The "I'VE NEVER SEEN TOTAL DESTRUCTION SUCH AS THIS!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Can't believe what I am viewing on my computer monitor.   TOTAL DESTRUCTION on the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten from the Category 5 Hurricane Irma.  So sad to see scene after scene of some of the most beautiful landscapes and seascapes in the world destroyed to the point of total devastation by the 185 mph winds and rain and not even being able to recognize the locations.  It has to be extremely discouraging to the good people of the island.  

The path of Hurricane Irma.  Click to enlarge.

But, after years of visits to the island and gaining many friends on the island known as "The Friendly Island," I should know better than to count them down and out.  They will rebuild and regain their island home once again, after having much the same thing happen to them in 1995 when Hurricane Luis stuck.  As I went through post after post on Facebook I didn't recognize many of the scenes, having to rely on the names  listed on the posts given to the different locations to realize what I was viewing on my computer.  Grand Case, Anse Marcel, Philipsburg and even Princess Juliana International Airport were barely recognizable and only because of my many visits to those locations did I realize what had happened to them.  Stills and videos of locations from all over the island brought tears to my eyes as I wondered how these people can survive all that destruction.  Carol said, "I hope Geraldine was able to get all her cats and dogs to safety as well as herself."  I wondered what might have happened to all the birds in the new bird sanctuary that we visited this past year as well as the butterflies who inhabit our favorite butterfly farm which we visit yearly.  We thought of friends Barbara and Dee and how they withstood the storm and whether Dee's beautiful garden filled with tropical plants and fruits had survived.  We were hopeful that our good friend and longtime realtor Magali had found a safe place to escape the storm.  And, we're hoping that we will be able to get hugs and kisses from Christelle who operates our favorite island restaurant, Le Piment.  Has Irma made it too hard for her to open once again?  And what about Pierre, our favorite waiter at Il Netuno.  We hope that he is safe and able to once again serve us when we return again to the island we have grown to love as our second home.  And ... we will return, for I just know that the strong people of this island will survive yet another storm and will return to normalcy as quickly as possible.  I will pray for all of them and wish them a quick recovery.  But, for now, the images I have in my head of the island's destruction are tough to forget.  I have included a few photos and videos that I find so disturbing of the devastation that the good people of St. Martin/Sint Maarten have had to endure the past few days.  You too will wonder what this island must have looked like just a few days ago.  May those who have suffered find solace and safety and those that have perished rest in peace.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Grand Case?

Perhaps another view of Grand Case.

Marigot.

Anse Marcel.