Earlier today Joerg Friese of Stella Maris Resort Club managed to make contact with Curly, presumably by satellite phone as both landline and cell communications remain down after Hurricane Joaquin hit Long Island during the latter part of last week. We are greatly relieved to hear that everyone at Stella Maris is unharmed. Joerg reports that the northern end of Long Island is less badly affected than the south and that Stella Maris itself has suffered only moderate damage to property.
Stella Maris International Airport was re-opened on Saturday and yesterday it was “like JFK” with traffic bringing relief supplies. The island’s other airport at Deadman’s Cay remains closed, as does the seaport at Salt Pond.
Further south on Long Island the damage is far more extensive, with low-lying land under up to six feet of water and some areas devastated. Thankfully, at this time there has been no loss of life reported on the island due to the Hurricane, but the possibility that this could change cannot yet be discounted.
The Bahamas Government, the Royal Navy and the US are all assisting with the relief effort.