Posted by Kimberly on November 09, 2001 at 10:36:08:
Hello, everyone:
Michelle came through on Monday afternoon around 2:00p, after a two-hour lull in the rain and wind that we later discovered to be the eye of the storm. Damage to the island on both the harbour and beachside is minimal, with a welcome buildup of the samd on the beach side in many places. [The island lost water and power for approximately 24 hours tops, which is more than we're hearing from the damaged areas in Nassau and towns on Andros. Thank you, BEC Chris ... and thank you, Mark Saunders, for working around the clock to make sure that utilities were up again so quickly after the storm.]
All churches were boarded up by Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning, and so made it through the storm with no damage. Several friends of mine ran out of plywood as they boarded up the businesses, but were ingenious in making do with what they had. No word yet as to why Chacara stayed closed as the island hunkered down to batten down its hatches.
Harbour-wise, Valentine's and Harbour Island Marina both suffered some damage, but no other docks on the bayside appear to be affected. The Fast Ferry says that they will resume regular service between Nassau and Eleuthera on Monday, and the North Eleuthera/Governor's Harbour/Rock Sound airports are all open, as of Tuesday noon. I flew from North Eleuthera to Nassau by way of Rock Sound on Bahamasair yesterday, and can report that from the aerial perspective, Eleuthera looks as though it survived the storm with minimal damage save that of the Glass Window Bridge, which was moved three feet west thanks to the pounding waves generated by the storm. As a result, North/South Eleuthera vehicular traffic is suspended until the bridge is repaired. Two boats are ferrying between Gregory Town and Upper Bogue on a regular basis, though, to assist folks in getting to work.
Batelco says that the telephones will be local service only for the next week or so. Right now, those on Harbour Island can call each other, but there is no telephone communication with Eleuthera or Nassau or elsewhere. Satcom phones were not to be found on the island this trip, save that of Charles Carey of the Princess Street Gallery. On behalf of everyone who borrowed his phone until its battery gave out, I'd like to give Charles a round of applause for being so generous during the onset of Michelle. Lynn Cleare of Harbour Island made a great island correspondent for ZNS-AM in Nassau, which offered excellent coverage of what was happening on the various islands until its own transmitter was blown down. ZNS coverage then switched to the Freeport station for ongoing broadcasts.
The computer center/library's brand-new shutters survived their very first test, and the place looks great. The center was open for business by Wednesday afternoon, albeit minus Internet access for the time being. An Open House for the brand-new center is being planned for December.
I'm back in the States now, and so can answer specific questions on the Board. Few houses sustained any real structural damage, and those homeowners have been notified. Up Track road, William Miller's car was buried underneath the debris of what looked like a mini tornado, but otherwise everyone's homes and cars and boats and animals were all safe during Michelle's 80 m.p.h. winds. From what we heard on ZNS AM and saw on ZNS TV 13, Andros and New Providence bore the greater brunt of the storm's fury.
Thanks to Harry O's, Summer Johnson's, Pigly Wigly's, Gusty's and the Harbour Island Marina for opening so quickly after the storm to allow for the traditional communal sigh of relief!
Hope this helps --
Kimberly