Sept 2019, Hurricane Dorian

I write this September 1, 2019 as Hurricane Dorian is pounding Marsh Harbor and the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. The storm is unprecedentedly powerful and promises to produce a formidable death count in the islands.

The drubbing the islands are taking from this storm could be a precursor to what Florida and/or the Carolinas has to deal with in a day or 2 or 3. The radar picture looks ominous. The reports from the Bahamas include 180 mile per hour sustained winds and gusts to 225 mph. I have heard that storm surges as high as 20 feet may have hit some locations. None of us have witnessed a storm of this magnitude.

This slow-moving storm has caused us to take week or more off from our diving schedule. It seems that is caused us to take a week or more out of our life schedule for all the preparation before the storm and the cleanup afterwards. I wish you all the best!

Remember that powerful hurricanes can rearrange and relocate some of our shipwreck and other artificial reef dive sites. Don’t be surprised if a shipwreck looks a bit different after a storm. Discuss the possibility before the dive and don’t be surprised if you see some changes.

As with any disaster, this hurricane will provide us with many opportunities to help our neighbors in the Bahamas, in Florida, and likely in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Count your blessings! And enjoy the diving after the storm!

Be safe. Dive safe.

Dave Wills