Perseverance and Pushing Forward - Recovering from Irma

The gorgeous island of St. Maarten is known for its laid back vibe, relaxing beaches and hot nightlife. A visit to this dual-governed entity (the north side is distinctly French, while the south side is a Dutch territory), is often described as two vacations in one!

But, things dramatically changed for St. Maarten and its residents on September 6th, 2017. Hurricane Irma ravaged the tranquil island. Buildings and infrastructure were heavily damaged. Winds up to 240 miles per hour (386 kph) ripped off roofs, downed power lines and destroyed homes. The hurricane caused approximately three billion dollars in damage, and dozens of people tragically lost their lives due to this incredible storm.

Sea TREK St. Maarten– a highly successful Sea TREK operation that has been in business since 2009– sadly, was not immune to the devastation caused by Irma. We asked Whitney Keough, co-owner of Sea TREK St. Maarten, about the storm’s damage…

 “We lost everything on the Sea TREK platform (a custom floating platform where Sea TREK operated)- it was floating but that was it.  The generator and compressor eventually worked – they were in the hulls, not on top. The helmets were everywhere. We did manage to get them and repair them. The boutique/office building, tanks, dive gear, remote air console, many hoses, manifold, TV, snorkel gear, etc. were all gone.  The customer benches were gone. Rebuilding the underwater track (raised underwater Sea TREK trail where guests walk) took 3 months, due to swells and bad visibility. Each piece of track weighs one ton, and we used 5000-pound lift bags. We also had to replace the handrails. Other dive shop operators volunteered to help with this. It was a very dangerous and difficult operation. Many times we had to stop and try the next day, because we had to be able to see around us, and see our team. Fortunately, our site enhancements were not badly damaged. The helicopter is almost all still there, the submarine is ok, and the King Neptune statue and canons were all ok. We lost some sunken boats, but we have plenty to choose from now to sink. We are still rebuilding our Tiki Hut tour, which was destroyed, too. This will take another few months and more money than we have, so we will ask help from family and friends.”

We asked Whitney how many days Sea TREK was closed due to this damage, and she replied, “From Sept 6, the day of the storm, until February 1, 2018.  Then, most of Feb and March, we had to cancel due to huge ground swell and bad visibility. We worked about 10 days in 2 months.”

CLEANING UP
Clean up efforts began almost immediately, with neighbors helping neighbors to clean up yards and streets and tack tarpaulins over gaping holes where roof sheets, or even whole roofs, used to be. Aid poured in from all over the world, and two major cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, also assisted by evacuating several thousand travelers and bringing food, water and ice to the island, while organizations such as 4Ocean joined forces to clean beaches and waterways. In one weekend, groups removed three tons (6,000 lbs) of trash!

In the weeks after the storm, the Dutch and American governments, various airlines, and other N.G.O.s donated more than three hundred thousand pounds of food, water, tarps, tents, and hygiene products. Dutch Royal Marines took over the airport, which was first built by the U.S. military, during the Second World War, and accepted only military and relief flights for a month. St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association helped distribute aid across the island.

Sea TREK had its own work to do to begin recovery. “My husband, Bobby, and what was left of our crew (many had to go find jobs to survive), did the rebuild.  It was 6-7 days a week and 8-10 hours a day. With the exception of one medical appointment for Bobby, he did not have a break- nor did the crew. We had some insurance, and my family helped, too, but it did not cover everything, so we will be digging out for some time,” shared Whitney.

RECOVERY
While there’s still work to do, St. Maarten tourism officials say that 88% of households have electricity. Restaurants and other small businesses are reopening. Both airports are fully operational and run around 60 flights a week from 12 airlines. St. Maarten’s cruise port welcomed its first ship in late December, with the arrival of Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. On the Dutch side of the island, around 80 percent of the restaurants are open, and 1,600 hotel rooms are available to book.

While many hotels throughout the island are still closed, the island’s attractions are operating, including catamaran cruises, diving and snorkeling excursions, zip lines, and of course, Sea TREK. Whitney and her staff are still working to not only repair damage, but to also make improvements; larger shaded area, better design for the compressor and generator areas, and bigger office, boutique and storage areas. 

We asked Whitney what her biggest takeaway has been from the challenging experiences Irma brought to St. Maarten, and to Sea TREK. She responded, “that you can never really prepare for a Category 6+ hurricane. And to be thankful for blessings we do have.”