Our cable went out around 11:30pm last night and we went to bed. We did figure out an alternate method to access the internet, so it was good to have a contingency plan. We then had no BEC power or cable; we still had water and landline phone service. It was blowing and raining when we turned out the lights, which we still had thanks to a workhorse generator, and at that point we thought Irene was ok.
We both woke up at 3:00am. Irene was roaring outside and the pelting rain was at a 90 degree angle against the east side of the house. The numerous jalousie windows couldn’t take the water volume and they were all leaking. We tried to arrest the flow of water with towels and go back to bed, but that was an exercise in futility. We got up again and realized the water was really pouring in. At that point there was maybe an inch of water on most floors, upstairs and downstairs. We got into a routine, Fred downstairs and me up. We’d go from window to window taking the towels and wringing them into a trashcan, then putting that towel back on the sill and moving to the next. With any time left over we’d mop the wet floors and move anything on the floors to a higher level. Ironically we had water all over the house but the water in our taps stopped. I tried the phone and it was out. Now all our utilities were out. Our toweling and mopping finally worked and Irene cooperated too, and at 6:30 the rain had stopped and we’d hit the hurricane eye.
We took the dogs out in relative stillness. There were some trees down and debris was everywhere. No structures we could see were harmed, but we didn’t–and still have not–gone inside anywhere but our primary house. We went back to bed and the serious noise and wind started. The house shook and shuddered and creaked and windows rattled and banged. The rain, fortunately, was minimal. We just lay in bed, tired, not sleeping but listening and drifting in and out of consciousness. Our phones rang a couple of times and ironically my two calls were from people in the US who had no idea I was in the middle of a hurricane in the Bahamas listening to 125mph winds outside. It was a strange morning but nothing horrible happened and finally around 11:30 the intense clamor subsided.
We took the dogs out again. They seemed to sense that the worst was behind us. They were playful and ran through the wreckage. The debris was much worse after the morning’s pounding. Many more trees fell. A few lights were missing, a storage closet was open, trees rested gently on two houses but do not seem to be causing damage. There are more trees broken and fallen then there are whole trees. Bushes and shrubs are ripped from the earth. Banks Road in front of the houses is passable, at least in our stretch. There is a lot of clean-up that needs to happen but on the whole, at least on the surface, it seems manageable. Flooding is minimal.
We switched to well water and took showers. We haven’t ventured out again. We need to check the insides of the other houses but it’s still raining and blowing out, although Irene is much more subdued now. I’d like to check out the beach too…it was low tide when we were out before and I think I need to wait for the next low tide before the beach will be accessible. It’s brighter out now, certainly not sunny but light and everything looks sort of silvery through the salt and the rain. Soon, it’s time to start the clean-up.
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I am heartbroken. I am so happy you are safe but I am freaking out…
We’re glad you and Freddie and animals “weathered” the storm — thanks for the update and pics.
Billy
As the saying goes “when you’re dealt lemons, make lemondae” but under the circumstances I would say “when you’re dealt green coconuts, make gin and coconut water aka ‘sky juice'”
I’m sorry to see all the destruction to the trees and property but after a storm like that I hope others on Eleuthera fared as well.
Billy
Katie and Fred (Haven’t met you yet, Fred, but figure that is just a matter of time.) I am so glad you made it through Irene relatively intact. What an experience that must have been. Looking at some of the pictures brings back very strong flashes of post Katrina at our place in Folsom, with the trees down and everything scattered all over the place. Stay safe and be careful. I don’t envy you with all the cleanup.
Katie,
Thanks for your updates. Hopefully everyone else fared as good as you.
Katie & Fred –
Glad you weathered the storm so well.
Yes, thank you for your updates & photos.
So happy that you are safe. Haven’t heard any news from the Hatchet Bay area or Spanish Wells.
Our prayers are with you all
Katie,
So good…no Wonderful to hear from you. As you know you have been everyone’s eyes and ears to this storm and your postings have made this journey a little more bearable.
bless you~~
Hello Katie! I am a fellow homeowner on Eleuthera in Double Bay. However, I am currently home in Texas. I have been searching all day for any You Tube videos or news reports that would actually be helpful to me. Thank goodness my husband found yours. Glad to hear you weathered the storm well. Since our home is not too far down the road from you, it gives me peace to think that our damage will be manageable when we arrive next week to survey it. I was afraid the whole house would be gone!! Hopefully we will meet on the island one day soon. If you know anyone in the double bay area that may have some pictures posted, please let me know. I would truly appreciate it. : )
Mary
Katie, or anyone
Where are you located? I have many people on Harbour Island as well as two houses under construction and haven’t heard from anyone. My best guess is that Katie is in GH.
Brett, yes, we are in Governor’s Harbour on Banks Rd. near Tippy’s.
Katie – So glad to see you both are safe. We are so thankful for your blog! We have a house just down the road from you at Club Med Beach and we feel like we have a much better understanding of how things look because I’ve your efforts. We really appreciate it! We were due to come Thursday of next week, but David is going to try to get down on Saturday, the airport in Governor’s willing….Thank you again! Michele
Thanks for keeping folks in the outside world updated – SO happy to hear you are all OK and that there wasn’t worse damage. We have spent the last several Spring Breaks in Eleuthera – this past one in your neck of the woods – and are planning to return next year. We love it there! Best of luck with the clean up!
Amazing and so glad to have found you. Wife and I discovered the Out Islands years ago and it is now in our blood. We so love the Bahamians, and have stayed several time along Banks Road south of Palmetto Point. We have driven to just about every beach on the Island. This year for a change we are going to Cat in November. We have rented a house but if it is damaged we will find somewhere to stay because tourism is so important. We pray you and the Eleutherans recover quickly and that there was no loss of life.
So very glad that you are safe, I hope to same holds true for all Islanders!! What a brave bunch you are!! Eleuthera is a special place and each soul that lives there has always been so kind and friendly everytime we visit. God Bless you as you begin your clean up activity, and again, so happy that all seems to be ok.
Hi – Thanks for posting – visited Eleuthera last April and was concerned how it faired through the storm. Love that place and the people.
Thank you so much for the photos and info. Your blog is such an excellent description that I can picture it well in my mind. We are hoping that our home in Rainbow is still intact.
Katie,
I don’t believe that we have met. I have been visiting Eleuthera for 30 years; the past 10 vacationing at Fred Frost’s house Elsewhere. I’m so glad to have found your site. I’m so sorry to see all of the trees down but so glad you rode through the storm successfully otherwise. Yikes! Do you know, was there extensive damage to Tippy’s or Fred’s properties?
Many thanks and best of luck to you in your recovery efforts. (We are on Martha’s Vineyard beginning our preparations.)
Kristin Warriner
Katie,
So happy you and Fred are okay. Pictures were amazing….We are now bracing for the storm. I don’t think we will get too much bad weather here, but the coast of NC is supposed to be hit hard…… and we are going there next week! Looks like the whole eastern coast is going to get slammed!
Take care and good luck with the clean up. Erica
Katie…So glad to get some info about our little island and that you, Fred and the dogs are safe. My husband and I have a house in Eleuthra island shores right on Queens Highway. Being stuck here in Indiana with our fingers crossed has been driving us nuts!!! We haven’t heard from our Caretaker as of yet…..just praying that all is well with her and her family.
Any more info is deeply appreciated. We’ve been wondering how the Glass window bridge held up.
Good luck with the clean up…praying for my little house.
Jewelz and Karl
Hi Katie,
Please keep us updated.
We have a house we are renovating in North Eleuthera on Current Ridge but live in the U.K. and are finding it hard to get any info at all.
We have 2 dogs at the house and our caretaker and his family live in Lower Bogue.His wife had a stroke a couple of years ago so life is hard for them anyway before this..
We know that the fibre optic cable has been damaged at North Eleu. so all connection is difficult
We can do nothing but hope at this time and trawl the internet for any details so please keep up your blog.
KInd Thoughts and wishes to everyone we’ve met on the island and those we’ve yet to meet
Gill and Nick Atkins xxxxxx
Katie, thank you so much for this news and photos. Much appreciated. Glad you all (dogs too) are safe! Our home Seagrapes is on Windermere and we have some spotty reports of damage to roofs, trees down, ….but not much news so far that is specific, except that the Bridge is passable! Good news for us…..we are still in Montana, will be down soon.
Larry and Dickey Richardson
Livingston Montana
Thanks for your updates. I expected a lot worse. Glad you are safe.
Jim Shatz
South Palmetto Point
Jim – can you tell me if Clide and Anne are okay? If you see them tell them the Richardson’s are thinking about them and hope all is well!
Anne left a message this afternoon and said she and Clyde and their families are all fine. Lots of trees down and debris but the road to Double Bay is passable. She went to our house at the south end of Double Bay and said the house was fine, just lost a few shingles. She did say the storm was “a rough one”. There is spotty cell service.
Can you tell me what part of the island you are on? I have friends north of Gregory Town, around Oleander Gardens. No word from them. I was just there a month ago and I”m going nuts not knowing anything. Thanks for any info you can give me.
Janie,
Katie is on the Atlantic side of the island, between Governor’s Harbour and Palmetto point. I know they’re working hard on cleanup, so I wanted at least to give you that info. I’m not on the island and sorry not to be able to offer more than that.
Lucy
Katie, your posts and pictures have been great…thanks for keeping us all informed of your safety.
Glad the damage was minimal. Fred is probably just thrilled that both of his properties will be
Touched by the same storm…amazing. The coverage here is nonstop as Irene heads up the coast.
Hope narragansett fares okay. When are y’all headed back?
Beth
Hi Katie….first of all I am happy that you and yours made it through the hurricane. My sister and her husband live in Nassau but have a home at the German Settlement outside of Governor’s Harbor. She is still one of thousands without power and water on Nassau…I have been able to reach her by a landline phone that is still working. SO…I thought I would try to see if I can glean any information if someone knows if there has been a lot of damage at the German Settlement?? I am writing this from Kansas City, Mo. USA.
Thanks in advance for any information that I could give to them to ease their minds.
Linda