USVI-On-Line

What I've learned about hurricanes is to fear them and avoid them. There's nothing that would get me to go to the Caribbean during peak hurricane season.

We've been going to the Caribbean since the 80s. We heard hurricane stories and it made sense to stay out of the area during hurricane season. It's a relatively brief period. There are many months when hurricanes aren't even a possibility. It seemed sensible to avoid that time of year. If we were to go, the odds would be greatly against a hurricane hitting. But one of these years a hurricane will hit, and the odds are great that it will hit sometime between mid-August and the end of September. If I wanted to experience a hurricane in the Caribbean, that's when I'd go. I don't want to be in a hurricane on an island, so I'll do what I can to minimize the chances. Even if the island doesn't get slammed, there's the anxiety about canceling or not. And getting refunds. Or trying to get a flight out early. Or travel being disrupted in that part of the Caribbean.

These thoughts got etched deeply in my mind during Hugo. I remember watching the devastation on tv and thinking "Why would anyone GO to the Caribbean in September?" Our interest was especially keen during that one because a friend had recently moved to STX to teach school. It had sounded like a perfect job. But the hurricane and it's aftermath (mostly it's aftermath) were so traumatizing that he's never been back to the Caribbean. They're pretty serious business.

We did go to Virgin Gorda a few Octobers ago. My wife was having a significant birthday and wanted to spend it on VG. Weather was beautiful and I really loved being on VG in the depth of low season. So maybe October, but I'm still staying away in August and September. That leaves ten other months to fit in a visit.

And while we were all focused on Earl, there were a few other things that happened. A 14 year old girl died from a gunshot on STT. I didn't see any posts about her death and there was minimal news coverage. She was a local girl, not a tourist, and there was a hurricane on the way.
http://stjohnsource.com/content/news/lo ... m-released


Earl's going to pay us a visit here tomorrow. No need to go looking for trouble, it's coming to us.

There have been years when there was not a single storm in September but a storm in July. There were years when there were no hurricanes or even tropical storms.
There were weeks of rain in May or November and ash from Monserrat in almost any month many times.

Traveling to the Caribbean is a crap shoot at almost any time of year.

I think people should book a trip when they can; when it works for their schedule and budget and that they should always buy trip insurance.

You may never travel during hurricane season, but there are many that can only travel during that time and I know the people of the islands appreciate each and every tourist that they see in the off season (well, maybe not the whiners or complainers )

One never knows what will happen, I prefer to take my chances.

To each their own.

I've always lived in the Southeastern US within 3 hours of the coast. I've been through Hugo and Fran as Cat 2 storms. They are major business, but I won't avoid Florida, SC and NC during hurricane season, so why avoid the Caribbean? In fact, high season along the East Coast IS hurricane season. Our coastlines are just as likely to be hit as the islands.

I prefer the calmer Caribbean waters that July - October bring. Call me wussy, but the water is a tad too refreshing in January - April.

Lex respect your thinking and it makes sense for many.
We roll the dice and take the chance thats just how we roll. Last Sept we had awesome weather and the beaches all to ourselves. We shall see this time.

About the girl ya knew it would happen again, as if her life was any less important than that tourist. Got everyone on the board in an uproar. This would have gone unnoticed if ya wouldn't have posted it.

We alwasy come down sometime in spring and again in fall. There is something to be said about empty beaches and a much quieter island in September. We are due to come down 2 weeks from today and if this weather pattern doesn't improve it might be the first iffy trip in 5 years. But like others have said, the hubby's vacation schedule limits us as to when we can come down.

It's not just the hurricanes that can make your trip challenging. We have also been delayed getting home due to Sahara dust, sinkholes in the runway at STT and a "ferry strike".

I thnink the best advice is be informed....know the airlines rules on travel delayed by weather.....keep an eye on the weather and keep in touch with wherever you are staying in the islands. Plus the best rule is to keep stocked up on the RUM!