TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Hurricane Watch now and Warning shortly

Water & Cistern maintenance:
Can some experienced residents chime in for the benefit of all
After the storm - how safe is private residential cistern water?
What post-storm precautions would you normally take?

A potential surge of 4 - 6' and projected 10" of rain in the BVI is a terrible thing to read. We are thinking of everyone there and for your safety.

Can't think why cistern water wouldn't be safe, unless the cistern is inundated by groundwater. The big issue will be pumping the water if there is no electricity. If you have a generator, or a gravity feed system, no problem.

lol... dip/lift & carry.... almost fail-proof system

I guess the concern is contamination from airborne stuff ending up being washed into the cistern
But, this hurricanes aren't twisters... perhaps less of a concern

Thinking and praying for everyone on the islands!

Stay safe! And I agree with Malcolm, it is difficult to watch things unfold from afar. The hours after it passes will be torturous waiting to hear from friends and loved ones!

Hunker down everyone and let us know you are alright as soon as you can....

Many prayers going out to all our friends in the BVI's!! Keep very safe as you all have thousands praying and thinking about you.

BVI and all the Caribbean are in my and my family's prayers right now. God bless...

Hello. Thanks for this site. Other than here what other sites are helpful for BVI news and updates? I'm also interested in Aguilla news. What are some good sites for that?

Thanks. Good luck. Prayers offered.

Saw on facebook that residents of Anegada were told to evacuate.
Hoping and praying that all our friends in the BVI and USVI stay safe.

Our prayers are with everyone in Irma's path.

I've been watching Irma over the last few days with growing fears for our beloved BVI. I've seen firsthand the effects from Camille (a Cat 5, 1969) and Katrina. The destruction was unimaginable - buildings, swaths of trees, etc., just gone, mostly from the storm surge, plus the wind.

For you folks there, don't take anything for granted. Get to high ground. My thoughts are with you.

Anegada's highest point - is less than 30 feet above sea level
Not where I'd want to be riding out any storm, much less this one

At 800 AM AST (1200 UTC), the distinct eye center of Hurricane Irma
was located near latitude 16.7 North, longitude 57.7 West. Irma is
moving toward the west near 14 mph (22 km/h), and this general
motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn toward the
west-northwest tonight. On the forecast track, the dangerous core of
Irma will move near or over portions of the northern Leeward Islands
tonight and early Wednesday.

Reports from NOAA and U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft
indicate Irma continues to strengthen and maximum sustained winds
have increased to near 175 mph (280 km/h) with higher gusts. Irma
is an extremely dangerous category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely
during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a
powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles
(220 km).

Much as I hate to say it the fate of the BVI hinges on when this turn occurs. If it's a bit early and we get a 45 mile miss distance this will be a bad dream. If not it may turn out to be a nightmare. To all my BVI friends hoping with all I have for a turn soon!
G

Good luck everyone - stay safe and don't go out -

So many friends yachts on the docks, Nanny Cay Irma preparations

https://www.facebook.com/nannycay/photos...e=3&theater

Praying for everyone. Stay safe

Tuesday am and its just gone 175mph

Donna, Sydney and I are thinking about you guys, good luck and stay safe! by the way, saw your guys working hard around the construction site, are you all secured up now?

That thing is a monster. Stay safe, Nick. At this point all I can do is offer my thoughts and prayer to you and Monzi. What are your plans? Is there somewhere with a stoutly-built place in which you can shelter?

Hoping everyone goes; concerned if the school will be a safe place if storm surge? Worried for everyone.

Hello Nick. Have you ridden out one of these before? Take Care!

The reef to the North and the Island itself has a long history of protecting those in the Settlement from anything from the North. The real risk is anything sustained from the South. Sustained massive seas from the South at likely not in the cards from this one. At least those on Anegada are safe from mud and rock slides and the sudden torrent of a mass flood.

Stay safe,Nick. Praying for you. Hope to see you in October.

Latest projectons keep moving the track south so it could pass between Anegada and North Sound. North and east shores will catch the worst. North Shore from Joshia's to Smuggler's will catch it full in the face with 100kn+ winds. Looking a 10-12' surge over a 1.4' high tide and 10 to 12' waves on top

I just read this AP release, hopefully it's a quote from a couple days ago and she's changed her mind...

"Vivian Wheatley, proprietor of the Anegada Reef Hotel, planned to stay behind. She said she would stay in one of the hotel rooms and take advantage of the generator since there were no guests "We know it's a very powerful (storm), and we know it's going to be very close," she said. "Let's hope for the best."

Re: cistern water..the only concern at a beachfront house like ours is from saltwater spray onto the roof and into the cistern. Not having gone through a storm this big with CRC before it will all be a learning experience!!I will report what I know when I hear from Jim after the storm passes. We are praying he is rounding up our cat now and getting her to safety..

Speaking of Anegada, anyone heard from Walker?

Peter of Wonky Dog plans to ride it out too.

I believe Walker and Nancy bailed this morning. I hear their house in Houston came through OK but still, two hurricanes in 10 days??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Really good job getting the canvas off MOST of the boats. Sadly those boats are way too close together with many remaining in the slips unprotected from anything real that might show up from the south. They may be good to go for a North blow but any real wind and surge from the south will end up with at least most of the boats piled up in the back. When one goes, they all will go like dominoes.

https://www.facebook.com/nannycay/photos...e=3&theater

Walker & Nancy did get out of dodge this morning .

Yes, can't imagine it.

I don't blame BVI Pirate and his wife for leaving. Irma is one big storm. I hear some my be staying on Anagada and I don't doubt their choice,they have actual experience to draw from. But I do hope they will be fine as they ride this out.

Huge relief to know Walker and Nancy left..I'm sure they are at their place in Long Bay..stay safe everyone..

All the best to Kelly w A Belly riding it out on Anegada.
Scary.

Hope everyone stays safe.

Good morning, I hope you are safe first and foremost!!! We are to be heading to BVI's on the 15th. What are your thoughts? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Now 180mph sustained. How much bigger can this get! I don't think my villa will be sustain this.

Jose just forming behind. Shouldn't be as powerful but it could dump more rain at the weekend. Definitely not what's needed right now.

Unless the path miraculously moves you really don't want to visit on the 15th. It will be better described as devastation than storm damage if a full on hit by a cat 5. Recovery will take a long time.