- Updates from the Islands -

- - the Bahamas - -

- - - 2006 Hurricane Season - - -

- Post Ernesto

From: "adelphi" <adelphi at batelnet.bs>
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 23:05:42 -0500

Ernesto weakened considerably as it passed over Cuba. By the
time it was anywhere near the Bahamas it had lost much of
its power. In New Providence we had torrential rains Tuesday
and Wednesday afternoons. Low lying areas still have shallow
pools. Overall, however, the Ernesto experience, in New
Providence was more of a heavy version of April
showers.Folks remained calm but alert throughout.Let's hope
that the rest of the season is even less active.

- Abaco

From: "Tara Vera Hingle (Accounts Department)" <tara at abacoinet.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 12:49:29 -0400

We had a strong rain shower here in Marsh Harbour about 45 minutes ago but now skies are sunny and blue. The general feeling in Abaco from what I can gather is that we will get a bit of rain closer to the late afternoon hours, but nothing to raise alarms.

- Ernesto story from Nassau

From: "Adrian Chriswell" <abchriswell at hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 16:36:32 +0000

Nassau, Bahamas

It is now 1229 Eastern Time, and it is raining again. We have been having some rain squalls, with very little wind, only some gusts associated with the rain squalls. First squall was about 2000 last night.

The centre has moved past parallel to us, and I assume that Andros Island and the Bimini Isles are being drenched. I am not listening to local radio, so I have not heard updates. Most Bahamians were trusting in the official forecast tracks, and so we in Nassau did not really bother battening down or maxing out on supplies.

The national response system, NEMA, has been on alert, but no shelters were opened up. We should be all clear in a few hours, and so Florida Keys is real area of concern.

Adrian

- Ernesto

From: "angela culmer" <angelaculmer at msn.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 12:08:30 +0000

Hello'

We have a wait and see attitude right now. My husband is a fisherman and heis out at sea. After contacting the Met office here he was advised to find asafe port which he has done.We are expecting some winds and thunderstorm activity but today so far it isjust overcast.

Obviously it is a reminder that the Hurricane season is here!
talk to you soon
Angela

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- Freeport

From: "Tip" <tip at coralwave.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:07:59 -0400

Haven’t seen a rush on supplies yet; not sure Grand Bahamians are taking this seriously. Local newspaper today – nothing, other than a two-day old report from Jamaica. Personally am preparing, our Humane Society shelter is prepared, and have learned from past experience it’s better to be safe than sorry. Will see what Ernesto wants to do in the morning and figure there will be a mad rush if it looks as if he’s heading our way.

Elizabeth (Tip) Burrows

Managing Director

Humane Society of Grand Bahama

www.gbhs.petfinder.org

(242) 352-2477 Shelter

(242) 359-5728 Cell

(863) 978-0122 Home Vonage line

"To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded."

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

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- Ernesto Breezes

From: "adelphi" <adelphi at batelnet.bs>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:31:30 -0500

Hello all, I was hoping that I would be kept quite idle with
respect to storm reporting..but here comes Ernesto.
Tonight it is cool and breezy. The folks that I have talked
to have done basic preparations ( water, batteries, food,
gas) and have shutters standing ready. They are waiting to
see if the storm is going to head more towards us/become
stronger or steer more westwards. 
The general atmosphere in my area is one of calm. I will
give an update in 24hours/

- Monday Afternoon

From: "Tara Vera Hingle (Accounts Department)" <tara at abacoinet.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:03:56 -0400

I just came back from waiting in line at the bank and Ernesto was the topic of conversation there. People were buzzing about how with each forecast it appears to heading further and further North East ( us and Freeport!) Everyone seems to be under the same opinion here that it wont hit us full on, but our plants will get watered and a good few wind gust will happen here from the outer bands.....but like I said earlier- we just need to wait and see! I don't like letting my guard down this time of the year- these things are just SO unpredictable! Still no shutters up here though...

Tara

- Abaco Bahamas- Ernesto!

From: "Tara Vera Hingle (Accounts Department)" <tara at abacoinet.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 10:28:33 -0400

Good Morning All!

Here in Abaco Bahamas we are keeping a close eye on Ernesto, but everyone there feels pretty sure that we will not feel much from this storm if anything at all.......but you can never be too sure! No shutters here are going up just yet and those long lines in the grocery stores for canned goods and water are not existing.

Because of past hurricane experience here in the islands, everyone here keeps an eye on any tropical activity out there just to be sure. Right now we are all just taking the " wait and see approach". We should know where we stand here by tomorrow afternoon. Never let your guard down this time of the year!

Right now its sunny skies here, not too humid and generally a beautiful day! We had our morning summer rain shower already, that disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Typical summer weather!

Hopefully those beautiful mountains in Cuba will rip apart Ernesto so that it has little effect on any land mass.

We will keep everyone updated!

Tara

- re: hurr Ernesto

From: houtenbakkie baaaa <houtenbakkie at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:21:45 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Gert,
A brief report from Freeport Grand Bahama here.
I went to the Win Dixie this morning to get my water
and tuna, expecting to see empty shelves and fighting
people but I was one of a few I saw getting water.
After the windixie I went to the gas station on coral
road to get my kerosine for my lil hurricane stove and
there was one gentleman before me, so I guess there
were some more people getting ready. No headlines in
the Freeport News saying "Hurricane coming" and no
cone from the Nat Hurr Centre on the front page. If it
wasnt for CBS4 and channel 7 I wouldnt know what was
coming.
My feeling is that our island will get a licking if it
stays on the track that is predicted, it is a very
large system,  maybe we'll just get some feeder bands,
but they can do enough damage as was the case last
year.


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- Update

From: "angela culmer" <angelaculmer at msn.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 10:11:32 +0000



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- Looking South

From: "George Phillpot" <phillpots5 at coralwave.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 12:06:41 -0400

After being covered with Saharan dust( everything is coated orange-red) for the 
last two weeks, our skies are clearing and it looks as if we are losing our 
friend, the tropical weather buster. All eyes are looking to the South and 
already I'm going to start making preparations here in Abaco even if the 
forecasters are predicting a more Southerly route.We always say that we would 
be happy if we could only get some of the rain out of a system. Well, we have 
had a tremendous amount of rain for the past three months and even if it is a 
little dry after the last two weeks, I'm not looking forward to any more storms 
thank you. 
Cheers 
George Phillpot

- sunshine

From: "Katybel Taylor" <kbtaylor at coralwave.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 08:23:27 -0400

Chance of rain is down to 30% and we are enjoying our 2^nd straight day of sunshine this month. July was even wetter than June as we experienced several lows that originated and stayed around the northern Bahamas. The ocean is definitely cooler than last summer at this time, for what that’s worth. Grand Bahama is lush and green.

- Happy Independence Day Bahamas

From: "Katybel Taylor" <kbtaylor at coralwave.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 11:59:31 -0400

We are celebrating 33 years of Independence today through out the Bahamas today. Lots of festivities filled with good food, good drink (think “Gully Wash” fully loaded!), and music are planned around the island. Unfortunately we will all be taking cover from scattered showers whilst we enjoy the day.

July has been just as wet as June. Not a good summer for my son to have a job as a commercial painter! The showers just keep on coming up the pike from down south. We did have a beautiful sunny afternoon yesterday and we all gave thanks. All the rain seems to be keeping the ocean temperature lower…hope this is a good thing!

- June Update

From: "Katybel Taylor" <kbtaylor at coralwave.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:28:23 -0400

Much to the delight of all the gardeners on the island, June has been a very wet month. For the past couple of weeks the rain clouds have formed around 2pm dousing us with a quick hard shower. We have been dry at this time of year for the past several years and this new trend harkens back to a more typical “rainy season”.

Everyone is saying that it is also hotter this month and yes, we have had some wicked humidity!

The fruit trees are finally bearing again and our Seagrapes have never had longer or fuller tassels. See attachment. (I wonder what that means.)

Can’t wait to see what July brings.

Attachment: singlegra.JPG
Description: JPEG image

- Winter Revue

From: "Katybel Taylor" <kbtaylor at coralwave.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 18:29:13 -0400

We had what will probably be our last “cold front” pass over Grand Bahama on Sunday. It stalled just south of Miami dumping lots of much needed rain on our overly dry island. The bush is filled with dead pine trees 2 years old now, reminders of Hurricanes Jeanne and Francis. When we have a seasonal “bush fire” it is a huge blaze now adays.

Today, we are experiencing sunny skies, but very windy with winds gusting to 25 knots at times…makes me think of Hurricane Season.

Our Winter has been a duplicate of last winter. Several cold fronts crossed our island keeping our temps in the low 70s and lows in the 50s ! I expect the humidity to remain low well into the summer as it did last year. What does this all mean? I haven’t a clue. It’s a wait and see game. Good Luck to all this 2006 Hurricane Season.