Here we go again...



From http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/:
"HURRICANE GUSTAV INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 5A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
800 AM EDT TUE AUG 26 2008

...GUSTAV A LITTLE STRONGER...NEARING THE SOUTH COAST OF HAITI...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM BARAHONA IN THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC WESTWARD TO LE MOLE ST NICHOLAS HAITI. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE NEARING COMPLETION.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HAITI FROM LE MOLE ST
NICHOLAS TO THE NORTHERN HAITI/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BORDER.

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF LAS
TUNAS...GRANMA...HOLGUIN...SANTIAGO DE CUBA...AND GUANTANAMO. A
HURRICANE WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA. A HURRICANE WATCH
MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

INTERESTS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN CUBA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GUSTAV.

GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR...AND
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A TURN TOWARD THE
WEST-NORTHWEST AND A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED FORECAST ON
WEDNESDAY. ON THIS TRACK THIS HURRICANE SHOULD MOVE OVER
SOUTHWESTERN HAITI LATER TODAY AND NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF
EASTERN CUBA ON WEDNESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 90 MPH...150
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GUSTAV IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. THE HURRICANE COULD BECOME A CATEGORY
TWO HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL IN HAITI LATER TODAY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70
MILES...110 KM.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE
RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS 981 MB...28.97 INCHES.

GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7
INCHES OVER SOUTHERN HISPANIOLA AND JAMAICA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM
AMOUNTS OF UP TO 15 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS MAY PRODUCE
LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS
CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES
LANDFALL.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
1100 AM EDT.}

Now, I wonder... will we hear that another set of fishermen decided to remain on the cays or put out to sea from the mainland, despite all the warnings about this hurricane?

I hope all of them have started coming in before the seas get any worse.

Here's a map of possible paths. Worst case for JA is it clips Mo Bay.

Tired, try using your enegry in a positive direction, rather than passing judgement - pray that the residents of Treasure Beach are spared great hardship and loss of life from this hurricane.....
For right now they are tying down their roofs and storing wata....
Jah protect all in the path of Gustav

We had a bit of a shower this afternoon. It is partly cloudy right now, but basically normal for this time of day. The sea is getting more rough as the day goes on.

I'll keep you posted as usual.

Jah Know,
I have seen enough instances of such insanity from fishermen in the recent past - choosing to remain on the cays despite every effort to get them to vacate. Then, as happened last year, when the fury of the hurricane is upon them on that little spit of land, with hardly anything to hold onto, they start calling for the emergency services to come to their rescue, which would put the lives of the rescuers at unnecessary and unconscionable risk.
The best use that can be made of positive energy at this time is to get out of potential danger as soon as possible... before it's too late.

The stars were out in full force last night. Woke up to a pink sunrise. Whispy clouds are covering the sky but so far the sun is shining through. The sea is actually quite calm right now.

They are saying Gustav will be visiting us starting later in the evening. So far, they are predicting, basically, the same path as Fay. It looks like we will get more rain and possible a bit more wind than Fay as Gustav is moving so slow. We are all watching to see what happens once Gustav enters the Caribbean waters when leaving Haiti.

For a good NASA animated map of weather in our region: http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeseasthurr.html

Needs Windows Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 3.

Thinking of yard and hoping all goes well.

The sun is still shining. It is, however, getting hurricane hot. No breeze and the sea is very calm.

We had about 4 drops of rain this afternoon. I did hear there was massive rain in Southfield and Junction about 2 hours ago.

The stars are out and all is still peaceful. If you look at the weather.com satellite of the Caribbean it sure looks like Gustav has moved to the south of us. I hope and pray there are no fishermen at sea in the middle of that big red blob showing up on the satellite.

Well, it seems my message of last night was prophetic. Gustav is heading our way right along the South Coast. We were all ready for the tropical storm as of last night, but are now boarding up and getting ready for a hurricane.

The sun is shining, whispy clouds and very still air.

I'm off to the hardware store!

Here's the new projected path. These hurricanes can't seem to stay away from TB. Hang in down there and stay safe!


From http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/281111.shtml?:
AT 8 AM EDT...1200 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR JAMAICA.

AT 730 AM EDT...1130Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 75.6 WEST OR ABOUT 80 MILES...130 KM...EAST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 170 MILES...270 KM...SOUTH OF GUANTANAMO CUBA.

GUSTAV HAS BEEN MOVING LITTLE DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS BUT IS EXPECTED TO RESUME A MOTION TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH...9 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY AND TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST ON FRIDAY. THE CENTER OF GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PASS VERY CLOSE TO JAMAICA LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 70 MPH...110 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY.

THE LATEST CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 988 MB...29.18 INCHES.

GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES OVER HAITI...JAMAICA...AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 25 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.

Greetings,

As Rebecca reported last night, it appears that Gustav has shifted and will now pass south of, but very close to, Treasure Beach. The possible good news is that the storm is not projected to develop hurricane force winds until it has cleared Jamaica. I hope they have that part right.

Everyone in Treasure Beach stay well and dry,

Peyton

Our thoughts are with you and will have everyone on speed dial to check in.

Shauna

As of 11AM JA time:

Gustav is now forecast to go over land of south coast


Hanna just formed, not a danger to land

keep safe
in my thoughts
jah protect
dts

All of our friends in Great Bay, stay safe! We are thinking about you.

Following Gustav on Go Jamaica radio from my home in Spain as it moves closer to Jamaica. It's 1AM there now & I sincerly hope everybody is safe indoors & prepared for the storm. Keep safe all our friends in Treasure Beach & keep safe Jamaica. One love...Kim

Take care south coast folks!

Keep safe, everyone. You're in my thoughts and prayers.

The sky is getting darker and there is a small breeze blowing. No rain yet. We are hearing reports of the parish of Portland already receiving lots of rain and high winds.

I've been driving around all morning and everyone is preparing. Windows are boarded up, roofs are tied down, boats are hauled up, etc.

Here is a photo of Calabash Bay taken about two hours ago. The sea is actually quite calm.



Here is the canal as of yesterday afternoon. Let's hope it looks this way in 48 hours.









I'm now off to duct tape my doors!

The wind is definitely picking up, but not too tough yet. I just got a report from Kingston and it is raining a little bit there and the winds have increased significantly in the last 30 minutes.

The latest on NOAA says Gustav has changed course again! They now project him going more towards the north coast.

I've heard all boats are in from Great Bay, Billy's Bay and Frenchman's Bay. However, Noah and crew (total 5) are still out from Calabash Bay. They are not expected until tomorrow. The sea is still very calm and with Gustav heading north once again it looks better for the South Coast. Let's all hope and pray for the best.

Lots of folks are still on the Cays as Gustav only made his turn for the South Coast earlier today. Again, with this latest change they should be all right.

Current is on but has started to flicker a bit. I'll keep you posted as long as possible.

Rebecca, as usual, your reports are greatly appreciated. Thank you sincerely.

What a beautiful Gustav sunset . . . still no rain and a gentle breeze blowing.

i can't seem to get thru on the phone lines so something must be going on.....i hope all is well and my thoughts are with you all ...

Land, Digi, and CWJ Cell lines are still up. Maybe the network is just really busy, so keep trying.

It's just now starting to rain, just a light rain with I would guess 20 - 30 mph winds.

8:00 pm news reports tell how lots of rain is falling in the parishes of Portland and St. Thomas with flooding and roof tops blowing off. Another report said Kingston is experiencing 50 mph winds.

Current has gone off a few times, but has come right back again.

All for now.

Hope everyone is safe and well so far, we will be praying for you guys back home... Thanks a lot Rebecca for keeping us posted as always.

11;54 PM. I was listening to Power 106 FM when someone from Treasure Beach call and said everything
is fine ,not much going as for as the effect of the hurricane ,well i hope that true and i wish all the best for the people of Jamaica GOD BLESS.

UPDATE FROM 11PM Thursday Jamaican time

From http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/:
WTNT32 KNHC 290231
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV ADVISORY NUMBER 17
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
1100 PM EDT THU AUG 28 2008

...CENTER OF GUSTAV CONTINUES SLOWLY WESTWARD ALONG THE SOUTH COAST
OF JAMAICA...

HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CUBA...FOR THE
PROVINCES OF ISLA DE JUVENTUD...PINAR DEL RIO...LA HABANA...AND
CIUDAD DE LA HABANA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN
36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF
GRANMA.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF
MATANZAS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS.

INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN CUBA SHOULD CLOSELY
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GUSTAV.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.3 WEST OR ABOUT 35
MILES... 55 KM...WEST-SOUTHWEST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 275
MILES...445 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN.

GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR. A TURN
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL PASS NEAR
OR OVER WESTERN JAMAICA TONIGHT...MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS FRIDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT...AND APPROACH WESTERN CUBA ON
SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...110 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND
GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE FRIDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 988 MB...29.18 INCHES.

COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS
CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS IN THE HURRICANE WARNING
AREA.

GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO
12 INCHES ACROSS JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...WITH ISOLATED
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 25 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS WILL
LIKELY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHERN
CUBA. RAINFALL WILL BE DIMINISHING OVER HAITI TONIGHT...WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE.

REPEATING THE 1100 PM EDT POSITION...17.8 N...77.3 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 7 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...70 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...988 MB.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 200 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500
AM EDT.

Yep, nothing much happening. Very little rain or breeze.

Oh, but I am currently winning in Rummy.

It is raining pretty heavy now and has been for about the last 30 minutes. The rain is falling almost straight down as there is very little breeze. I can tell by the direction of the rainfall, the eye has passed us over.

Electricity is going in and out quite regularly now, so I am signing off until next time.

Oh, and I lost the second game of rummy.

Good night everyone.

Hope everyone is doing alright, staying safe and dry. God's protection to all.

LATEST NEWS
*Decreased winds
*The eye will leave Jamaica within hours
*Possibly strengthen as it goes out to sea past Jamaica.

From http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/:

AT 200 AM EDT...0600Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV WAS
LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF JAMAICA NEAR LATITUDE 17.9
NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.7 WEST OR ABOUT 60 MILES...95 KM...WEST OF
KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 255 MILES...415 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF
GRAND CAYMAN.

GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 8 MPH...13 KM/HR. A TURN
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL LEAVE
JAMAICA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS LATER TODAY...AND APPROACH WESTERN CUBA ON SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 65 MPH...100
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS...AND GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER
TODAY OR TOMORROW.

As of 3:30 a.m., we still had a computer connection to Treasure Beach; at that time, Gustav was about 10 to 15 miles away from them. It should have passed over Negril about an hour ago and is headed to the Caymans and Cuba -- where it is expected to pick up speed and be named a hurricane. Early reports say it remained a tropical storm while over Jamaica with sustained winds of 65 mph -- plus higher gusts -- and dumped 5 to 10 inches of rain in its path. My guess is all is well in TB, and no one will need to water their plants today.

Thanks for keeping us posted. Hope all is well.

Good morning everyone, and so far it is a good morning. I've been for a walk around the Calabash Bay area and I see no major damage. The sea is high, but the waves themselves are not too bad. We've had a steady rain since around 2 this morning and the winds are I would guess around 50 mph with gusts of up to 70. No torrential rains, so I do not see major flooding yet, but again, I haven't ventured far. The canal has water in it, but not so much.

Reports I am getting from folks are all good. The electricity went out around 4 this morning, but all the phone lines are still up. Thankfully, I could still remember how to use dial-up!

I just spoke with someone in Kingston and they said it is still raining, but the winds are subsiding.

As I stepped out on my verandah this morning and looked around, I remembered the horrible sights I saw the morning after Ivan with so many roofs gone, trees down, etc. I felt very grateful and thankful this morning, and I'm sure there are many who share in my sentiments.

We continue to pray for those out at sea and wish for them a safe return home.

A heartfelt thanks to you Rebecca. Keep up the good work.

Much Respect

Thank goodness. I am so glad TB appears to have been spared the worst of this storm. Everyone is in my prayers.

Any photos?

Thank you so much Rebecca for the latest updates on Gustav.

Just got a phone call from Rebecca. Land lines and Internet are down, so she had to phone her report in to me.

Overall, the situation is good.
No trees down, no roofs gone, no reports of injury.

Current (electricity) is down.

She and Nickel took a drive to survey damage. However the rain is so heavy that they could not see very well and only saw between Sandy Bank and Frenchman's before they decided it was too dangerous to be on the road.

But cell phones are working and no one is reporting any major problems. Everyone is just waiting out the rain right now.

The rain is a the biggest concern right now. It's been coming down in buckets for the last couple of hours. Kingston reports that their rain is lighter, so hopefully it will let up in TB soon as well.

The areas that always flood (in front of May Day, Golden Sands, etc) are starting to fill up. Great Pond is still OK and the canal is as well. Though if the rain continues it will be a concern.

The sea is very high.

From what they are hearing on the radio it seems St. Bess people were very prepared for this one in the wake of Ivan and Dean. POrtland and other eastern parishes are reporting roof damage, etc. No reports of deaths from any part of the island.

Wishing for the continued safety of all in the path of Gustav,
-Eric

Another quick update:
All fishing boats and the men aboard are confirmed as safe. Some are anchored on the bank waiting out the storm, but all have been accounted for.

-TBNet

It is now 12:30pm here. I am in Mandeville and the rain is still comming down in buckets and have not let up at all. Seeing that the rain is so heavy in Mandeville at this time, I anticipate it will be like this in Treasure beach for at least another 4-5 hours, because of the speed at which Gustav is heading.
We still have electricity in Mandeville and internet, land lines and cell phones are still up. I was just out and did not notice any flooding or any damages. I know that I am not in TB, but at least you now know what it is like at this moment.

Land lines are back up which means so is internet!

The rains have eased off a bit in the last hour, but it is still raining.

Here is a photo of the sea in front of Villa Ja Ja at Old Wharf Rd. This was taken around 11 this morning.



Here is our roving reporter in his own fashion designed rain gear . . .



And then there is the dedicated TB United team practicing. A little rain won't stop them!



It was during this drive the rains really started to come down, so I couldn't get any more photos. I should be able to get more later.

2:30pm - Just lost power in Mandeville.. Land Lines and internet is still up. Power is off though.still raining, seems to be getting lighter,but stillraining. I am now on generator power.

Thanks for the updates, maurhar.

Are there other web sites you (or anyone else) are checking with up to date info on the storm?

Hang in there and keep dry!

-TBNet

4:00pm Power is back on in Mandeville.

Some websites that I use are as follows:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/

Power 106 link from go Jamaica.com

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/at200706.public.html

Also on www.msn.com there is a link to gustav which shows a bridge that washed away in Kingston.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26451955

thank you rebecca for your hard work and thank you for venturing out and taking photos when most jamaicans are staying indoors out of the rain.....

Thanks TB Net, Rebecca, Eric & Mauhar (in Madeville) for keeping us updated with all the news of what's happening. Good to hear that the force of Gustav seems to have passed over TB & St Elizabeth without causing too much devastation. Lets hope it's the same in the rest of JA, Cuba and the Caymans. Here's hoping Hanna will also blow herself out before reaching the Islands. One love, Kim

Gustav is still very much amoung us continuing to pelt us with rain. We had a 30 minute reprieve about an hour ago, but the rains have started again. Very little wind - but loads of rain.

Nickell and I ventured out around 4:30 this afternoon to try to take a few more photos. The first photo is relatively clear and then you will see very gray photos as the rains came down on us again.

We did manage to get into Great Bay. The roads are flooding out in spots, but at 5 (YIPPIE!!! Current Just Came Back!!!!)they were still passable. I am very happy to report the new roads are holding up well with the road to station still in great shape.

I am quite concerned about the canal. Lots of muddy water running into the sea and lots of water from the canal running into Great Pond, just what is not needed.

We did not get down to Frenchman's or Billy's Bay but I have heard the water is high on the roads in the usual spots.

I just spoke with a friend in Kingston and he said the rains have slowed way down. Let's hope we experience that soon.

Ahhhh, that fan feels good!

Check out the photos in the Photo Gallery.
http://treasurebeach.net/guide/pg/gallery/

After several interuptions in my sleep to mop up and wring out towels shoved under doors due to heavy rains during the night, I am very happy to say I woke up to patches of blue sky!

We've not had any rain since around 3 this morning. It is overcast, but it doesn't look like any more rain will be falling - thank God. The waters are already starting to subside and traffic is moving around.

Gustav stayed with us a while, but fortunately, he is leaving us now.

I've heard there have been 11 deaths reported in Jamaica due to Gustav. Once again, I believe our experiences of the previous few years have taught us on the South Coast to prepare thoroughly and well. As a result of this I, so far, have heard of little damage and no loss of life.

But that canal . . . we were fortunate this time the rains ended when they did, another day of rain and we would have been in serious trouble. Now the government will be fixing downed bridges and road damage caused by Gustav. Will that be the new excuse as to why this canal cannot get finished? Will it take another major disaster to have work resumed?

it there any new pictures after the storm, is everyone okay out there, especially in the treasure beach area. very worried!!!!!!!!!!!

We are all drying out and getting back to normal today. The sun is shining and a lovely cool breeze is blowing. I took a few photos of flooding yesterday, but understand even these waters have receded a great deal today. The sea has calmed down and although lots of sand was taken away again, it was not as bad as in storms past.

All in all, I would say we've been very fortunate as Gustav left only a small mark on our beautiful community. The good news is, flowers are blooming and everything is exceptionally green and lush!

Our thoughts and prayers now turn to those still in the path of Gustav.

I should have mentioned, the first photo was taken just beyond Ashanti Bar entering Billy's Bay. The second shot is across the road from Trevor and Vimsie's Bar and the third is the entrance to Love Lane.

The following photos were sent to me by Annabelle Todd with these comments.

"I took these pictures on the eve of Hurricane Gustav. I've never seen
a 360 degree sunset until this one. One picture is looking west and
the other looking east over Calabash Bay fishing beach. I've seen a
lot of sunsets in my time but none have ever come close to this one."





We woke up to rain and a very overcast sky this morning. It looks like a bit of Hanna will be visiting us throughout the day.

The sunset pictures are the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen! They could win awards.

That is truly beautiful!! I soon come back!!