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- - - 2003 Hurricane Season - - -

- DELUGED!!!!!!!
  • From: "Allan D" <top_shatta_ad2002 AT hotmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 16:21:51 +0000
We recieved the heaviest rain in St.John's so far yesterday(at 6:00pm). A total of 1.54 Inches in 30 minutes and 2.38 Inches in 12 hours. I see we are going to get a bit more, not much though. There was also thunderstorms last night around 8:00pm.

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- BARBUDA ON SUNDAY THE 9TH MAY 04
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 18:54:09 -0400
Title: Message
THIS IS ENORMOUS SINK HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF BARBUDA WITH THE MOST INCREDIBLE FLORA AND FAUNA.
ONLY A 2 MILE HIKE FROM THE NEAREST "ROAD". AWFULLY HOT BUT WORTH THE WALK.IT IS CALLED DERBY CAVE AND POOLS AT THE BOTTOM IN HEAVY RAIN.GETTING VERY DRY HERE.
FRIENDS FOUND THE TOOTH OF AN EXTINCT MEGA SHARK (CARCHARADON) IN ONE OF THE WALLS.
WE ALSO FOUND A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE ON THE EAST COAST ON SUNDAY--IT TOOK 2 YEARS TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC.
BARBUDA IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND IN THE CARIBBEAN.
THE 2ND PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY MY DAUGHTER FROM ATOP THE CLIFF OVERLOOKING TWO FOOT BAY ON THE EAST COAST.TRY TO BEAT THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

barbuda MAY04 DERBY CAVE 020.jpg
barbuda MAY04 DERBY CAVE 095.jpg
- HS2004 COUNTDOWN!!! 24:12:6:24
  • From: "Allan D" <top_shatta_ad2002 AT hotmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 07 May 2004 15:56:13 +0000
We are almost there! Well, from the way things looked, we would get the first tropical wave coming off the African coast within the next  15-20 days, the first sign of the hurricane season 2004 kicking off!

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- MAY
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 3 May 2004 09:20:42 -0400

PHOTO TAKEN YESTERDAY NEAR LIGNUMVITAE BAY-WEST INDIAN TREE DUCKS-DENDROCYGNA ARBOREA.

MAY IS THE ”LITTLE RAINY SEASON” AND ALSO THE END OF THE ANNUAL NORTHERN MIGRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WATER IN THE WETLANDS AND ALL SPECIES ARE FEEDING.

THE DUCKS SHOWN DO NOT MIGRATE HOWEVER AND HAVE BECOME QUITE RARE.

VERY WINDY HERE WITH LOVELY INTERMITTENT SHOWERS.


BIRDS 036.jpg
- National Clean up planning GOES HIGH TECH
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 13:38:53 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 ANTIGUA  IS  HAVING  A  THIRD  NATIONAL CLEANUP   where we hope to bring out  the  entire island....this is the   motivation from  our newly elected GOVERNMENT IN THE  SUNSHINE..  if any of you  are visiting  our  fair land at this time  plan to JOIN IN!!      It is MAY 22nd 2004
 

  

NATIONAL CLEAN UP EFFORT GOES HIGH TECH 

 

For those who  are  computer  users,   a web site has  been set up  to  help with registration  for people     who wish to  come out and join  the  NATIONAL CLEAN UP EFFORT on May 22nd 2004.      THE Government in the Sunshine and   ABITPC has joined forces to clean up Antigua and Barbuda.    It is hoped that there will be total commitment by all who care about Antigua and Barbuda by joining hand to CLEAN UP THE LAND. 

 
The web site    http://antiguanvoice.com    allows  for  ease of  registration for those who want to  sign up  to  come out and clean up,  be it  groups are individuals.    There is also an  email which can be used    cleanup@antiguanvoice.com .

 The web site contains   sections to commit funds or equipment to the clean up efforts. ABITPC is  raisinig funds to purchase 25,000  garbage bags and  gloves for use on clean up day.     It also contains information on the  National Slogan and the National Poster Contest.   There will also be a section  where the public can report unsightly littered area and   a section that gives  an UPDATE of  the  planning activities. 

  
The creation and design  of the web site  has been done through ANTIGUAN VOICE owned by Nicky Gardner and  Bruce Riddell of Hodges Bay.   They  have donated their time and energy to this worthwhile project. 

 


The public is invited to   check out the NATIONAL CLEAN UP WEB SITE   and to sign up to help in this important community effort.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
- EASTER
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 14:12:20 -0400
Title: Message
A CALM WEEKEND IN BARBUDA

Barbuda'04 064.jpg
- HAPPY EASTER
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2004 07:08:45 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)

 
 
 
 To  all who  check on  our  Caribbean weather.. HAPPY EASTER..
IT IS  A BEAUTIFUL DAY..
very  still and  the  sky is  so blue and  clear  !!  and the sea is  flat calm!!

This week  -  for the  nautical minded -- is the  start of  many  exciting  yacht races  here in Antigua..
our  CLASSIC BOAT RACES  with  some of the  beautiful old  classic yachts starts this week  followed by  the  BIG  ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK..  see below for  more  info on these  exciting  times!
 
 
http://www.antiguaclassics.com/      OUR CLASSIC BOAT RACES  starting  THIS WEEK
 
http://www.bigboatseries.com/index.html      THE  MEGA YACHTS (or  BIG BOAT RACES
 
http://www.sailingweek.com/asw2004/news2004.html        WORLD FAMOUS ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK ...starting  April  25th  
- FINAL COUNTDOWN!!!!! (1:23:06:05:23)
  • From: "Allan D" <top_shatta_ad2002 AT hotmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 21:54:40 +0000
Well...only 54 more days to go. With the Hurricane Season 2004 coming on a collision course, we must be prepare to face it and ride it out again. Official preliminary forecast suggest another ACTIVE hurricane season on its way...LOOKOUT!!!

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- THE EXPLORERS CLUB 2004 DINNER!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 22:30:38 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
I  HAVE JUST RETURNED  LAST EVENING TO  ANTIGUA FROM THE MOST  UNIQUE  WEEKENDS   I HAVE  EVER ENCOUNTERED.. I  REPORTED ON  THIS   IN PAST YEARS..BUT THIS YEAR WAS THE MOST AMAZING ..
 
AND  I CAME  HOME TO  A NEW GOVERNMENT!   THE OPPOSITION GOT INTO POWER IN OUR ELECTIONS HELD LAST TUESDAY... SO  BIG CHANGES FOR   OUR  ISLAND!  STAND BY FOR MORE 
 
 

                   AN AMAZING EVENING IN THE LIFE OF MARTHA

THE 100TH ANNUAL DINNER OF THE EXPLORERS CLUB IN NEW YORK CITY

  (and if  this weekend was not enough, it was followed by BENEATH THE SEA   this past weekend..

another amazing dive industry oriented event - but that's another story!)

 

I wanted to share this  with those of you who  have either attended this in the past with me...or  who have talked about going  in the future... can you  eat spiders????

 

ON SATURDAY, March 20th I attended this amazing event (for the  4th time) held by the Explorers Club, which I am greatly honored to be a member of. 

It is always held at the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue in New York.    The theme was “A Century at the Forefront of Exploration” and speakers were those who had made major historical contributions during the past century.  (and the best part was  the evening was shared with good friends from near and far who joined the weekend!)

 

 
 
 

The evening started, as always, with the “exotics” served during the cocktail hour.  Some of these  included   oven roasted North American Beaver, Roasted tempura tarantula, roasted termite on cherry tomatoes,  west Virginia Cave Crickets,  Endive float with goat cheeses and scorpion,  pickled duck tongue, Herbed mealworms, termites and crickets,  Braised earthworms in snow peas, smoked wild boar,  poached bovine brain,  rilette of raccoon,  alligator marinated and lightly glazed,   armadillo -   to name a few!!!  It should be noted

“Entomophagy, the eating of insects, by humans, has been practiced since the appearance of man on earth.  In the past, all levels of society consumed various insects.  Today insects remain an important nutritional food source in many parts of the world. Low in carbohydrates, high in protein, insects provide essential survival needs for the world’s explorers.”

 

The main meal was a bit more tame; Smoked Maine Salmon Roulades,

Midwestern Tournedos of Beef with roasted fingerling potatoes, asparagus, carrots and Milk chocolate mousse and hazelnut Dacquoise!  The meal was complimented with special New Zealand wines in honor of the main speaker, Sir Edmund Hillary. 

 

  

The speakers included Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first men to summit Mount Everest; Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the moon and Stephen Squyres, the scientific director of the Mars lander Opportunity.   Others were Don Walsh, who made history in 1960 by co-piloting the bathyscaphe TRIESTE to the deepest pint in the Earths Ocean (35,800 feet below sea level!)  And   Bertrand Piccard, who completed the first successful around the world balloon flight in 1991.  Dr. Sylvia Earle  -  and my  personal hero!)   was also a speaker, the noted oceanographer whom TIME MAGAZINE calls a  “hero of the planet”.      

 

It was an  evening  to not be forgotten and makes me proud  that I chose to be  an  adventurer  for  as  Mark Twain said   “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than   the ones you did do.  So throw off the bow lines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the  trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.      I hope  I can  continue  “going for it”  for   ages and ages hence!  

 

"Do not follow where the path may lead... Go instead where there is no
path and leave a trail"

"Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference"

Robert Frost

 
 
 
 
- IT IS ELECTION DAY
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 09:22:11 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
It  is a  rainy  day in  paradise and a  big day as  TODAY IS THE  DAY  with  elections on the rock!!  Lots of action!
 
Already Gave you the  sites  in my posting  below to get   info on the outcome!   I flew home from NEW YORK to be on island for about  18 hours     late yesterday JUST TO VOTE   as this is such an important time for  our  country!
 
We are all anxiously  awaiting the  final poll results!!
- HOT TIMES IN THE OLD TOWN TONIGHT!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 17:10:12 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
THINGS ARE  HEATING  UP       IN  "PARADISE"!  WITH OUR  ELECTIONS  BEING HELD ON MARCH 23RD!   Lots of    political  action going on 
 
This is meant to be the  closest election Antigua has ever had!   For those who want to hear the coverage live  check the  radio  station below.. or  you can log on to the site listed. 
 
 
 
- VICTORY
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 09:43:34 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Don;t usually post things  like this but this  is SUCH  A WONDERFUL VICTORY for the environment of ANTIGUA and BARBUDA  and  for  wild dolphins of the Caribbean that I had to share it..
 
have been  reporting about this off and on  in earlier posting!  and to read back ground for those who may not know see  
 

The Daily Observer,Wednesday February 25,2004

ANTIGUA WEST INDIES

Page 9

ABITPC Scores Victory  In Dolphin Salvo;  Pressing On For More

By Joanne C.Hillhouse

The decision to rescind permission given for the capture of 12 dolphins a year in Antigua & Barbuda ’s waters,previously

reported in The DailyOBSERVER,has been confirmed.The Antigua & Barbuda Independent Tourism Promotion  Corporation

(ABITPC)is in receipt of said decision.It reads:"Cabinet at  a meeting held on  Wednesday 11th February  2004 reconsidered

its decision of 20th December 2000  and decided as follows:  That the permission granted to Mr.John Mezzanotte to  capture

twelve (12)dolphins annually from  Antigua waters is hereby  revoked;That any importation or exportation of dolphins into or

from Antigua  and Barbuda be in strict  compliance with all international obligations of  Antigua and Barbuda."  This

communication is dated February 23,  2004 and is signed by  the Cabinet Secretary Lounel  Stevens and copied to the 

Permanent Secretary in the  Ministry of Agriculture,  Lands and Fisheries  Winston Burleigh.   Though the environmental

lobby has hailed   this as a victory for dolphins,they ’ve indicated

Continued on page 10     

 

ABITPC is contending that the dolphins in captivity for the swim with

programme at Dolphin Fantaseas in Antigua should be free like this

duo pictured here.       (photo of  free dolphins)

 

From page 9

that it does not necessarily  mean that the case brought  by ABITPC against govern-

ment and Dolphin   Fantaseas will simply go   away.They argue that there  is still the matter of the dolphins already in captivity,

as part of Dolphin  Fantaseas ’ ‘Swim with the   Dolphins ’ programme,,to  consider.   News of the   groundbreaking case broke

late last year,after a letter  sent by ABITPC to Prime   Minister Lester Bird failed  to provoke any action.

They argued,at that   time,that Antigua was in   violation of several treaties  and believe that their action forced the

government ’s   hand.

"Before we actually  took legal action,we wrote  a letter to the prime minister demanding that the permission be rescinded," said

ABITPC spokesperson   Martha Watkins-Gilkes,   speaking to this publication   on Tuesday,February 24,  "not even an

acknowledgement.So,when that was not   forthcoming,we then pursued legal action.And I  think that now that we have

pointed out so clearly in the  press all the international  treaties that Antigua is in   violation of with this protect,that they

obviously  know that they ’re going to  lose the case."

That said though,   Watkins-Gilkes said she is  surprised at this early victory.   "I thought that we

would have to go to court,   and,in fact,we may still go  with some legal action," she  said."I ’m waiting to hear

from our lawyer on that.        "The importation of  the dolphins currently in   captivity is,she indicated,a  violation of the

Convention  on International Trade of  Endangered Species  (CITES)."We do wish to  pursue the fact that they

were brought in illegally in  violation with that CITES  agreement," Watkins--Gilkes said."(That issue)is not in

here (the Cabinet decision)  at all,the issue of the dolphins that have been  imported in violation of

CITES."

But,with that battle  still to be fought,ABITPC is  still in a celebratory mood

from all indications.  Apress release  quoted Watkins-Gilkes as  saying,"ABITPC is delighted that this long,drawn-out

debate,which has been very time consuming,mentally and financially draining,has come to a close and that justice has

trumpeted.  We are pleased that the  environment of Antigua & Barbuda will not be compromised by the removal of

our wild dolphins.We feel,  and I have stated from the start of this saga,that the government was sold a  dirty and misleading

"bill  of goods " from foreigners who came to our island and want to exploit our marine  resources for their own per-

sonal financial gain with  very little in it for Antigua & Barbuda.   "In a public debate  held with the managing

director Arthur Bud  Krames,before the project  opened,he stated they would employ over 20

Antiguans.I would like to ask how many Antiguans  are employed some two  years later."

The release concluded:"It is hoped that  this case will have a positive impact throughout the

Caribbean islands,in that the governments of these  islands will be forced to act  responsibly to the citizens

of their respective country in the upholding of any  international environmental treaty they are party to."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- ANTIGUA THINGS
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 12:35:17 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
   Beautiful weather in   the  islands  just now!   typical   this time of year.. although more rain than  normal..
Have reported to you on  the  DOLPHIN LEGAL BATTLE  but it now
 seems   to be a VICTORY  FOR THE  DOLPHINS  OF ANTIUGA AND BARBUDA . Awaiting official word
 
Check this site   and   then go to  UPDATE in YELLOW BOX  for the latest news which broke yesterday.
 
 
- STILL in PARADISE!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 08:21:17 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
TIME  FLIES  THEY SAY... guess it does... it has been  ages since  I posted  with lots going  on in Antigua... Our elections are coming soon  so there  is lots of    political debate!
 
 
Am  involved through  ABITPC  ( Antigua Barbuda Independant Tourism Promotion Corp in a big project in the community of Freetown..   establishment of   a community park  to include  a pond with a  botanical garden  setting including a fenced childrens park and  a proprogation house  to grow plants and trees to beautify  the area.  The community is doing the work so it is  wonderful to see the self help efforts  (so photos attached and more  availalble if anyone wants to see more.   ABITPC  is also in a  legal battle to try to stop the  capture of our  wild dolphins   ..

clean up jan 04.jpg
DSCN0048.jpg
- BEAUTIFUL HALF MOON BEACH
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:05:24 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
GOSH..where did January go ???? was last wishin you all  a MERRY CHRISTMAS and suddenly it is  almost FEBRUARY!  Yesterday for the first time in several years  did a BEACH ENTRY SCUBA DIVE AT HALF MOON BAY  - pictured  here......  rated by the US Travel Channel  in the TOP 10 most BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN The WORLD!!!
 guess it is easy to see why.... about half of the  beach is  private owned land  turned into a NATIONAL PARK  so it will never be developed..and  the other half has one hotel on it..  sadly closed since 1995 Hurricane LUIS...but with hopes  it will be  developed again someday!!  
    It  was encouraging to see  coral coming back in places  in the bay  as  it was badly damaged by the 1990s  hurricanes that  kept  visiting  Antigua... hope that  pattern is broken as we have been spared for  3 years!  
         Sorry to hear about the SEVERE  WEATHER so many of you  are having... record COLD TEMPS on the US east coast...
COME TO PARADISE and warm up!!! 
 
....   and to learn more  about Antigua  check out this super new site  the
"father of our history"   (Desmond Nicholson)  has developed.... www.antiguamuseums.org 
 
HALF MOON BAY  ANTIGUA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- MERMAID WEATHER
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 17:40:28 -0500
Title: Message
YOU COULD NOT FIND A MORE PLEASING CLIMATE ANYWHERE THAN IT IS  HERE.NOT TOO HOT,EVENINGS SEXY COOL,SEA GENTLE WITH UNIMAGINABLE HUES OF BLUE AND GREEN.BIRDS EVERYWHERE,FISH BITING AND WHALES ABOUT TO ARRIVE................BEAT THAT!!!!!!
- Update
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2004 11:30:24 -0500
Title: Message
only 5 months to the start of the 2004 hurricane season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- MERRY CHRISTMAS
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 09:09:51 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
I wish  all who  love  Antigua and  check out our  "well being"  throughout the year   via  this wonderful  site Gert created    A  VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR  for  2004!      something to give you a chuckle below!! no offense guys!!
 
 .
 
Subject: Reindeer truths-Christmas trivia
 
Did you know...
While both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each  year,
according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, male reindeer drop
their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.

 Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.

 Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen - had to be a girl.

We should've known.

 Only women would be able to drag a fat-ass man in a  red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost

- HAPPY HOLIDAYS
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2003 06:51:55 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Had Stormy  weather  the last couple of days....with yesterday being  very gusty (winds  on the  Atlantic side up to  28 mph)  and also  rain rain!!  But at least we
are not having  a REAL  storm like the northern islands
and getting ready for CHRISTMAS.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS
TO ALL    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- BEAUTIFUL weather...
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 08:11:45 -0400

With the exception of some intermittent night showers, we have been blessed
with unbelievable daytime weather. The temperatrure has cooled off from our
summer heat so there is a slight brisk to the breeze. Nevertheless, the sky
is brilliant blue and the clouds do not get much whiter. Our visitors should
enjoy this week along with the few lucky ones who do not have to work ;-)

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- Mdm.Odette?
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003 22:29:17 -0500
Title: Message
IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER.
- rain and sunshine
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:14:43 -0400

We have been inundated with rainfall over the last two days. The sun is once
again occasionally peeking out in the north but there is still some rainfall
over the Shekerley mountains in the south. There is some rain clouds hanging
around so we could expect more scattered showers later today with
intermittent periods of bright sunshine.

Alan
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- HAPPY TURKEY DAY
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2003 07:39:11 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)

POURED WITH  RAIN LAST NIGHT!   We all have full cisterns which is a God send! 
 
Happy  Thanksgiving.... it  is not  celebrated here in Antigua but  many of us who are duel citizens will
celebrate with  the traditional THANKSGIVING!   Check the site below for a unique Thanksgiving greeting
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
copyright © 2001 www.hushport.com
- Nippy morning !!!
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 08:12:58 -0400

Anyone reading this outside the Caribbean might have a chuckle, but this
morning dropped down to 71F(22C). Needless to say, I had to break open the
"winter" blanket. Today is a stunner, the sky has never been this blue for a
few weeks, just a few scattered clouds on the horizon. It will be a
wondwerful day to be on the beach.

Alan
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- RAINY DAYS GONE!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2003 14:11:48 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  Have  been off island for about  10 days....wow  what  a rainy  time  .. leaky roofs,  mud ponds all over!!   Antigua is  real green  now  ! and the gardens loved it!  
.. but  people were sick of it...  since we always complain about  NOT ENOUGH RAIN  we  have  to  be thankful!!  TODAY IS A  BEAUTIFUL  SUNNY DAY!!   Nice to be back in  "paradise"!
- horse spiders
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 17:45:50 -0500
Title: Message
rain rain rain
horse spiders walking
- STORMY
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 20:03:06 -0500

THIS SYSTEM OVER US JUST SEEMS TO GET STRONGER AND STRONGER. “PRESSURES FALLING EVERYWHERE”.

MORE RAIN IN THE LAST 4 DAYS THAN IN THE WHOLE YEAR.SQUALLS WITH 30-35 MPH WINDS.WE LOVE IT.

MY SON,ELI,IS HOWEVER BETWEEN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PUERTO RICO BRINGING HIS NEW BOAT DOWN FROM FLORIDA---WITH ONLY ONE CREW.MAKES ME REALLY NERVOUS.

SYRTEM COULD BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION SOON.A REVERSE LENNY???

- Total eclipse of Moon tonight
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 19:42:45 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
ANTIGUA...    WHICH IS USUALLY  A PARADISE FOR   STAR GAZIN...(NO WONDER IT IS SUCH  A "ROMANTIC" PLACE...   SHOULD  BE ABLE TO SEE   A  Total eclipse of  THE  Moon tonight
 
BUT  WE  ARE  COVERED IN   HEAVY CLOUDS!!  HAVE HAD  RAIN RAIN RAIN AND MORE RAIN ALL DAY!! 
 
WONDERFUL FOR  OUR  CISTERNS!!   BUT  SORRY  I AM MISSING  THIS SPECIAL EVENT IN THE SKIES!  
We cant complain since we have  fabulous starry  starry nights most of the time!  Those who are viewing...
enjoy!!   
- weather is RAINY!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 08:40:59 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  rain  rain  wonderful rain ....  Still getting it.... very overcast  as the  satellite pic  shows... a day for  lovers and  such!!
- weather today
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2003 09:01:57 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 
Wonderful  rain   now
...  if you ck out the  Sat.  pic you will see  we  have  nice cloud cover bringing  ALWAYS  WELCOME  RAIN  to  the rock... 
 
  not so     for the     (tourists)  but we need the rain!!!  
- WONDERFUL WHALE SHARKS
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 09:29:28 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
HAPPY  BIRTHDAY  ANTIGUA.. today is  INDEPENDENCE DAY  ON ANTIGUA..  lots of  celebrations going on!!     and about that  whale shark reported on  http://www.stormcarib.com/reports/2003/antigua.shtml  !!! 
 
 
  
WOW   OH  WOW...  THANKS    Back room  John  boy for the  WHALE SHARK POSTING and sharing this amazing   story --  not cluttering the site at all since there  is  ONLY  BEAUTIFUL WEATHER TO REPORT ON   ...
 
 
 What a wonderful and  rare experience Doctor Nick and  his  back room boys  had to have this 
"close up and personal" marine encounter  with a RARE Whale shark..  I too have been blessed with this encounter.
     For the record he told me it was  20 miles DUE WEST off Antigua on October 19th 2003,  and the whale shark was about 35 feet long...and hung around for about 15 minutes just checking out the boat and allowing them to  "touch it", gently rolling over and  descending! 
 
SEE BELOW FOR MORE  FROM SRI... these are the unique  experiences in the sea  that stay with you a life time... to  touch nature up close WITH THE  ENCOUNTER BEING THE CREATURES CHOICE... NOT BECAUSE IT IS CONFINED AND FORCED TO  interact with humans in order to be fed!! 
 
 PART OF THE REASON A NUMBER OF  "CONCERNED CITIZENS" HERE ARE FIGHTING TO
 
 
 
BACK TO WHALE SHARKS!!!!
 
 
See attached photo for  the most amazing whale shark/  diver encounter I have ever known about...with  underwater film maker  Stan Waterman - (  who I have had the pleasure of working with in his underwater filming all over the world for 25 years! )  being  "nosed" by a whale shark...
 
 
The Shark Research Institute (SRI), based in Princeton, NJ, is engaged in a worldwide study to locate, tag and document the behavior of whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, the largest fish in the sea. Whale sharks are rare; by 1986 there had been only 320 recorded sightings in all of western scientific literature. Seasonal aggregations have been observed in recent years with the result that whale sharks have become a prime target of eastern fisheries. As an example, last year three villages in India alone slaughtered some 1,000 whale sharks
 
 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The whale shark is a the biggest shark and the biggest fish. It is NOT a whale. It has a huge mouth which can be up to 4 feet (1.4 m) wide. Its mouth is at the very front of its head (not on the underside of the head like in most sharks). It has a wide, flat head, a rounded snout, small eyes, 5 very large gill slits, 2 dorsal fins (on its back) and 2 pectoral fins (on its sides). The spiracle (a vestigial first gill slit used for breathing when the shark is resting on the sea floor) is located just behind the shark's eye. Its tail has a top fin much larger than the lower fin.
 
 
 

stan wh sharksmaller s.jpg
- FW: whale shark
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 18:33:26 -0500

 

Hate to clutter site with fotos but thought you’d like to see our tame whale shark and some of the backroom boys.

 


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- RAIN
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 06:03:59 -0500

WE’VE ALL HAD A GOOD WASH.RAIN,AS WE SAY ‘FOR SO’.MORE PLEASE.

- Update
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 07:11:38 -0500
Title: Message
FLAT CALM.BEAUTIFUL.DRY.WARM.PERFECT FOR REFUGEES FROM THE NORTH.BORING...........ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
- MUCK DIVING - EXPLORING ENGLISH HARBOR
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 18:10:22 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
BEAUTIFUL WEATHER IN  ANTIGUA  NOW!
 
 Had  quite  an  adventure this wkend... REAL MUCK DIVING    in the  truest sense....   in our  famous  ENGLISH HARBOR (where many  of our ships dock.. and original  home base for  Lord Nelson's fleet!  (a MUST SEE for  any  tourists coming to Antigua and Barbuda...  ck out the  web sites below....
 
         The purpose...to photograph   the  original  old wharf which is  being rebuilt  and will be covered forever  and ever  more during the coming week with  massive concrete  structures.  Our  Museum  (at the request of our "father of historical documentation Desmond Nicholson)  wanted this documented on  film "for the record"  so   Dr  Reg Murphy,   Antiguas own "famous  archeologist"  and  I  dove on the site  to record this    ---  diving in  this water....with   6 inch viz  is NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART  (maybe for the  slightly  "crazy" -  BUT WE PREFER TO CALL OURSELVES ADVENTURERS )    ..beside the  "pollution"  who knows what  creepy crawlers were hiding out under the wall!!   I  THOUGHT I saw the remains of some  drunken  British sailor from centuries ago... or was it an underwater ghost... and  am sure  there are tiny crabs crawling in my ears today!!!  
 
 THE construction of the  area was started in 1727 with the first wharf.... The section we were diving on was built in 1818 by  slave labor  (some  25  slaves worked on this area and  the names of all are recorded) 
This was truly a  walk down "memory lane"   ... there is lots  documented in the Dockyard Museum(see site below and is a MUST DO for  anyone coming to Antigua!! 
 
PHOTOS attached  
 Pier above water  shows  us  diving on the  dock (you can see the original wood columns just  below the water surface
02  shows  diving along the edge being reinforced with  massive concrete block
  93  &  84  entering the water
117  close up  of  the cooper sheeting which the  wooden poles were wrapped in to protect from
worms eating them  
012  Martha exits the water  with  Desmond (our  "father of history" looking on  in foreground)
 
 INTERESTING sites  on the DOCKYARD
 
 

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PierAboveWater.jpg
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- GERT the STORM CARIB CREATOR
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 18:52:31 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
BACK FROM MY  NEARLY 3 WEEKS OF  "WALK ABOUT"...AND  WHAT  ADVENTURES... ALTHOUGH IT IS NICE TO BE HOME AND ESPECIALLY AS  WE ARE NEARLY  THRU  HURRICANE SEASON!!  WEATHER IS BEAUTIFUL!
 
SENT U  A PIC  WHILE ON THE ROAD  OF  THE  HEAVY DUTY  DIVE EQUIPT  on display  from my  first  stop in  Miami ....and also at that  event  got to met  one of  my  "heroes",   undersea explorer    DR SYLVIA EARLE (see photo)   - who has walked on the ocean floor at 1250 feet (and many other  amazing sea related adventures)...see   http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/ear0bio-1
 
THEN  AS  OF  LATE  "I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO".... WHAT   a   TOWN!!!  
 
     CK OUT  THE  FAB  SEA LIONS   FROLICKING  JUST OFF FISHERMANS WHARF...   (hey those back room boys  may think they are mermaids AND HEAD WEST! --not sure where  their tastes run in "mermaids"!!
 
 
AND  BEST OF  ALL   I  MET  "OUR GERT" (and his pretty wife!) ... (see photo of  gert attached!!)     THE    CREATOR OF THIS SITE STORM CARIB!!!  (who lives just outside  SAN FRAN!)  We tried to meet once in Washington, DC yrs back,  and it did  not work... so  at last...after reporting  with  him for  about 7 years  we finally met!!  
           (and I  always  thought  our   genius who created Storm carib was an OLD MAN!!! ) 
 
 Pictured    with his  "to die for" precious  twin boys (talk about  future lady killers!) 
     if only  i was  lots of  years  younger,  I  would  fight the other  little gals to play in the  sand box with this  pair!!!    they are so  precious ... he  promises  to bring them to Antigua when they are  a bit older!!!
   SUPER TO MEET U AND UR  WONDERFUL FAMILY  DEAR GERT!!!   TXS FOR STORM CARIB AND  ALL IT DOES FOR  PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD!
 

dr sylvia earle.jpg
SEA LION.jpg
gert of storm carib.jpg
- NEVIS FISHING
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 18:58:15 -0400
Title: Message
A BUNCH OF US WENT DOWN TO NEVIS FOR THEIR ANNUAL FISHING TOURNAMENT.ABOUT 8 BOATS FROM ANTIGUA.
EVEN 2 OF OUR BOYS WERE PERSUADED TO LEAVE THEIR ROOM.NO VALID TRAVEL DOCS. THOUGH.GOT THEM IN ANYWAY.BEAUTIFUL WEATHER CALM SEAS.NEVIS IS YOUR FAIRY TALE VOLCANIC ISLAND.WE TRAVELLED UP TO MONTSERRAT ACROSS TO REDONDA AND ALL OVER THE OCEAN LOOKING FOR THE BIG ONE.GOT A FEW WAHOO,TUNA,DORADOS.CAME BACK UP TODAY.WEATHER A LITTLE CHOPPIER.MY BROTHER DR.NICK CAME ACROSS AN EXTREMELY TAME WHALE SHARK ABOUT 30 FEET LONG SUNBATHING ABOUT 12 MILES WEST OF ANTIGUA.THEY CAME ALONGSIDE IT AND SCRATCHED ITS HEAD FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT WENT ABOUT ITS BUSINESS!!!!!!!   SORRY I MISSED IT.
WITH A BIT OF LUCK SOME RAIN TONIGHT.
SADLY NO MERMAIDS.
- NICHOLAS 2004-----JOSE 1999
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 07:59:48 -0400
Title: Message
JOSE'S EYE CAME STRAIGHT OVER ANTIGUA ON THE 20TH OCTOBER,1999
NICHOLAS MAY MAKE IT A DAY OR TWO EARLIER AND CONSIDERING HOW FAR EAST PRE-NICHOLAS IS NOW, HE MAY BE SOMEWHAT STRONGER.IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER
- HI FROM MIAMI
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 10:43:47 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
NICE TO SEE  ANTIGUA GETTING RAIN...HOT  AND WARM IN MIAMI
 
AM AT  BIG SCUBA   DIVE RELATED CONFERENCE WITH THE CUTTING EDGE OF  NEW EQUIPMENT ON  SHOW INCLUDING  AMAZING  NAVY EQUIPMENT  LIKE  REBREATHERES  AND  SEMI CLOSED BREATHING EQUIPMENT.  AND  GLAD TO SEE THERE IS NO BAD WEATHER COMING TOWARDS  FLORIDA...HEIGHT OF  IRONY WOULD BE FOR ME TO LEAVE  HURRICANE ALLEY  AND   HAVE A HURRICANE IN  FLORIDA!!
____________________________________________________
  IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

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- back to sunshione
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:22:42 -0400

After two days of almost continous rain, we are back to a bright and sunny
day this morning. It is still a bit hazy as the sky is not quite its
brilliant Caribbean blue but the sun is out and shining. This is a perfect
beach day!

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- LIFE BOUY
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 18:27:21 -0400

WELL WE’VE HAD SOME RAIN! AND FEW PEOPLE ON EARTH APPRECIATE IT MORE THAN WE DO.IT PRODUCES A CATHARTHIS IN US ALL,THE COLOURS,THE TEMPERATURE,OUR PSYCHES,THE VEGETATION,SUNRISE AND SUNSET ALL CHANGE.WE HAVE 2 SEASONS,WET AND DRY,IT IS JUST THAT WE TEND TO BECOME IRRITABLE WHEN THE WET SEASON FAILS TO ARRIVE…AND THE BOYS IN THE BACKROOM TEND TO RIPEN.SO YESTERDAY 2 OF THEM (MARTIN AND TONY) SAW STORM CARIB’S SAT PIC AND REQUESTED SOME LIFEBOUY SOAP.IT WAS DELIVERED IN THE NICK OF TIME.THE FRAGRANCE OF THEIR ROOM IS TRANSFORMED!

THE RAIN HAS NOW STOPPED,THE TREE FROGS ARE GOING BANANAS,THE HORSE SPIDERS ARE WALKING AND THE BOYS ARE SNOOZING.

RAIN IS OUR PANACEA AND THAT WHICH BOUYS ALL LIFE HERE.

- DARK GREY,LIGHT GREY,DEEP BLUE,LIGHT BLUE,PINK AND ORANGE
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 18:35:45 -0400
Title: Message
FINALLY SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE WEATHER.WIND AND SEAS UP--MAYBE WE'LL GET SOME RAIN
IT LOOKS GOOD,STORMY AND WILD EVEN IF IT'S JUST BLUFFING.
PERHAPS MARTIN,MAX,TIM,STEVE,BUSHY,ELI,AL AND THE REST OF THE BOYS CAN FINALLY GET THEIR END-OF-SUMMER BATH.
- Beautiful sunny day...
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 08:09:03 -0400

Looks like today will be a perfect beach day. We had some intermittent
showers of blessing yesterday but the sky is blue, the clouds ared slowly
drifting by and the hills are a beautiful green. Well some of us have to
work, so I won't be one of the lucky ones on the beach. I am sure our
visitors will have a lovely day.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- FOR ALL who love our paradise!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 21:56:00 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
   Martha's  Going  "walk about "-  like  Crocodile Dundee did....   for a few weeks  and hope
 there  is no  bad weather to  report on..
 
guess those back room boys will wake up and tell U if so.......   but wanted  to leave those of U  who  care about  our paradise and check us out on a regular basis (because you do care )
        with something  special...  click on...enjoy and....   SMILE!!
 
 
 
 
 
- MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE BVI----WE GET IT FIRST
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2003 09:49:15 -0400

THESE ARE THE BEST DAYS OF THR YEAR.CALM SEAS,CLEAR SKIES AND GOOD FISHING.

NEED SOME MORE RAIN THOUGH.

- Mixture of weather
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 12:13:17 -0400

We just had about 1 1/2 hours of very heavy rain. It is still cloudy but the
sun is peeking out again. There is some blue sky scattered about but for the
most part it is overcast. Monday and Tuesday were some of the best weather I
have seen for a while. It was hot but the sky was a brilliant blue and the
clouds were outstadingly white against the blue backdrop.As I write this, it
is getting brighter, there will probably be some more shower activity today
but hopefully some nice skies on the weekend.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- EXCITING SEA CAVE
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 17:26:07 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
Today the  sea  was   flat calm!!   Had to  escape to sea in  my boat  as  it was too nice  to waste the day on land. 
 
ANTIGUA'S  COAST LINE IS  MAGICAL!   The rock formations are  beautiful and   intriguing sea caves can be found along the  coast line.  Normally  the Atlantic side is  too rough  to get  close to the caves in a boat... and especially to  snorkel  into them... but   today was an  exception  and you   can see me just on the  outside of this  cave  on the cliffs along Half Moon Bay .. the entrance  was  veiled in  tiny  silver side  fish.   Could not  go too far inside as I did not have my underwater lights  or  scuba gear... but  have to go back for sure...   must be  treasure in there!!

seacave.jpg
- lucky again
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 08:06:25 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  ANTIGUA  AND THE ISLANDS  HAVE LUCKED OUT AGAIN WITH KATE...." THIS SEASON HAS BEEN "HOLDING THE  BREATH" SEV. TIMES  WITH SYSTEMS COMING OUR  WAY  BUT  THANK GOODNESS ALL OF THESE    HAVE DONE THAT NORTH TURN!!      Of course    it   is not over yet..  remember  JOSE in OCTOBER and  LENNY IN  NOVEMBER is  1999!!  Today is a  still day.. only  6 mph winds on the Atlantic side..  QUIET!!   just  put in a weather station so  can monitor the wind   rain    
temp  etc  a bit better....
 
- BIRTH OF KATE!?????
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 11:41:39 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
         LOOKS  LIKE   KATE  IS  ABOUT TO  "BE BORN"   AS  THIS SYSTEM IS  DEVELOPING!
FIND IT  INTERESTIING  TO  WATCH THEM FROM THE START  AS  WE  THEN SEE THE MOSTERS  DEVELOP...LIKE  ISABEL!   BUT AT LEAST THE TRACK   PUTS  IT  NORTH OF THE  LEEWARDS AGAIN   AS THE OTHERS...WHICH WE   HOPE IS THE CASE HAVING HAD SOME CLOSE  CALLS  THUS FAR!  STILL.. SHOULD NEVER   RELAX TILL IT IS PAST!!
AND OF COURSE  WE  DO ALWAYS  HOPE FOR  THAT  RAIN .....
- rain kisses
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 19:58:47 -0400
Title: Message
kiss me kate
- REMEMBERING JANE TIPSON
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 20:52:59 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 I  KNOW... THIS SITE IS ABOUT HURRICANES... BUT  WE DONT HAVE ANY JUST NOW...AND THIS IS  ABOUT A CARIBBEAN WIDE ISSUE  ...  I  REPORTED EARLIER ABOUT THIS  MURDER... A TERRIBLE THING FOR ALL OF US..  SO  I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS..
 
 I was fortunate to travel to St Lucia to join in this very touching tribute to a great lady.
 
Jane was laid to rest in a touching ceremony on the historic site of Pigeon Island  with a large gathering
of  people from across the Caribbean.   Touching testimonies were given by a number of close  friends and several beautiful songs were sung  like   YOU ARE MY HERO;   THAT's WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR;  THERE IS A HERO.. JANE  WAS KNOWN FOR PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT,  THE ANIMALS.. AND HER LOVE OF PEOPLE... THERE  IS  NO GREATER CALLING AND  NO GREATER LOSS FOR THOSE OF US IN THE ISLANDS WHO  FIGHT TO  PROTECT MOTHER NATURE....   HER KILLING SEEMS SENSELESS... LET US ALL HOPE IT IS SOLVED SO SHE...AND WE  ...MAY REST IN PEACE....  
 
  Sweet   JANE  laid to rest on  MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd 2003  at 4 p.m. 
 
 TRIBUET FROM LESLIE PIERRE   ECCEA PRESIDENT
 
 
 
THE Beautiful historic setting of  Pigeon Point 
 
 
TRIBUTE FROM  LESELY  SUTTY  TO  JANE
- DR.GRAY
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 19:50:05 -0400
Title: Message
WHERE IS ALL THE WEATHER ? WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER ALL YEAR LONG.WHY CAN'T WE HAVE EVEN A LITTLE CHANGE? DO WE HAVE TO HAVE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER (LIKE NOW) EVEN IN SEPTEMBER? IT'S DRIVING ME BANANAS.DR. GRAY THE BOYS IN THE BACKROOM REFUSE TO COME OUT UNTIL WE GET SOME WEATHER!
- WORSE THAN HURRICANES
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 06:30:08 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
There has been a brutal murder...actually an assassination..... of a good friend  in St Lucia who
lobbied for the cause for all of God's creatures...great and small...her latest efforts were to
try to protect the wild  DOLPHINS OF ST LUCIA as my group is doing here  in Antigua ...see
The Caribbean has lost a  great lady.
 
The following appeared in the  LONDON TIMES yesterday... link below but also pasted
 
 
 
September 19, 2003
 
Briton 'murdered over Caribbean dolphin trade'
 
By Michael Horsnell THE LONDON TIMES
 
POLICE investigating the murder of a British animal rights campaigner in the
Caribbean island of St Lucia said yesterday that she had been the victim of a
 targeted killing . Jane Tipson, 53, who had led a battle against plans by
Caribbean companies to capture dolphins and keep them in a pen for tourists to
swim with, was shot dead at 1.20am on Wednesday as she drove along a private
road towards her home.
 
 
 
Detectives believe that the shooting happened after she wound down her window
to talk to someone she knew. Her sister Barbara, 50, who was driving another
vehicle in front, stopped after she thought she heard a tyre bursting. But
when she went to investigate she found Ms Tipsons body with a single bullet
wound to the neck. Ms Tipson, who emigrated to St Lucia more than 20 years ago,
owned the Snooty Agouti restaurant in Gros Islet near by, famed for its
cocktails and live jazz. However, she was better known as the founder and president of
Slaps, the St Lucia Animal Protection Society. Last year the group launched a
campaign against plans to capture dolphins and keep them for a dolphin
encounter programme for tourists. Ms Tipson, who lived with her sister near the
northern town of Castries, said last October: Dolphin capture is under increasing
attack in the rest of the world. They (investors) look at the Caribbean and
target us because they think we have no regulations and no information about
this kind of thing.  Minvielle & Chastanet, a large St Lucian company, announced
that it wanted to capture the dolphins with investment from the Bermuda-based
Dolphin Fantaseas.
 
 
A permit is being sought for 12 bottlenose dolphins for the Ł600,000
facility. Corporal Modestus Louis, of the St Lucia Police, told The Times:  This was a
targeted killing but inquiries at this stage have not revealed a motive. Ms
Tipson was very outspoken on animal rights issues and she was instrumental in
some recent animal protection legislation. We are looking into the possibility
that she made enemies. We are not ruling out anything at this stage. The
murder brought to 22   the number of killings in the former British colony this
year. Police have blamed much of the violence on drug gangs.
 
A spokeswoman for the Snooty Agouti Restaurant said that staff were
devastated.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



- ISABEL 300 MILE FROM NEWPORT NEWS VA!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 21:26:03 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
NO MORE NEWS  FROM  LINEMAN LARRY YET... AND  GUESS HE IS  "ON DUTY" WAITING TO  HELP CLEAN UP THE MESS BUT HAD  THIS  BELOW....
 
   HERE IN ANTIGUA TO GROW ANY TREE IS  A "LABOR OF LOVE"  SO TO THINK OF ALL THOSE BIG OLD OAKS AND PINES  FALLING IS  SAD!!     BUT OF COURSE   PROTECTION OF  'THE PEOPLE"  IS THE MAIN THING!!     ISABLE IS  MOVING AT  14 MPH  300 MILES AWAY THAT IS STILL 21 HOURS AWAY.. SO HANG ON JIM..   KEEP SAFE .
 
 
FROM JIM
 
We are in Newport News, Virginia which will likely be on the east side
of Isabel as she passes tomorrow afternoon. Biggest problem in this area
is trees. We have many old oaks and pines and since we have had much
above normal rainfall all summer their roots will be easily dislodged.
Outer rain bands have shown up in the past hour although the center is
300+ miles away. Quite an impressive wind field
 
 
 
- THE SHOE IS ON THE OTHER FOOT! ISABEL
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 16:16:14 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Most of the time  it  is  concerned friends/ family/ lovers of   our  "ANTIGUA PARADISE"   who  are in contact with us  on our  fate  with a coming  hurricane...  Now  ......having watched   this "WILD WOMAN OF THE WILD", as I have dubbed her  (having watched and posted about  her since Sept.  6th when she jumped from a TD to a STORM..."anxious to grow up" )  ,   dancing  past us,  teasing us  with her  possible approach... we  ARE THE ONES  WATCHING AND WAITING with concern for  those  "in harms  way"... I don't personally have family or close friends  in the path of  Isabel now.. but    had this interesting  e-mail from  an electric company  lineman who  is  gearing up to  repair the  damage afterwards...Can you imagine 4500  linemen ready to go!   HEY  APUA (our  Antigua electric company!!)  ...   a dream  come true !!!  
 
Larry...  thoughts with you and yours  and  all facing  ISABEL over the next day or two.. Let us hear how you get thru and  any pics would be  very  welcome...
 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 3:06:05 PM
Subject: RE: Read: ISABEL
 

We are in Burlington, N.C. but we are getting ready to pull out and head to Wilson, N.C. the power companies are staging linemen on the outer edge of the storm so we will be ready to move in a.s.a.p. Right now there are about 4500 linemen from 3 states on the road so we will be ready. Don’t know when we will be back, maybe I will have some photos to send.

Later

Larry

 

 

FIRST  EMAIL FROM LARRY

 

SURE AM GLAD ISABEL PAST YOU BY BUT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO TAKE HER ON NOW. THE PATH PUTS HER GOING RIGHT THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA SOMETIME THURSDAY A.M.

I AM AN ELECTRIC CO. LINEMAN AND WE HAVE BEEN GETTING READY ALL WEEK BUT THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME. I LOOK FOR THINGS TO GET A LITTLE CRAZY HERE IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS SO I WILL TALK TO YOU LATER AND LET YOU KNOW HOW IT IS WHEN I GET A CHANCE.

SLIP DOWN TO THE BEACH AND HAVE A RUM PUNCH FOR ME.

LATER,

LARRY KING

- Beautiful sunny day!!!
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 12:38:09 -0400

While our prayers are with the US mainland, today is a beautiful day in
paradise. The sky is brilliant blue, the white puffy cumulus clouds are
slowly drifting by and it is warm. This is perfect beach weather.

Alan B. Scholl
Email: scholla@candw.ag schollab@hotmail.com
Tel: (268) 480-4115 Fax: (268)480-4400 Mobile: (268)464-1350
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- BACK TO "NORMAL"
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 08:37:04 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
MONDAY MORNING!!     AND   IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY...WITH SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR IN THE COMING WEEK AND HAVING  NO  HURRICANE CLEAN UP IN FRONT OF US...   BUT STILL CAREFULLY WATCHING THIS   MONSTER ISABEL...  IT IS A "SMALL" CARIBBEAN WITH  FRIENDS IN THE  BAHAMAS AND  TURKS AND CAICOS  SO  WATCHING FOR  THEM  WITH BAITED BREATH... AND  ALSO  CONCERNED ABOUT  USA LANDFALL ISABEL MAY MAKE IN SOME DAYS!   WILL BE GLAD WHEN   THE  LAST  ADVISORY OF  THIS ONE  IS SENT OUT... AND  THANKFUL  NOTHING DANCING ON THE  SKIRT OF  ISABEL AT THIS TIME..  BUT IT IS   ONLY MID SEP SO WE ARE NOT  OVER  HURRICANE SEASON YET!!   
- PERFECT
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 17:46:58 -0400

I CAN’T IMAGINE MORE PERFECT WEATHER THAN WE’RE HAVING NOW.AND JUDGING FROM THE ATLANTIC SO IT SHALL REMAIN FOR AT LEAST---WELL LET ME SAY---TO LONG  

- GUSTY WINDS
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 12:15:09 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)

               AT Least  the  above is  true  this time  round...   but  we are  getting  very gusty winds today...
           have had some large potted plants  on the pool deck  blow over  during the morning....and  have had  to close up my normally  OPEN AIR   "tropical house"...with  the  wind howling  thru the  cracks ..
         what  a monster   ISABEL is..  lets  just  hope   she does not  make  ANY LAND FALL ...No rain yet  so  we  still hope for  at  least that  ... 

- us
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 19:22:59 -0400

Well the swells are smaller today than yesterday.It’s stinking hot.the wind is still from the nw but very slight.All very boring.

The rain we had hoped to get has not materialized.Notwithstanding the ennui, upon reflection,not even I ,an addicted hurricane freak,wanted any part of madame Isabel.

- except for the grace of God there go I
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 21:17:52 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
"We are not that strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven,
that which we are, we are.
One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate,
but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield".
Alfred Lord Tennyson
 
          ON SEPTEMBER  11th  2 years ago   I was  marooned in Miami due to  the horrid 9/11---
           lest we forget  let us  remember and  honor  those who died in innocence  ... and now with the  
                  monster   ISABEL  dancing on our doorsteps as  a CAT  5  killer  storm...   except for the
                   grace of   God there go I..... Tonight our met office issued a small craft warning and  has
                  talked of   rough seas... and  also some  spiral bands on the south of Isabel which  may bring
                  us
                  some  gusty winds and RAIN... she could  have  just as easily turned west at  17.1 and
                  continued over our paradise and  tomorrow --or a few days from hence - it  would be a different 
                   story to tell....
                    another  
                  LUIS  awakening or worse... as  this  wild woman of the wind is  much worse...When
                  I mentioned in an earlier posting on Sep.  6th  that  I  felt  ISABEL  was anxious to "grow up"
                  I never dreamed  how determined she would be to  "mature"!!!    I fear for those in her path
                  as she will  most likely make landfall   along her path....at least Bermuda will probably
                  be spared and rightly  so........  so tonight ... as  i  recall  9 - 11 ...and  Antiguans who were 
                  there...  i  am thankful  for life...and  for  ISABEL taking away some of  the heat of our  
                  blazing  summer.. (part of the purpose of hurricanes..)  and for not  putting her  calling card
                  on our doorstep!!! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- ISABEL
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 19:59:12 -0400

SWELTERING AND OPPRESSIVE. ISABEL IS THE FIRST CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE SINCE INFAMOUS MITCH IN 1998.

MITCH SWALLOWED THE BRIGANTINE “PHANTOME” AND HER HEROIC CREW OFF BELIZE.SOME OF THE CREW CAME FROM ANTIGUA. MITCH WENT ON TO DESTROY HALF OF CENTRAL AMERICA. ISABEL IS A BITCH (SO SAY THE BOYS)

BUT SHE SURE IS BEAUTIFUL. LIKE MOST MERMAIDS THEY SAY.

SOME LOCAL CONVECTION SHOWERS TODAY. LITTLE OR NO WIND NOW-WHAT THERE IS COMES FROM THE NORTH.

THERE ARE SOME SWELLS, AGAIN FROM THE NORTH,BUT NOT THE MONSTERS THAT MAY YET  COME.

THE BOYS ARE DOING A LOT OF ITCHING –A SURE SIGN OF IMPENDING BATHS OR EVEN MANDATORY CATTLE DIPS.

WE ARE AFTER ALL ONLY 10 DAYS AWAY FROM THE AUTUMNAL SOLSTICE.

P.S.

AN ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN BEACHED ON BARBUDA YESTERDAY. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO ANTIGUA FOR REHAB.

- 9.11.03
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 19:16:52 -0400
Title: Message
GENTLE NNW BREEZE---MODERATE N SWELL--HOT AND HUMID
LOOKS AS IF WE SHALL GET LITTLE OR NADA FROM ISABEL
- NOT YET
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 19:18:06 -0400
Title: Message
510 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (SEP 1493) THAT ILL-INFORMED ITALIAN C.COLUMBUS WAS INNOCENTLY SAILING WEST ACROSS THE ATLANTIC ON HIS SECOND VOYAGE.HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT CAPE VERDE STORMS.
BY SHEER GOOD FORTUNE (MISFORTUNE FOR THE INDIGINOUS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE) THAT  HE WAS NOT WIPED OUT BY SOMRTHING LIKE ISABEL.IT WAS ANOTHER ISABEL WHO PAID HIS PASSAGE.IT IS SAID THAT HIS CREW WAS COMPRISED OF MANY A BACKROOM BOY,AND MY BOYS CONFIRM THIS.IF MINE ARE ANYTHING TO JUDGE BY IT IS LITTLE WONDER THAT THE INDIANS WERE SOON WIPED OUT.
THEY DID HOWEVER  LEAVE A FEW LEGACIES,ONE OF WHICH IS OF COURSE THE VERY WORD 'HURRICANE'
THE ARAWAK INDIANS POPULATED THE WHOLE OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN FROM ABOUT 50BC UNTIL COLUMBUS' ARRIVAL.HURRICANES WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR SEASONAL LIVES.MOST IMPORTANTLY THESE STORMS BROUGHT WATER FOR THEIR CROPS.NEARLY EVERY SMALL FARMER IN THESE ISLANDS LOOK FORWARD TO THE HURRICANE SEASON FOR THE REPLENISHMENT OF THEIR WATER SUPPLIES (NOT THE BANANA PEOPLE)
SOOOOOOO   LETS  GET SOME RAIN. 
- ISABEL
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 04:59:48 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EARLY  MORNING FINDS  HER A  DANGEROUS HURRICANE AS  A  CAT 4... BUT AT LEAST SHE IS 19.1 - NOW ABOUT  120 MILES TO  OUR NORTH...STILL DONT LIKE THAT   WEST OR MAY SOUTH WEST TURN THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT IN THE  ADVISORIES... SO WE ARE NOT  "OUT OF THE WOODS"  YET..
- overcast and rain
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 12:54:37 -0400

It has been very overcast all day so far with periods of heavy rainfall this
morning. The sun is peeking out a bit as it is getting brighter by the
minute as I write this. According to the track, TD#14 seems to be heading on
a very northward track so I am not overly worried.

However, as much as ISABEL is tracking a more WNW track, we are not out of
danger just yet. All the models share a common notion that it will dip
slightly south as it approaches the archipelago. Whatever will cause this
dip could occur earlier? I certainly hope not!

We should all continue to watch this newly formed monster. ISABEL now has a
very distinctive eye and its forecast will be stronger winds by tomorrow. As
there is no forecast beyond the NHC's 5-day forecast, the DR, Cuba, the
Bahamas and FL may need to start taking heed.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- TD #14
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 12:13:00 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
OH  MY.... are  we back in 1995.....  tropcial depression #14   just formed...which  we suspected would be the case...to be  JUAN  very  soon!!   but  bad  news for us  is that is  it  way south..at  11.8 N  ..Isabel formed around 14 N  so  is more likely to   go north of us.... but  this  one??????    dont' like it!!
- WHAT A WEEK....
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 09:28:34 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
MONDAY MORNING AGAIN...WHAT HAPPENED TO  THE WEEK....
FOR ME IT  MUST  BE ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING WEEKS I HAVE HAD FOR A LONG TIME..OR WILL FOR SOME TIME TO COME!!!  FLYING INTO  THE EYE OF A HURRICANE....CHECK EARLIER REPORT OR
(under  HURRICANES;  SHOULD BE ON THE SITE BY END OF TODAY)
AND LOOKIN AT  THE WEATHER OFF  AFRICA  MAY FIND MYSELF IN ANOTHER EYE BUT THIS  TIME ON THE GROUND!! SURE HOPE NOT...3 EYES ARE ENOUGH FOR A LIFETIME....   LOOKS LIKE  ISABEL PATH  WILL TAKE HER NORTH LIKE FABIAN... BUT  TOO EARLY TO SAY WHAT WILL BE OF  JUAN  I  SUSPECT VERY SOON FROM LOOKIN AT THE SAT PICS.  DONT LIKE HIM  SO FAR SOUTH....  HAPPY WEEK FOR U GUYS MONITORING  THE  TROPICS! 
- Update
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 11:15:33 -0400
Title: Message
WHY IS THERE NOTHING ON THAT CIRCULATING SYSTEM JUST EAST OF US?????????
- ISABEL
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 09:32:39 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SURE DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF  THE TRACK HERE!    TOO CLOSE FOR  COMFORT BUT  IT IS STILL A LONG WAY OUT!     LOOKING  A BIT MORE  LIKE WE /  THE  NORTHERN LEEWARDS ARE "IN HARMS WAY"!  EVEN DR. STEVE LYONS  SAID SO  JUST NOW ON WEATHER CHANNEL..  GOING TO SEA  FOR THE DAY CAUSE  IT LOOKS  JUST LIKE THIS PIC  ...BUT KEEPIN  A  REAL CLOSE EYE ON THIS ONE... I  THINK  SHE WILL BE A HURRICANE VERY SOON!
- BULLETS
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 23:52:29 -0400
Title: Message
THE LAST MOVIE THE BOYS IN THE BACKROOM SAW WAS "THE MATRIX".
THEY JUST LOVED HOW THAT BOY DODGED BULLETS.
THE ATLANTIC BULLETS ARE COMING HOT AND FAST.
WE GOTTA DO SOME DODGING.
OR KUNG FU
OR SOMETHING.
HURRICANE ALLEY IS STARTING TO LOOK VERY NARROW.
- ISABELS BABY BROTHER JUAN?????
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 14:33:13 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    OH MY GOODNESS..   IS  IT  JUAN  JUST BEHIND  ISABEL  THAT IS  LOOKING  SO  ROBUST AND "HEALTHY" ???
 
ARE WE TURNING BACK THE CLOCK TO  1995 WITH ONE AFTER ANOTHER ROLLIN OFF... THIS IS  SORT OF LIKE HOW THE SEAS LOOKED WHILE FLYING  FABIAN AND IT SEEMS THEY CAN'T EVEN SETTLE DOWN TILL SOMETHING ELSE IS CHURNING THEM UP   ...MY POOR FINNED FRIENDS....
 
 
- ISABELs track
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 11:00:36 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 THERE is a projected Track for  ISABEL... see below... (  Magdila txs for  this!!)  
In 5 days  (Thursday)  it puts  her about where FABIAN Was ...HANGING OFF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA FOR SOME TIME  TILL THAT NORTH TURN HAPPENED...   BUT IT PROJECTS ISABEL TURNING NORTH AGAIN  LIKE FABIAN..  SO   LETS  HOPE THAT IS THE  TRACK.. EXCEPT THAT  BERMUDA IS  SPARED THIS TIME!
 
The year LUIS HIT us....1995...  we were hit  first by IRIS...then  the biggie LUIS....then  MARILYN came along and  dumped tons or rain thru  my  "roofless" house...and went on the  pound poor St Croix to death!!  Hope we  or anyone else  never has  THREE IN A ROW like that!!
 
 
 
 
 
- ISABEL... here we go again
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 10:07:18 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
"Inside info"  has  ISABEL becoming a hurricane  within a day or two!! (I said she was anxious to grow up..  just did not realize  how  anxious!!   So.. let's all listen up!
 
 
in case we have to   start     to get ready... No one has posted a proposed track at this time... should be something out  at the  11 a.m. !
 
My heart goes out to those  people in Bermuda ....since  we on antigua know  JUST HOW THEY FEEL... 8 yrs ago   we were in thier EXACT SITUATION   with  Luis  having just past and left us  turned upside down!!!
- ISABEL WOW!!!
  • From: <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 08:46:26 -0400

WOW... based on the animated images yesterday, I was highly suspicous of the 
"blob" that has now rapidly formed into 
ISABEL. I haven't seen any tracks yet as there was only a special bulletin at 
8AM. I guess we will have to see what the 
11AM reports state before all the weather sites have any tracking info. 

Alan B. Scholl B.Sc.
http://www.digitalphoto.ag
- ISABEL IT IS!!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 08:00:48 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
ISABEL is now named!!  
AND IS SHE  ANXIOUS TO GROW UP!! 
 She jumped from a tropical wave,  skipping the tropical depression step,  into a TROPICAL STORM IN THE  8 A.M.  ADVISORY TODAY!    
- Bermuda
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 00:36:23 -0400
Title: Message
THE SILENCE FROM BERMUDA IS OMINOUS.WE'RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT THEM.
AND NOW AFRICA SEEMS TO BE SENDING FABIAN'S SISTER ISABEL.
- BERMUDA AGAIN
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2003 00:36:23 -0400
Title: Message
JUST HEARD ON THE BBC THAT 4 PEOPLE ARE MISSING IN BERMUDA AFTER THER CARS WERE SWEPT OFF A ROAD THERE IN THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM.
- WHAT NEXT???
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 21:14:36 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  JUST SPOKE WITH THE HURRICANE HUNTERS    IN   ST CROIX  AND THEY ARE ALL  (ABOUT 50 OF THEM..)  PULLING OUT OF  ST CROIX TOMORROW AS  FABAIN IS MOVING AWAY FROM LAND --- HOME TO  KESSLER AFORCE BASE...  BUT THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT  THE  TROPICAL WAVE OFF AFRICA WILL PROBABLY BE A DEPRESSION  WITHIN IN DAY ...AND THEN U KNOW WHAT.... SO  THEY SAID  MAYBE THEY WILL BE BACK NEXT WKEND!!   GUESS THAT IS WHY THEY CALL  THEM   MINUTE MEN!!!!   IT IS  THAT TIME OF YEAR... AND WE DONT WANT THOSE  BACKROOM  BOYS TO GET TOO BORED!! 
SO... LETS KEEP WATCHING  THAT  BLOB!!    AT LEAST WE SHOULD HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BOATING WKEND!!!  
- watchful eye...
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 14:34:18 -0400

First, my hopes and prayers goes out to Bermuda as they are about to face
FABIAN.

Seems like the wave off of Africa is getting better organized. We will have
to watch this one as it is pretty low in latitude. HENRI also seems to be
slowing down and also gaining strength.

Well these days Sep 4,5,6 seems to have been known as the high point and
these systems are NOT disappointing us.

Have a good weekend all.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- TAKE A FLIGHT ON THE WILD SIDE
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 22:35:08 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 FLYING WITH THE  HURRICANE HUNTERS
 
Just returned from  my  "flight on the wild side"  and wanted  to give you  a
short  review of the most  incredible thing  I have ever  done...tops diving with
hammerhead sharks!!!   and cloud formations which were  BREATH-TAKING!! (STAND BY FOR MORE TO COME ON  MY WEB SITE... THIS IS  JUST  A  PREVIEW
 
Attached are a few photos  to tell the tale.. DESCRIPTIONS BELOW
 
Martha  during the fight... There were hours of boredom  with  moments of sheer terror..and you  can see in this photo  with me  downloading  digital photos into  my   computer that THIS WAS NOT A MOMENT OF TERROR
 
INSIDE the  C130.... a  great overview of the  inside
 
 

Martha   with Hurricane Hunter  tattoo  (DONT WORRY MOM.. it is NOT  PERMANENT...so now I have been initiated into the  club of the  fly boys...
 
 
CREW DINNER   to celebrate last night!!
 
 
 
THERE WILL BE A MORE DETAILED REPORT  POSTED ON  MY  WEB SITE   IN A FEW DAYS AT
http://www.caribbeanavenue.com/fantasea/scuba.html    THEN CLICK ON HURRICANE HUNTING!!!     ENJOY... 
 
ALSO  FOR THOSE  OF YOU WHO MAY READ THIS  BEFORE  7 - 8 A.M. ON FRIDAY MORNING...   NBC GOOD MORNING AMERICAN WAS ON BOARD WITH ME AND WILL AIR OUR  FLIGHT  TOMORROW MORNING... SO  CHECK IT OUT FOR  MORE!!
 
 

martha and crew 2.jpg
- RUSH
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 19:41:57 -0400

THE US NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ADVISES BERMUDANS TO RUSH FINAL PREPERATIONS FOR FABIAN.RUSH MEANS RUSH.

- RAIN RAIN RAIN
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 12:28:58 -0400

The heavens have opened up. There have been sporadic bouts of heavy
rainfall, from my vantage point (CW Clare Hall) I cannot see the Shekerley
Range, it is completely balnketed white, so the south is inundated with rain
as I type this. There is little wind, in fact, it is completely still at
Clare Hall.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- MARTHA FLYING INTO THE EYE OF HURRICANE FABIAN
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 10:20:05 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
Home base OF  HURRICANE HUNTERS IN ST CROIX
 
 
 
 
 
After watching this monster  Cat 4 storm develop  since it came off the  African Coast
on Aug 26th (see earlier reports on STORM CARIB)    and barely miss the islands, 
have  been called by  the Hurricane Hunters  to  fly INTO THE EYE OF FABIAN
tomorrow,  Wednesday   September 3rd on my  press pass!  (8 years ago on Sept. 3rd and 4th
 Antigua was being battered badly by  HURRICANE LUIS).      Have been waiting to do this  flight
 for a long time...
every time I was called   the weather was approaching Antigua and I could not  go for concern  that
if we were hit and our airport damaged  I could not  get back in ...and then  the Hurricanes  Hunters
moved out of St  Croix to fly the system out of  Florida...so it has never worked in the past!!
 
 but  this time  I am  on board and will
surely have  a tale to tell about a FLIGHT ON THE WILD SIDE
 
Am traveling to St Croix, Caribbean base of Hurricane hunters  later today and
rostered for take off   AT  12 noon  tomorrow  for an approx. 8 hour flight! 
 
 Photo below  was taken  on a previous trip  -  standing in front of the  C130 aircraft used
 by the Hurricane Hunters,   when I had hoped to fly  but system broke up and  flight
was cancelled!  so at long last ...
 
 
 
- spared!!!
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 07:53:46 -0400

Finally, Mr. FABIAN has turned more northwards as predicted. Current
conditions in the northeast, light winds out of the north or northwest about
10-12 knots. The sky is very overcast although there are patches of blue
poking through the cloud cover. I can see breakers on Sandy Is and its
adjoining wreck so the sea is also a bit rough on the north and western
side.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- NORTH TURN!!!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 05:52:10 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
PRAYERS ANSWERED!!   THAT  NORTH  TURN HAPPENED  AND  THE  MONSTER IS NOW AT  19.8  WHICH IS  GOOD NEWS FOR ALL!     WE ARE GETTING SOME OF THE  OUTTER BANDS HOWEVER..   THUNDER WOKE ME AT   5 A.M...AND SOME HEAVY RAIN SQUALLS.....  AND LITTLE COVE  JUST BELOW MY  HOUSE IS GETTING ROUGH... TOP  PHOTO WITH ONE OF MY FREE FLYING BIRDS  ON A CALM DAY  AND  BOTTOM PHOTO TAKEN AT  FIRST LIGHT TODAY!   WE ARE EXPECTING  THE SEAS TO BE  VERY ROUGH...AND MORE RAIN AND SOME  GUSTY WINDS... BUT  NOTHING THAT WILL DO ANY DAMAGE, THANK GOODNESS...  AND BLESS ALL OF YOU HAVE  EMAILED WITH THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!! 
 
 
 
- ROUGH SEAS from HURRICANE FABIAN
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 22:18:26 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
WAS  out in  the boat for the day.... the seas are already  VERY ROUGH..  Top picture shows  rough breakers coming   through HELLS GATE  (one of our small off shore islands...) bridge and bottom photo was taken on a CALM DAY  recently showing  sandy beach  in  same opening.   And they say the seas are just starting to get rough ...   still   looking   for that  NORTH TURN...
 
 
- PHENOMENA
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 09:45:19 -0400
Title: Message
YESTERDAY:STRONG OCEAN CURRENT PULLING EAST TO WEST AND SLIGHT WIND NORTH TO SOUTH
TODAY:WIND NEARLY DUE NORTH A LITTLE STRONGER-MAYBE8-10 MPH ,AND BEGINNING NORTH TO SOUTH SEA SURGE....WILL BE INTERESTING.
- STRONG HURRICANE FABIAN
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 08:38:05 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)

WHAT a way to start a week... with a 140 mph  major hurricane on your door step!! that makes one feel sort of like  Garfield does above!!! Know it is  LABOR DAY/ a holiday in  USA  but not in the islands!
   ALL OF THE MODELS AND  "EXPERTS"  SHOW A NORTH TURN ON  HURRICANE FABIAN.. AND  WE SURE HOPE THAT TURN STARTS SOON BUT IT MAKES ONE A BIT NERVOUS WITH THAT MONSTER HURRICANE  EAST OF  BARBUDA (our little sister isle).  Since the Hurricane Hunters  flew  the system during the night the 5 a.m. info is  very accurate..with the winds stronger now..and  Fabian has slowed down to  10 mph (always bad as they tend to get stronger when they slow down!!
OUR MET OFFICE JUST HAS  AN EXTENSIVE REPORT ON THE RADIO AND they say  the  north turn will take place but even with that  they  are expressing  concern over high seas...mentioned in my  posting last night! No one is putting up shutters  are taking such action as we do not expect much wind.. but  my boat will be pulled out of the water  this afternoon...  using it today as the sea is  flat calm with  our  winds being pulled towards Fabian so that makes for a nice boating day!!  We are all  anxiously watching  the  reports come in  and it will be a great relief  when the  north turn  starts!!  and if it does not...
    oh my...... don't even want to go there!!!   Later..   
- Monster hurricane!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:14:00 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Was out and  about last night  and  everyone is talking about  FABIAN.. aviation guys talking about   where/  when they would move aircraft south  if needed!  
 Antiguans are seasoned hurricane survivors but thank goodness we  DONT FORGET TOOOO  EASILY..
 
Those sat pics of   FABIAN  makes  MY SKIN CRAWL   having  been thru the terrible  LUIS(BELOW)   
  ...
 
 and thinking of   130 MPH winds in Fabian...(as it has slowed to 13 mph will  probably get stronger too   still looks like a NORTH TURN    ...  it is  at  18  N as of 5 a.m... about  60 miles  north of  Antigua if it came dead on...  But  will hope the models showing it  turning are all right...still we will  feel  happier on the island in another  24 hours when we see it  a bit further to the north.  
 
 The  sea  is  very  calm.. beautiful start of the  morning! ...and  tomorrow  the water  should be  like glass with any winds being pulled into  Fabian...  our boating crowd is already planning to  take advantage of  flat calm seas with boating excursions ...possibly across  to  little sister isle of  BARBUDA...!!!  Thank goodness it looks like the  Bahamas will be spared too but  the US east coast should watch out....going to be  interesting to  monitor..and just sooooo  thankful
our little group of islands  will probably be spared!!!   Still  some  concern of  high seas  for  damage that does to our  boats in the  marinas/  shallow inshore  reefs/   turtle nests  on the beach and  properties on the beach (makes me  glad i am on the highest point in this "neck of the woods"  of  the rock!!! 
  So.. we will keep watching and  rejoice  with a bigger  north turn!! and should  that not happen  FOR SURE IT WILL BE   BIG TIME  RUMBLE  as the  back room boys noted... with shutters going up etc!!
Meanwhile...happy  Sunday to those  who ck our  reports! 
- Update
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 18:00:15 -0400

 

IF FABIAN DOES NOT TURN NORTH WE HAVE 2 ˝ DAYS TO GET READY TO RUMBLE.

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER HERE.NEARLY CALM.

- Update
  • From: "John Fuller" <fullerj AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 12:15:56 -0400
Title: Message
MISS MERMAID IN TORTOLA WROTE AT 3AM THIS MORNING-- ONE OF THE BOYS IN THE BACKROOM SAW IT  (I THINK IT WAS MARTIN--BUT AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL THEM APART-THEY HAVEN'T HAD THEIR SUMMER BATH YET) AND HE POSTULATED ON THE REASON FOR THE LATENESS OF MISS M'S MESSAGE.HE SAID THAT MAYBE SHE WAS DISTURBED BY FABIAN'S PROXIMITY.I DISAGREED AND ASSURED HIM THAT NO ONE
NAMED FABIAN COULD RUFFLE A MERMAID'S FEATHERS (SCALES?)--A LUIS OR A GEORGES OR EVEN A JOHN MAYBE,BUT NEVER A FABIAN,NO MATTER HOW FINE A FORM FABIAN DISPLAYS AND HE DOES LOOK GOOD DOESN'T HE.
- IT IS HURRICANE FABIAN!!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:30:56 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
 
 
 
THE HURRICANE HUNTERS....  NOLA CARY AND  LEE SNYDER (THE "SENIOR MOST HURRICANE HUNTER" HOLDING A  DROP SONDE.. THE  INSTRUMENT PLACED IN THE  TUBE  HIS LEFT HAND IS ON AND DROPPED INTO THE  STORM,   WHICH RECORDS ALL THE NEEDED  DETAILS OF  THE HURRICANE  (WHICH WE NEED TO KNOW  IF IT IS COMING OUR WAY AND HOW BAD IT IS GOING TO BE....  AS THEY FLY THRU THE EYE. 
 
FOR THOSE OF US LIVING ON ANTIUGA,  LET'S HOPE FOR THAT NORTH TURN  MOST MODELS ARE SHOWING!  (WOULD HOPE THE TURN IS SOOOO  NORTH IT DOES NOT AFFECT ANYONE ELSE!    THE PROJECTED TRACK ON THIS SITE  BELOW SHOWS  THE POSSIBLE  SOUTHERN  MOST TRACK AS OVER  GUADALOUPE.. OUR  NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH...  SO THAT WOULD GET US TOO!!! 
 
  so best keep our eyes  peeled!!
http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/  (click HERE   THEN  CLICK ON  projected  TRACK UNDER THE PIC....
- Here we go again...
  • From: "Alan Scholl" <scholla AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 12:45:11 -0400

Hmmm.. well I see the months of August and September are not about to
disappoint us. As the saying goes "August come must...".
This system although predicted to turn north seems to be sitting on its
westerly track, but we will wait and see.

Other than that today is a scorcher, this heat reminds me of the few days
leading up to arrival of LUIS in 1995.

Have a good weekend all, and keep a watchful eye.

Alan B. Scholl
http://www.digitalphoto.ag/scholla
Amateur Radio: V21BF
Antigua, West Indies - "Where Land & Sea Make Beauty..."
- will it be HURRICANE FABIAN????
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 07:50:35 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
Overnight FABIAN has certainly  strengthened!  and continues  due west.   models show it  turning north and  not coming near the islands...and  we certainly hope that is the course  it takes because  it will probaly become a  Hurricane soon!  
 
 
 
- IT IS FABIAN!!!
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 18:20:25 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
WELL  TD 10  just became  FABIAN as  we suspected yesterday ...    See sat image on bottom and 
 possible track below....
HOWEVER... we should  note  comments in RED from  Hurricane Center
That means  we  keep watching...and hope we dont see this!!
 
 
 
TROPICAL STORM FABIAN DISCUSSION NUMBER   5
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM EDT THU AUG 28 2003
THE 4-5 DAY FORECAST POINTS IMPLY A TRACK JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE
LESSER ANTILLES...BUT THERE ARE LARGE AVERAGE ERRORS AT THESE TIME
RANGES.  IT IS WAY...WAY...TOO EARLY TO SPECIFY WHETHER FABIAN WILL
POSE A THREAT TO LAND AREAS FARTHER WEST. 
  
 

FORECASTER DISCUSSION FOR TD#10/FABIAN

- #10 IS IT FABIAN
  • From: "MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <gilkesm AT candw.ag>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 17:59:29 -0400 (Atlantic Standard Time)
  listen up!!!   
             Well.... we  knew it was out there....even work up those backroom boys.....  IT IS  ALMOST SEPTEMBER.... THE  REAL TIME TO REMEMBER!!!!
 
 PM AST WED AUG 27 2003

...TENTH DEPRESSION OF THE SEASON DEVELOPS IN THE EASTERN TROPICAL
ATLANTIC...

SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT THE LOW PRESSURE AREA IN THE EASTERN
ATLANTIC HAS NOW BECOME A TROPICAL CYCLONE.

AT 5 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION TEN WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.6 NORTH... LONGITUDE 31.5 WEST OR ABOUT
470 MILES...760 KM...WEST OF THE SOUTHERNMOST CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.
 
 
 
 
 

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