A little girl cries as she views what is left of her home in Portland Cottage, south-east Clarendon, after Hurricane Ivan ravaged sections of the island. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
AS THE 2006 hurricane season settles upon us, it is only natural that thoughts return to storms of the past. Many of us have heard of the infamous Hurricane Charley or as older folks put it, the 1951 storm. And noone would like a repeat of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 or 'Gilbert' in 1988. Many of us have memories of Hurricane Gilbert, but all of us remember Hurricane Ivan.
As the Office of Disaster Preparedness Management goes into overdrive and citizens try not to repeat past mistakes, Lifestyle shares a few recollections of past storms.
Toddler at the time
IN THE year of Hurricane Gilbert, I was still a toddler, so since then, most of the memories of that storm have been lost to me over time.
One thing I do distinctly remember was watching with my mother and two brothers as my father ran outside during the eye of the storm to pluck coconuts from a tree in our yard. It had been blown down by the heavy winds.
I found it most exciting to see my father struggling against the winds to return inside after overstaying his welcome.
Then, I didn't understand the inherent danger, but in a three-year-old's eyes, it was funny to see daddy wobbling and almost toppling over while juggling four or five coconuts.
Now that I'm older and understand that he might not have made it inside in time to escape danger, the memory is no longer pleasing.
Still, the coconut water and jelly made lovely treats for all of us.
- Tesi Johnson
That breadfruit tree across the driveway
THE MEMORY that stands out is of the breadfruit tree in my next-door neighbour's yard which blew down and fell towards my father's jeep. Their driveway is at a higher level than ours so instead of breaking the windscreen and causing irreparable damage, it never hit the vehicle at all.
Their driveway stopped the momentum of the tree so it landed just above the jeep. It worked out to our benefit because the leaves and branches blocked other debris from falling on the jeep.
Yeah, it was exciting because that was my first hurricane and I wanted to get the experience of being in one. I wasn't afraid. I felt safe in my home and my parents made all the preparations.
Furthermore, I love to see rain, don't know why exactly but I do. To see it coming down in mighty force with the trees going to and fro in the breeze was fun to watch.
-Daviot Kelly
