Island Recovery and an Update on RoundAbout

s/v RoundAbout in the wreckage yard 

Jared has traveled back to the islands to deliver supplies twice now, helping out in Puerto Rico, as well as the BVI.

He is presently on island again to sort out RoundAbout, now that she is in the wreckage yard. It is now our responsibility to sort out the disposal and avoid storage costs. Apparently, there are people looking to buy wrecked vessels, so we hope to have the sale take place while he is there.

While we were fortunate enough to get her pulled out of the water, a lot of damage was done. It hurts my heart to see our home this way.  As you will see in the drone video below, there are still a lot of sunken vessels in the marina and thousands more damaged on land. There are so many who lost not only their homes, but their businesses as well. So, what about recovery?

The islands are resilient and have already begun working their way to recovery. Restaurants, hotels, and charter companies are opening back up. This saying has been going around the island and it is so true: "Our sand is still golden, our water still blue, and the drinks are cold"!
These photos were taken AFTER the hurricanes! #bvistrong #isandstrong #recovery

The latest reports are that the islands will be ready for tourism next month! It is critical to the rebuild effort to have tourist dollars. Please come visit! You will make a major difference and enjoy a lovely vacation! We can hardly wait to get back! Here is a link to the latest info for tourism.
Another link to the BVI Tourism board.

We have been amazed at all of the support we've received and believe me, we are truly grateful. You keep our hearts full! To address some of the questions we've received:

What are your plans? We don't use the word "plan" anymore. Because, well, just look at the past month. We are under contract for another boat, another Leopard 46 that is currently in the Med. Why another Leopard? We are fans for life, after seeing ours survive TWO category 5 hurricanes, one being a direct hit! It was the failed docks that sunk her, not the hurricanes.

A preliminary survey takes place on the 18th, with the in-depth survey and sea trial around the end of the month. We are anticipating taking delivery early November and sailing through to make an Atlantic crossing sometime in December or early January (making sure hurricanes are not in the forecast and that the weather is clear for the passage). The passage from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean is usually about 2-3 weeks. We will hire a captain to take us across, this being our first ocean crossing and the need for appeasing our insurance.

From there, we anticipate resuming our life afloat in the islands and assisting with recovery efforts. Jared, a civil engineer, will work on rebuild efforts, while Stef will work with the education sector.

How are the kids handling all of this? You know, they are pretty great kids and have dealt with all the chaos brilliantly! We are continuing their homeschool routine and taking field trips to local historic sites. They are excited to move aboard our new boat and exploring new places. Swimming from the boat is high up on the list.

How is Sunny? Our sailing pup is doing just fine! She has been to the vet for another checkup, and is healthy and happy! She is enjoying playing with the kids, going for walks, and exploring. She does NOT like being apart from us and follows us everywhere. Yep, even if one of us goes to shower, she is right there next to the tub. Separation anxiety, for sure. We are hoping this eases as time goes on.

As a family, we have gone through a lot and have grown stronger because of this. Personally, I have learned a lot about myself and gained a new perspective. What used to cause me stress is NOTHING compared to recent events. Our kids have some life lessons under their belt and learning about determination, perseverance, and most importantly, helping others. As Cadence loves to sing (and has become our family mantra as of late): Don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing is gonna be alright!

Drone videos Jared took this morning:

Video of RoundAbout

Video of Nanny Cay Marina