Carnage in the Mangroves UPDATE | Ep120

gofund.me/a4e7...
www.operationc...
Thank you to everyone who watched and commented on our last video. There's been lots of support for the brave people who told us their stories. This update is what happened next.
We follow the some of the sailors we featured in that episode down to Grenada where they have come to try and put their boats and their lives back together.
The attitude of everyone here is remarkably positive, and things are looking up for those in the mangroves too. Operation Cruisers Aid are doing a great job supporting with equipment and help on the ground so thank you to everyone who has donated and do continue to support their good work.
Thanks to all the people who appeared in this film and who gave us footage of their experiences in the storm. Some have their own GFM accounts:
Jason SV Inatosha You can find the full video that Jason shot on his YT page here; • Hurricane Beryl - Jaso...
He also has his own GoFundMe Page; gofund.me/6815...
Susie SV Spirited Lady www.gofundme.c...
If you want to see the excellent film 'Meraki' by Robert Edmonds you can find it here: • MERAKI: To do somethin...
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/ sailingfairisle

[@carltontweedle5724]

Thank you both for showing the world the truth about cruising. Most on a shoe string. No more words just tears.

[@JamesGangOutlaw]

By the time you realized you are going to say screw the rat race work your entire life you have quite working sold everything and bought a sailboat and that's my story

[@priscillachapman9145]

Thank you for filming this update. I did wonder about these people but thought I never would know anything else. Good on you👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🥰

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

The anoxic conditions in the mangrove mud builds up Sulphides .. hydrogen sulphide .. gives that bad eggs smell. .. washing down with fresh water or with a dilute bicarb solution might have helped limmit and arrest the sulphuric acid corrosion thats going on ... though i must admit thats the first time I've seen that sort of wholesale accelerated acid corrosion going on.. all the wiring and electrical systems seem to be completely shot. I hope her engine is salvagable. The situation for everyone must be desperate given the timing. The guy with the damaged mast should be able to pick up a section to match his that he can can splice in from a written off mast.

[@GilbertLoranger]

Thank you for sharing this story there is so much information that we do not hear about or see.

[@robertgranafei2781]

Brings back memories of Virgin Gorda after Irma in 2017. Except Irma was clocked at 200 knots plus. The damage was hard to imagine. My Hans Christian 48, Bravura, lost her rig but suffered little other damage. We were one of the lucky ones; there were only a handful. Best of luck to each and every sailor. May you be back on a broad reach soon.

[@svfairisle]

Was Bravura on the hard or in the water? Glad she came through

[@irisblume1132]

I have never seen such kindness and compassion as we have while cruising. This includes other cruisers, fishermen, local support, also that support to help the people on shore. While we escaped cyclones… we experienced tsunamis. I loved this heartwarming video. Thank you! Well done!

[@leeadams3477]

Anthony and Lou , really glad to see you are both safe and also really good to see Acor!

[@highvibe4839]

These stories are extraordinary, watching sailors sharing caring for each other and their boats is very heartfelt in such a traumatic, and I’d also say grief for what was once there homes and lifestyles. Well done Judy and Steve, you are both remarkable people extending your moral support.

[@teilchenbeschleuniger701]

boaties are resilient, otherwise they wouldn t be boaties. respect to see them built it up again this fast.

[@Jim-jh9bd]

A sailboat is a great way to live if you have nothing else. The one lady said she did not even have a working stove top just an oven BEFORE the storm . We watched a top sailing show get the shock of their life when they sold their boat and went to buy a house.

[@paulcollins9197]

Glad everyone made it

[@davidjacobs5266]

Great to see Jason is ok- met him last year in Spain. Love to help him from here but lost track of him. Thanks for posting these stories

[@anthonylander4606]

Thanks for this update. Some reassuring news for family and friends at home desperate to understand what has happened and what progress there might have been. There is still a long way to go for many.

[@jcfgh]

Thank you for covering this story

[@stevenlevstik1020]

Kindness!

[@hughburgess4168]

You guys are amazing. Just been watching Part 2 of your story and then the update. What you are doing so professionally is exciting many to sailing. Yes, the story north of Grenada is humbling and tragic. But it is no surprise to me that sailors bounce back…they are the most self reliant people I have ever met. Keep it going guys. You are above all the superlatives! ❤⛵️

[@svfairisle]

Thanks Hugh, means a lot

[@jonunya3128]

that Spirit is a beautiful boat.

[@highvibe4839]

I’m sure it was Riley and Elayna off lavagbonde that did an episode in the last 12 months - spent some time displaying and sailed with the boat builders in the U.k. I’m assuming they made that beautiful yacht Spirit, if my memory serves me.

[@svfairisle]

I didn’t know La Vag had been to Spirit Yachts. They are in Ipswich on the East coast of the UK

[@gregvaughn4286]

Great video. Thanks, Fair Isle.

[@kenfordjulien]

Am Grenadian I love this

[@kiteleyand]

Suzie's boat (Spirited Lady) should / could go back to Spirit Yachts for the repairs / refit. The problem is of course cost. That boat is most likely a $2 - $3 million build new. Perhaps Spirit could provide technical advice and consulting to some professional boat builders in the area and get Suzie's boat back to beautiful.

[@jennymauger]

Best one & all 🙏🏼🩵😇

[@damientelle]

thank for this update. i meet Jason in Le Marin a few days before he go south to stay in carriacou... inwas myself back from carriacou... and i have positiv news fron an other friend still in the mangroove (a J45) one boat more and he will be on the raw to activite the crash pump :)

[@svfairisle]

Thats good news. I hope in future help will get to cruisers in this sort of situation much quicker. Being stuck in that place for so long really is hell.

[@damientelle]

@@svfairisle i was myself "sick" to be blocked in europe and not able to go back there before november..... the crashpump is really something to stock in any marina / mooring.... in Jamaica we were able to find one within hours (with additionnal 3-4 hours to get it run.....) but the next day she was afloat. on this island they have it in case of floading and not really to salvage boat. but in south island, rain flooding are less common, so the locals don't keep'the same equipment in any case thank'to highligh to all of us the lacks in the first line of crisis response. somes peoples say these are only leisure boat..... no these are homes,lives and history of many peoples....

[@p8ulr3id]

The corrosive goop in the mangroves? Something I wasn't aware of. Please tell us more.

[@svfairisle]

Clive has give an account in one of the previous comments. I'm no chemist, but I know mangrove wood in Africa is prized for construction not just because it wont rot easily but its also impervious to insect damage. It's used for dyes and has masses of tannins in it. I guess that makes the water around it very acidic

[@Jim-jh9bd]

that and the the salt air and water on top . Anything that can rust corrode will even when protected with paint

[@SailingHollyBlue]

An uplifting update video - so nice to have been able to witness progress - just feeling for Susie of course… wish we could give her a big hug it must be so tough to mentally manage that alone….all the best to everyone. “Meraki” A Greek word meaning to do something with soul, creativity, or love; to put something of yourself in your work. If we could all live by this meaning we would certainly be a world of more of those happier and good-doing souls. ❤🦋⚓️

[@judyaslett6209]

We love watching your adventures in Greece ! What a great place to bring up your boys.

[@judyaslett6209]

We love watching your adventures in Greece ! What a great place to bring up your boys.

[@SailingHollyBlue]

@@judyaslett6209 that’s lovely! Thank you we truly do love it here 🇬🇷 ⛵️

[@Jim-jh9bd]

We have 2 people that live full time on board in our club . Looks to be world wide since by the looks of things not many have a plan "B"

[@paulgarfield4196]

Would be interesting to see how the insurance companies behave? Did you do a video about them recently?

[@svfairisle]

We are about to make a video about insurance our insurance broker has agreed to an interview

[@gerhardvanwaltsleben8944]

Lekker man lekker 🇿🇦

[@einarquay]

Steel folks.

[@yorkmarine66]

so much work to do

[@tomhaney5186]

Any updates on Paul Johnson's old boat Cherub?

[@edwardfinn4141]

Nice GGR hat! 3:08

[@HH-fr8xb]

What does GGR stand for?

[@edwardfinn4141]

@@HH-fr8xb GGR- Golden Globe Race

[@HH-fr8xb]

@@edwardfinn4141 cool! Thx, appreciated!

[@33eyeman]

Yep☺️👍🙏

[@charonstyxferryman]

About 60% of the total cost a new yacht is the interior, engine, electrics, plumbing et.c. Some yachties should consider gutting the interior, especially everything which can start a fire: Electricity, and propane fuel lines. Rebuilding should be in the order of importance, which is the basic needs: A place to sleep, a place to pee/poop, and place to make food. If the inboard engine is a write off, gut the inboard engine, and get an outboard, and the rest of it is sailing using sails, including sailing to the dock w/o an engine. It *is* possible.

[@dmitripogosian5084]

Sailing to the dock w/o engine is prohibited in many marinas, outboard is not very practical if you are over 35 feet. Lots of issues ...

[@KathyLongson-e3v]

Would love to hear about what is the plan for all the boats that are not salvageable..are there talks to help island get rid of boats/ debri that are being abandoned in the mangroves??… a huge expense to be left for the island to manage.

[@judyaslett6209]

This is certainly going to be a problem further down the line

[@ArtifexBarbarus]

Does anyone know what's become of Paul Ehrling Johnson's yacht "Cherub"? Seems to me like you could ask for no stouter boat to get battered by a hurricane in the mangroves of Carriacou...

[@johan8724]

That was a wooden boat he built long ago yes, wonder how that boat is now if stil there.

[@ArtifexBarbarus]

@@johan8724 ah, I meant the fiberglass boat he had in the KZbin documentary “The Sailor”

[@stuartdavies9519]

They should have run! No sense in staying! Politics? Run man run!

[@DennisMacdonald-r7d]

Wow

[@thepigwillfly5869]

I wonder if someone like Susie (@5:50) has insurance on her boat or if she will have to cover the complete cost of the restoration herself?? Absolutely devastating to have her home destroyed like that.

[@svfairisle]

Unfortunately not many of the guys in Carriacou could get insurance as most insurers consider it (quite rightly as it turns out now) as being within the zone that’s possible to get hurricanes. Our insurance states we need to be South of St George’s in Grenada so we weren’t insured when we sailed up to help either.

[@JamesGangOutlaw]

I need to go down there and help with my free labor and I'm a diesel mechanic hmm

[@svfairisle]

Any help would be welcome.

[@maritimetees2315]

Steve and Judy, I often wonder why the people that stayed with their vessels didn't head to Trinidad like you did? Did you ever ask the question? That Spirit vessel is worth a lot of money, and it sounds like there is no insurance.

[@svfairisle]

@@maritimetees2315 People had various reasons for staying, some just didn’t have the boat ready to be moved but in many cases is was an over confidence in the hurricane hole. People have had experience either personally or from others of being in the mangroves and riding out storms really well. The mistake is not understanding that a direct hit from a hurricane is a whole different story. I think what happened here is going to be talked about for years and will hopefully change people’s attitudes for playing dice with hurricanes, once you realise that a direct hit is not something you can survive unscathed no matter where you are or what you do very few people will choose to stay if they have the option to leave

[@MaShcode]

@@svfairisle100% correct. The storm surge from a cat 4 is playing Russian roulette with a boat let alone reinforced buildings. The storm force of water at oceanic scale devastates coastal infrastructure. The only option is to get out of harms way.

[@SuperChriscunningham]

So sad

[@thomasthornton5737]

😀😀👍👍❤❤❤

[@seanrhone5306]

I hope the person who owns Spirited Lady has insurance. It's going to cost a small fortune to fix her.

[@svfairisle]

Sadly Susie is not insured for the hurricane, very few people are as insurance companies don’t really cover them.

[@thecountryrose3633]

Does anyone know the make and model of lous new boat?

[@anthonylander4606]

Melody 34

[@aquious953]

Get a huge Mantus anchor. I bet most of these boats had undersized anchors for the situation. At least go up by 150% the recommended size, and you should never drag.

[@svfairisle]

Actually it had pretty much nothing to do with the anchors. Really in that situation all any anchors are doing is holding you off the mangroves that you’ve tied into. An anchor dragging would just end up with you pushed into the mangroves. The problem occurs when the wind is pushing you off. If the shore fasts break you then swing out over your anchors. If you have more than one then the chain/ rode will probably be tangled. Factor in several boats doing that together. In several areas of the hurricane hole dozens of boats broke free and swung out. Some were tied together so swung in odd ways. In any case all these anchors would be tripped from their set and would basically just be a large mass of weight that the boats were dragging around, they might just as well have been a bunch of breeze blocks at that point. When winds get to the sort of strength you have in the middle of a cat 4 hurricane you basically have no chance. Even if you are the lucky enough to be in the best spot with the wind blowing you onto the mangroves and are managing to be held nicely by your 3 well set massively oversized anchors what chance do you think they have of staying set when a dozen or more loose boats come blasting through the anchorage with several dozen anchors in tow taking out the whole of the sea bed in the mangroves like a monster plough pulled by a steam locomotive? The reason a lot of people thought it was okay to hide in the mangroves was that they had too much faith in their ground tackle and shorefasts which they had carefully spec’ed to deal with the worst. Well peoples imagination of the worse is just not bad enough I’m afraid!

[@j.saavedra1502]

Not to mention the enormous swell that lifted the boats before they were blown and dragged across the lagoon and back probably. From the looks of it, no boat was spared. Short of taking the mast down and burying your boat in a concrete bunker, no ground tackle will save you in the face of what looks like overwhelming forces of wind and water. It's heartbreaking to see the level of devastation. Thanks for sharing these stories.

[@NortyNige]

In Fiji they use e cavators and literally dig a hole deep enough for the keel with a bit of width for the hull. Do any viewers here have experience of such a situation? Just curious.

[@SailingHollyBlue]

Not sure even a Mantus would have held in that situation…we have two huge fortress anchors and a 33kg Rocna MKII for our 42ft Bavaria and that should be sufficient in most storms and anchoring situations but a hurricane at over 100mph in mangroves and swell with boats flying everywhere? No chance. Also suspect most damage would be down to other hits from yachts regardless of what you might have in terms of ground tackle.

[@stanleybest8833]

NICE. Did any boats get orphaned? Up for adoption?

[@svfairisle]

There will be many hurricane damaged boats coming on the market for sure. Probably most of them from the ones that fell over on land. It seems owners of those boats are being hit with ridiculous charges to even stand the boats back up. I think certain unethical companies there will make it impossible for those guys to repair their boats and they will be sold off for salvage

[@stanleybest8833]

@@svfairisle That's a shame. Brush the scammers aside. Someone should be refloating the boats and separating the abandoned ones and delivering the rest back to their owners.

[@svfairisle]

It's the boats on the hard that are having that problem, luckily the boats in the mangroves are being helped by other cruisers and they have some local fishermen that are being paid to help drag out the ones we cant cut free from the mangroves

[@svevergreen3370]

So what is this magic goop that they used underwater ?? I definitively want to have some onboard after watching this 👨🏻‍🦳

[@svfairisle]

There are many things you can use including stuff you might have onboard like 5200. Adiseal is probably best for a patch like this though. The wooden hull has the advantage of being able to tack the patch in place with nails. If you want an epoxy based goop that can be used underwater for holes / cracks in grp then Marine Tex is what people normally use.

[@svevergreen3370]

@@svfairisle oh ok but she said "goop" like it was something very specific haha just curious about what it was I am familiar with 5200 but not sure you can just pour it under water in enough quantities to make a seal :0