After the storm…

The morning after Earl, Beaconites were up early surveying the damage to the territory and were pleased to find Tortola in fairly good shape. After a walk through Road Town, the journalists drove up to the top of Joes Hill. But the slow traffic caused one Beaconite’s car to overheat, forcing him to pull over on the side of the road. In the end, it all turned out okay: Hungry for breakfast, the journalists walked to a hillside bar, where they cooled down with some Johnny cakes and cold beer.

There’s always a first time

Earl was the first hurricane some Beaconites had ever experienced. As messages and alerts became more serious, one reporter started to feel nervous about weathering the storm on her own. The thought of hearing the wind howl over her roof and losing electricity brought horror. Soon the Beaconite found herself packing a bag with necessities and making telephone calls to friends. A couple of hours later, she had left her hilltop apartment and was sitting with friends, sharing jokes and waiting for the arrival of Earl. As the hurricane came, the Beaconite was not afraid: Her friends talked her out of it. In the end, Earl brought some damage, but it also brought a lesson: Friends are not there for the fun times alone, but also for hurricanes.

Coral reef…on the rocks?

Scientists from the University of Hawaii have created the first frozen coral cell bank in an effort to preserve the biodiversity of Hawaii coral species. So far, the Hawaiian coral cell bank has frozen sperm and embryonic cells from mushroom coral (Fungia scutaria) and rice coral (Montipora capitata). Scientists aim to store as many species of Hawaiian coral as possible. Beaconites wonder if the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean countries and territories might want to consider a similar programme.

New USVI customs station

Clearing into the United States Virgin Islands may become easier in the coming months, after USVI Governor John deJongh Jr. signed into a law a $1 million appropriation to build a customs facility at the Fredericks Marine Terminal in Red Hook. The centre is being financed through proceeds from rum revenue. Currently, VI travellers who enter the USVI through Red Hook are required to stop in St. John to clear customs.

Silver lining

A Beaconite is thankful Hurricane Earl passed over the territory without any reports of injuries or casualties. Although the storm knocked down several trees there is a benefit to the destruction. The Beaconite noticed several new vistas during his commute to work along the Ridge Road. There are views that now exist that he never knew about. Taxi drivers who give tours should be happy.

Not the hurricane

The A.O. Shirley Recreation Grounds suffered severe damage from Hurricane Earl. Bleachers were tossed on the track and the pavilion was mangled. But there is one thing that shouldn’t be blamed on Earl.  A Beaconite noticed on Sunday afternoon while covering a football game that a soda machine was ripped open and empty. The Beaconite is unsure how this happened, but he knows the hurricane didn’t do it.