Month: July 2024

We arrived at Port Clifton on Union Island three weeks after the catastrophic experience of the landfall of Hurricane Beryl. This island suffered the greatest destruction – more than 98% of housing was destroyed. We were here 9 years ago and it was very sad to see familiar places in such a terrible state. It was Saturday, and many residents were resting after a busy week of cleaning the city, but many were on “strike” – it turned out that the payments they were promised for cleaning the town were not fulfilled. I was pleased with the presence of the World Central Kitchen, which provided free lunch to locals, and the materials needed for restoration arrived by ferry, primarily tarps for covering the roofs (it should be noticed that it is now the rainy season and downpours occur every day). We also met volunteer sailors, primarily the family crew of the SV Flying Fish, who have been here for two weeks helping with water delivery and working in the World Central Kitchen. Kudos to them!

We wanted to devote one day to this magical place, but we stayed here for three days, we didn’t want to leave. On the nearby islands where people live, chaos reigns due to the past hurricane Beryl. And under the water, among uninhabited islands, there is peace and quiet: starfish lying on the sand like orders on the chest of the sea; green turtles slowly cut seaweed; tropical fish of different colors and sizes swim in pods and alone. We admired the underwater world for a long time and with joy. And we took a lot of things with us. Of course, digitally.

These days, the world celebrates Coral Reef Week, and we were excited to visit one of the most famous Caribbean coral reefs in Tobago Cays. We had been here in 2015 and enjoyed the vibrant beauty of the coral reefs. However, this time the underwater scene was quite sad—almost a lifeless population of corals in a desolate underwater space.

In addition to warming waters in the Caribbean (according to my measurements then and now, the water temperature in Tobago Cays has risen by 2 degrees, now reaching 29.5°C), this area was recently hit by Hurricane Beryl. Significant storm waves battered the barrier reefs, destroying existing corals.

I found in my archives photos of our visit to Tobago Сay in 2015 and put them here for comparison.

The global community should understand that rebuilding island communities must go hand-in-hand with restoring the biodiversity of coral reefs. Save the coral reefs—save the biodiversity in the coastal zone—save the source of life for island communities. Save beauty, and beauty will save the world!