First Major Storm

[knotimpaired]

Let's do this folk's.

Let us predict the first major landfall.

Because I live on the island of Vieques which falls between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, we tend to follow the weather more than anyone. Vieques lost 80% of the homes for our 9,000 residents during Hugo. We were without water and power for 45 days.

I say between August 19th till Sept. 3rd for a storm hitting here. Other than that it will be late October.

Our most priority issue is our sister Island Culebra, We have dear friends there such as Caribepr and when something happens here it happens to both of us. We may be 8 miles away but I can scream and MJ is known to also scream.


It is interesting that Southern Florida and many of these posters talked about the devastating events that last years storm brought to them, but who in the H@*l thought about us. We lost millions ourselves and had 33' of rain in a few days and homes where lost but have we heard anything other than FEMA give a crap?

Let me give you an idea as to what happened when Ivan came through Grenada.

CaribPR contacted my husband and myself through another board and asked for help. We went to a food coop and bought cases of baby food, diapers, cat food, Tuna, Chicken, Milk, Toilet paper, paper towels, baby formula, bug spray, matches, candles, etc. We charted a plane to send this to Culebra. Many of us gave up our own clothes to send down and kept a few pairs because we knew we could hop the ferry to Puerto Rico to get more. We`knew we would be okay.

But I can tell you that we bought everything we thought that was necessary for them to survive. We chartered the flight to Culebra and they took over from there.

MJ in Culebra spearheared this and before you knew it there was clothes, household items, everything needed.

She with friends organized a boat to go to Granada to deliver the goods.

They had tons of clothes, foods and toys.

I know that you all mostly live is the states and it is important to stay in touch with each other when a storm comes through.

But we ARE part of the US, Vieques and Culebra. Small islands yes, but important none the less.

Keep in mind when you look at systems brewing in the gulf, pay attention to us down here. We DO have family in the states and we may have to leave for our safety.

Chances are we may come back to nothing.

You see, check devastation. Vieques per capita has lost more in a hurricane than Florida.

I am not only talking lives here, I am talking generations.

So all I am asking is why do you not keep in mind Puerto Rico and the islands of Vieques and Culebra when you watch the hurricanes coming.

Is it maybe you have no family here?

Shame on you.

[Hurricaneman]

I dont think well see a major till early august

[feederband]

I always think of the islands during the season.They are sometime a good indication of what we will expect from a storm....On a personal note I like to visit the islands, just don't think I would want to live on one....

[Guest]

Let's do this folk's.

Let us predict the first major landfall.

Because I live on the island of Vieques which falls between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, we tend to follow the weather more than anyone. Vieques lost 80% of the homes for our 9,000 residents during Hugo. We were without water and power for 45 days.

I say between August 19th till Sept. 3rd for a storm hitting here. Other than that it will be late October.

Our most priority issue is our sister Island Culebra, We have dear friends there such as Caribepr and when something happens here it happens to both of us. We may be 8 miles away but I can scream and MJ is known to also scream.


It is interesting that Southern Florida and many of these posters talked about the devastating events that last years storm brought to them, but who in the H@*l thought about us. We lost millions ourselves and had 33' of rain in a few days and homes where lost but have we heard anything other than FEMA give a crap?

Let me give you an idea as to what happened when Ivan came through Grenada.

CaribPR contacted my husband and myself through another board and asked for help. We went to a food coop and bought cases of baby food, diapers, cat food, Tuna, Chicken, Milk, Toilet paper, paper towels, baby formula, bug spray, matches, candles, etc. We charted a plane to send this to Culebra. Many of us gave up our own clothes to send down and kept a few pairs because we knew we could hop the ferry to Puerto Rico to get more. We`knew we would be okay.

But I can tell you that we bought everything we thought that was necessary for them to survive. We chartered the flight to Culebra and they took over from there.

MJ in Culebra spearheared this and before you knew it there was clothes, household items, everything needed.

She with friends organized a boat to go to Granada to deliver the goods.

They had tons of clothes, foods and toys.

I know that you all mostly live is the states and it is important to stay in touch with each other when a storm comes through.

But we ARE part of the US, Vieques and Culebra. Small islands yes, but important none the less.

Keep in mind when you look at systems brewing in the gulf, pay attention to us down here. We DO have family in the states and we may have to leave for our safety.

Chances are we may come back to nothing.

You see, check devastation. Vieques per capita has lost more in a hurricane than Florida.

I am not only talking lives here, I am talking generations.

So all I am asking is why do you not keep in mind Puerto Rico and the islands of Vieques and Culebra when you watch the hurricanes coming.

Is it maybe you have no family here?

Shame on you.

[Hurricaneman]

At that point I would say the first major hit will be Mid August

[gkrangers]

Small islands yes, but important none the less.

Well the Navy does target practice there...don't they?

I think the people here focus on wherever the storms are. If its Texas, we focus on the low lying areas like Galveston and Corpus Christi.

If its the east coast of Florida, all those beach front homes and trailer parks!

If its an island like Vieques, or Hispaniola, or another Carribbean island, we know they aren't as well off, in general, as most in the states. People frequently make posts about tropical waves and disturbances that aren't cyclones, but will cause mudslides and flooding in these places.

So, when a hurricane is bearing down on you, you will be in our thoughts.

[LSU2001]

and prayers!!!!!!!!!

[bevgo]

I don't remember seeing anything on the news or on this board about your situation. I think most on this board are caring people and never intentionaly avoid or neglect anyone.

Welcome to our community. Let us know what is going on with you and your locality. We do care.

[Decomdoug]

Amen to that!

[Guest]

You know I respect you and what all islanders go thru during hurrican season, but lashing out solves nothing. You have every right to be angry, try and funnel all that energy on something positive. First of all we all chose to live where we do. If that means we live in a flood prone, hurricane prone or earthquake prone area then we have to deal with the bad things that come upon us. So lets not point fingers and start saying "whoa is me." Move here to the states get a place in the mountains but dont place blame or criticize others because you suffer loss because you chose to live in a hurricane prone area. I live in a high risk area and have sufferd property loss and all sorts of things, but hey I accept the responsibility, pull up my pants, rebuild and move forward. Furthermore, you have no right to attack United States tax paying citizens whos tax dollars go towards supporting the existance of so many islands in the Caribbean and Atlantic. We send billions of dollars in aid to Peurto Rico annually and the people there still refuse to vote to join the United States as a state. So come on, i'll help you in any way I can and pray for you and everyone there when weather threatens, but please give us a little credit, we are aware of your existance. I'm sorry if I have said anything to offend you but I cant stand to see people lashing out. Sorry.

[Scorpion]

The first major hurricane will occur this month I believe. If it isn't Cindy then I believe it will be a CV long tracker late this month.

[HurriCat]

We don't need a flame-war, and I bet the Mods are already about to clamp down on this, but that "shame on you" bit can't go without response.

I'm betting that plenty of U.S. taxpayer money has gone to ALL areas hit by such storms. Just like always. Is there any other nation that gives as much as we do? The Red Cross also gets tons and tons of donated items to storm victims. This is material above and beyond our tax-dollars that are already being doled-out.

So I say to those who would demonize the USA and its' citizens: "No, shame on YOU!"

[Radar]

Clearly the statement about some people possibly not caring about the Islands because they have no family there could hold true for some. However, I believe on this board that the majority of people DO care about the Islands and what happens to them. I care about every single person in the World but I can only do miniscule things to TRY to make lives that have been touched by disaster, war, hunger or disease better. As a charitable person I too take that "shame on you" quote personally, I feel it was uncalled for because you are clumping us together as an uncharitable society when you dont even know us individually!

[Hurricaneman]

People should care, because there are people with families there too

[Radar]

People should care, because there are people with families there too

Without a doubt people do care... I know I do.... My hands are limited in what I can do when it comes to disaster relief for the Islands... I'm a mother with two kids to support so I can't go like I would like to and work with a medical relief agency when disaster strikes. Someday when my kids are grown I'am going to go on medical missionaries etc.. Until then I do what I can, donate food, money, clothing...I have found that the vast majority of folks on the board are just like me, hard working citizens but with hearts of Gold and anytime an Island country is devastated by disaster we do what little we can and hope and pray our government will send some relief. Knotimpaired you are in my thoughts and prayers for this hurricane season and when disaster strikes any area all I can promise is I will do what I can.

[HurricaneBill]

So all I am asking is why do you not keep in mind Puerto Rico and the islands of Vieques and Culebra when you watch the hurricanes coming.

Is it maybe you have no family here?

Shame on you.

Now hold on just a second. We have other posters here who live on the islands and we do discuss the islands.

When Hurricane Frances was going through the Bahamas, we were concerned about posters there.

We were watching and had radio feeds up as Hurricane Ivan went through Grenada and Jamaica. I remember staying up late at night to get the latest news.

We also were concerned for posters on Puerto Rico during Jeanne and were shocked by the flooding in Haiti.

I have no family down on those islands. But that does not mean I do not care about them.

I do find that "shame on you" comment a bit hurtful.

[Ixolib]

I'm just trying to figure out what the thread title has to do with anything past the second sentence in the initial post?????

[SouthernWx]

Let's do this folk's.

Let us predict the first major landfall.

-------

So all I am asking is why do you not keep in mind Puerto Rico and the islands of Vieques and Culebra when you watch the hurricanes coming.

Is it maybe you have no family here?

Shame on you.

Maybe it's because the time is 2:30 a.m., but I honestly don't understand what this post is all about...

You start off by asking folks to predict when the first major hurricane will develop, then end the post by offending the hell out of me, and I suppose most folks on this board.

I for one don't appreciate having someone pop off shaming me...especially someone who's only been on this forum for a few weeks.
Just as unruly children, sometimes newbies should IMO "be seen and not heard".

I believe I speak for many good, decent, caring veteran posters on this board when stating "SHAME ON YOU"....for popping off without IMO just cause; for stirring the pot when it wasn't warranted.

Just for the record, I don't have any family in the Caribbean.....I DO have family here in Georgia, so naturally a hurricane here gets more of my attention than one there. That my friend is called "human nature". I venture an educated guess most folks on Vieques are more interested and concerned about major hurricanes there than those approaching the Georgia coast or Florida panhandle; major hurricanes which can damage my home...flood my town, and kill my friends, neighbors, and loved ones.

I'm also very concerned about volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis in Oregon and Washington a helluva lot more than those affecting California, Peru, or Hawaii....and the reason why?? BECAUSE I HAVE LOVED ONES LIVING IN PORTLAND, OREGON; a precious younger sister, her husband and four small children. Do I care about children suffering on Grenada and Vieques?...you bet, but I care a helluva lot more about my precious little angels in Oregon....just as I SHOULD.

Sorry for the rant, but after sitting at a hospice all day and half the evening watching a precious aunt dying, unable to eat or even drink anymore; gasping for breath...knowing she won't ever give me another hug, knowing she won't live long enough to ever enjoy another crisp autumn afternoon nor Christmas morning is just about killing me. I don't need to get up at 2:30 a.m. because I'm depressed and unable to sleep and read some crap posted by a friggin newbie who's ticked off because "his location gets less attention from Storm2k posters than Florida".

Jeez knot_impaired...PLEASE GET A LIFE AND GROW UP!! The earth does NOT revolve around Vieques...nor does it spin on its axis because of Stuart, Florida or Douglasville, Georgia. We all have problems; sometimes very big problems....we deal with them the best way possible, and don't start come here and start pointing fingers and shaming others because they're situation is less stressful than ours. That my friend is called being MATURE....

PW

[bevgo]

Sorry about the really off topic.

I hope the hospice is treating you well. I know that was a difficult decision to make. You are in my prayers. Losing a loved one is such a difficult thing. I understand as I lost md dad almost a year ago now.

It still hurts but I know he is in heaven smiling down on me and the rest of the family. The day of his funeral there was a hummingbird sampling his flowers. I took that as a sign he was happy in God's arms and no longer suffering.

Hospice can help you through your grief. Let them comfort you and give you the tools you need to get through this and make the loss somewhat easier.

(((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))

[Fego]

I have read a lot of comment, opinions and analysis about TW, TD, TS or Hurricanes approaching the islands. I think everyone here love to watch when something is growing in the GOM, Caribbean or Atlantic: it's part of our "weather nature". I regret both sides reactions. These forums are for weather, no politics.