makes you drop your inhibitions and makes one more courageous and stupid than you normally are in such a situation, I took a short "walk" up to tower to peek out through the tiny window to see what was going on.
We’re going to blow away anyway, so let's enjoy some steamy sex
The most impressive and frightening was looking down into Ravine Bay which had been transformed into a turbulent inferno of white. It was like looking into the round window of a washing machine. A watery white, thundering and churning hell.
But then, in contrast to this, in the bushes below the tower, I saw two hummingbirds mating in flight. Unbelievable. As if they were saying; we’re going to blow away anyway, let’s enjoy life and some good steamy sex while we can.
Wrong number
Then my cell phone rings and I think; is anybody really out there? The person calling has dialed the wrong number, says she is sorry and asks where I am and if I’m all right and my heart goes out to her and I ask her the same question. I’ve never heard anybody in Vincyland say sorry if they have dialed wrong. This just shows how an outside threat can bring people together.
Bob Marley to calm the people
I am impressed with the authority in charge of disaster management, the radio station’s professionalism and the Prime Minister Comrade Ralph Gonzalves who came on the air at five minutes to every hour to calm and reassure his people that all would be saved and safe if they just stayed indoors, then after his reassuring words they would play Bob Marley’s "Everything’s gonna be all right"
Through the night the nation’s leader went around to the shelters comforting people and telling silly jokes, (Old Ralph’s going to get some votes on that one on the next election) when at the same time the prime Minister of Grenada was flown out of the state to a waiting British warship!!! Like when George Bush was ushered away on Airforce One to a safe destination on September 11th.
We were still here and the rest of the planet didn’t exist
I also take my hat off for VINLEC BEQUIA. The only island and area in the whole of the state of St. Vincent and the Grenadines that had continuous 50% power through the storm!
I’m also impressed with the phone companies and local radio that kept going up to about midnight before we lost contact with the world outside. Then came this strange feeling of isolation – like we were still here and the rest of the planet didn’t exist.
Tomorrow part 3 final: After the storm
Image of waves hitting Bequia courtesy epic99.tripod.com
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