Essential Tips for Sailors And What I Learned From Hurricane Beryl
Hurricane season in the Caribbean officially starts on June 1st. As sailors, it's crucial to be prepared and know what steps to take if a hurricane is predicted to come close or hit where you are. Here’s my firsthand account and essential tips, especially after experiencing the extremely destructive and powerful category 4 Hurricane Beryl.
Firsthand Experience: Hurricane Beryl
I was about to post this blog about hurricane season when Hurricane Beryl started to form. Now, having made it through (both me and my boat are safe), I have to change a few things based on personal experience. Before, I wanted to provide information about the so-called hurricane holes (which I’ll still do at the end of this post), but I need to rewrite a few things I didn’t realize before. You don’t understand the strength and force of a hurricane until you’ve experienced one and seen the impact firsthand. Carriacou (which is part of Grenada) and the Grenadines of St. Vincent - all my favorite islands - are completely destroyed. No house is intact, most roofs flew off, boats got totaled, and the general damage is just unbelievable! Everything is gone.
Hurricane Beryl was exceptionally unusual, breaking several records. It was the strongest hurricane to ever hit the southern Windward Islands, with only two other Category 4 hurricanes ever recorded near Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. It was also the earliest 150-mph hurricane in any season and the farthest south ever recorded. Additionally, it was the first Category 4 hurricane to form in June in the Atlantic basin. Only three other hurricanes had reached Category 4 intensity before August. On its way to Jamaica, Beryl became the strongest July Atlantic hurricane on record, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. It also set the record as the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane, occurring two weeks sooner than any previously recorded storm.
Preparation is Key: Watch the Weather Closely
Monitor forecasts daily: Use reliable weather apps like Windy and follow updates from the National Hurricane Center (NOAA). Stay informed: Join local weather groups and VHF radio channels to get real-time updates from the cruising community. Join cruiser’s information groups for the different islands on Facebook. You’ll get firsthand information here, including the VHF cruiser’s nets on each island (net time and channel frequency). In Grenada, the cruiser's net is on channel 66 (international) at 7:30 am, it used to be daily.
Try to Avoid Being Near a Hurricane
Plan ahead: Know the typical hurricane paths and plan your sailing routes to avoid high-risk areas during peak season. With the effects of climate change, this is getting trickier than ever, since nothing is “normal” anymore. Our ocean temperatures are increasing so much that storms form earlier, faster, and intensify way more. The islands like Grenada, which were considered a safe haven during hurricane season, are now at a much higher risk of getting hit. So watch the weather and be ready to move if possible! The first choice is always to sail away if you can. Many boats sailed to Trinidad at the last minute, which I would have done too. If you can’t sail away, secure your boat and find shelter on land.
A Hurricane is About to Hit: Let’s Look at Different Options
Sail to a Safe Location and Anchor (Option #1)
Always have your boat ready to sail away if necessary : Make sure to always be stocked up on fuel, water and food. If a hurricane is predicted to hit where you are: don’t try to secure your boat there! SAIL AWAY and definitely make sure to be south of the eye! Hurricanes in the northern hemisphere rotate counterclockwise, with the strongest wind force being north of the eye, so you definitely want to be south of the eye with as much distance from it as you can get. Anchor in a safe place; there’s usually enough time to sail away, which a lot of boats did in case of Hurricane Beryl. There were more than a hundred boats migrating down to Trinidad on Sunday, June 30th, the day before the impact. When reaching a safe(r) island/bay, drop all of your chain and preferably lay out two anchors in the expected direction of the wind (southwest). Stay away from other boats if possible. The bay itself should have enough space, good holding (sandy or muddy bottom) and give protection from westerlies and southerlies - this depends on your location of course, but beware that the closer to the hurricane you are, the stronger the wind and surge from the south and west will be.
Take a Mooring Ball (Option #2)
Mooring balls are another option I myself have been using during Hurricane Beryl. My boat was on that same ball for a year now and I trust the owners, a Swiss couple and friends of mine, to check the ball frequently with divers to make sure it’s all safe even in storms. I have three strong double lines attached to the ball and it’s in a bay that is protected from all directions, only a little open to the east but there’s a reef and an island that protects it from surge from the open ocean. During Hurricane Beryl, it offered perfect protection from the west and south which is great! I had a trip planned and was by coincidence on the last plane out of Grenada before the hurricane hit. Leaving my boat was the worst feeling. I secured her as best as I could. Took all canvas down, double-checked the lines, but then I could only hope for the best and was lucky that my boat made it through without any damage (I only lost my swim ladder but that’s an easy replacement). If I didn’t have my trip planned, I would most likely have made the choice to sail to Trinidad to be as far away as possible from Beryl. If I had stayed in Grenada, I definitely would have taken an apartment like my friends did.
Sail Away and Ride It Out At Sea (Option #3)
Another option some sailors pick is to sail away from the hurricane as far as they can but instead of seeking shelter on another island they prefer to stay at sea and ride it out. It’s definitely an option but be sure to have enough distance from the hurricane and expect rough seas and strong winds. Batten down the hatches and go with the storm. It won’t be smooth sailing but the advantage is to be away from other boats or objects that might fly around or crash into your boat. The biggest danger is things/objects/boats crashing into your boat, causing damage or even sinking you!
Tie Off to Mangroves (Option #4)
Tying off the mangroves is something a lot of people, including myself, considered the safe option if you’re near a hurricane. From personal experience, I can tell you now: they only offer shelter if you don’t expect to get a direct hit and are south of the eye, where wind and waves are less strong. BUT: to me, it doesn’t make much sense to tie off to the mangroves since they did not offer any protection to the boats in Tyrell Bay in Carriacou, which got hit the worst! Most boats in the mangroves there are totaled, either severely damaged or sunk! In Egmont in Grenada, the boats survived without any damage (that’s what I heard), but the bay was so crowded with 40+ boats that if there was any more wind down there, they would have started to crash into each other and gotten severely damaged.
So I personally would prefer anchoring in a bay with not too many other boats and protection from the south and west. If you want to tie off to the mangroves: try to be bow into the wind, so tying off stern to or bow to depends on what direction the mangroves are facing. Wind will come strongest from the west and south due to the rotation of the hurricane, which circles counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere. My conclusion after Beryl is that there’s no such thing as a safe hurricane hole! If a direct hit is predicted, nothing can save your boat, so sail away!!!
Marinas, Concrete Docks, and Boatyards (Option #5, but I don’t recommend it)
Whatever you do, do NOT seek shelter in a marina or tie off to concrete docks! You might have that false feeling of safety in a marina and think tying off to the docks will be safe, but the strength of a hurricane is just unimaginable. Believe me, you do not want your boat anywhere near concrete or even wooden docks and definitely nowhere near other boats! That’s how you increase the risk of other boats crashing into yours. If they lose their mast, it might poke straight through your boat and you sink in the marina. If your boat is on the hard, you can only pray not to get a direct hit. Most boats on the hard in Tyrell Bay are totaled, even the ones with straps tied off to concrete blocks on the ground. So if you are there, splash your boat and sail away! If you are not there, hire someone to move your boat! Do not stay on the hard if that area is supposed to get a direct hit. Many people I personally know lost their boats that way.
If you must or prefer to go into a marina, I recommend securing a double berth to ensure enough space to tie off in a way that keeps the boat clear of the docks and other boats and pick a marina that offers shelter from the predicted wind direction and the surge. Many marinas in the Caribbean actually have policies requiring evacuation in case of a predicted direct hit, so they might make every boat leave and shut down the marina. (Depending on the marina and forecast).
During The Hurricane
Find Shelter and Secure Supplies on LandIn the case of Hurricane Beryl, which was a Category 4 hurricane, I personally would not stay aboard (unless I made it to a safe place like Trinidad in time). If you are close enough to the eye of the hurricane to feel the impact (which was the case for the southern bays of Grenada), you never know how strong it’ll end up being in your location, so leave your boat and find shelter on land. There’s nothing you can do in a Category 4 hurricane, so find a bay that offers good holding (sandy or muddy bottom) and protection from the expected wind and surge direction with your anchor(s) set in said direction and have all of your chain out. Take down all sails and canvas, tie down lose items and go ashore to find shelter on land. Even if your boat breaks loose and gets beached, I think that’s a better option and less damage than being in the crowded mangroves and getting hit by other boats or falling masts, or being near rocks and concrete docks. If you choose to stay aboard, keep your engine running and try to stay bow to the wind at all times.
If you choose to stay ashore, find a hotel or apartment that is robust and made of concrete! Take supplies: When you go to shelter on land, take supplies with you! Water, food, flashlights, batteries, and fill up pots and a bathtub (if there’s one) with water. Water will be shut off the evening before the hurricane hits (they announce it everywhere on the news, radio, VHF, online, etc.), and you never know when it’ll be back on. Even if there are water tanks at your apartment: they might get damaged or fly off, so make sure to have an emergency supply on water.
Electricity will most likely not be up and running during and for quite some time after the hurricane so make sure to prepare for that. I’m writing this blog post exactly one week after Beryl hit the islands and I know from friends - who are in the Grenadines - that they still don’t have electricity or gas (fuel) to run their generators.
Let’s List Some Of These So Called Hurricane Holes (For Reference Only)
Hurricane holes can offer some protection if you can't leave, especially if you're south of the eye, but they often become extremely crowded, increasing the risk of damage from other boats. Always consider your options and prioritize safety. Here are some recommended hurricane holes in the Lesser Antilles (from south to north), but these are not necessarily my recommendation based on my experience; it really depends on how crowded they get and if it’s a direct hit or further away from the hurricane (you would want to be south of the eye). So making sure they offer protection from the predicted direction of the wind and especially surge (which was not the case in Tyrell Bay, these mangroves are open to the southwest).
Grenada:
Egmont Bay: A well-sheltered bay with mangroves for securing your boat. The bottom is mainly mud, providing good holding for anchors with good protection from all directions deep inside the bay. Got crowded with 40+ boats during Hurricane Beryl.
Woburn Bay (Clarkes Court Bay and Hog Island): Depending on the location within this bay, you can find good protection from most directions with surrounding mangroves. The bottom is muddy, providing good holding for anchors. Some boats drifted in the bay of Hog Island but since the bottom is mud they just got stuck in the mud and could be freed the next day with no damage to their or surrounding boats!
Carriacou:
Tyrell Bay: Known for its secure mangrove areas but became overcrowded during Beryl, leading to boats crashing into each other. Despite being considered a hurricane hole, Tyrell Bay could not protect boats from the direct hit of a Category 4 hurricane. Most boats in the mangroves sank or got severely damaged. Most boats on the yard fell over and were totaled. Carriacou is completely destroyed.
St. Lucia:
Marigot Bay: Offers shelter if you make it deep inside this small bay - behind the reef and sandy beach - to be protected from wind and surge from the west. It is officially a designated hurricane hole with facilities to assist in securing your vessel. The bottom is mainly mud, providing good holding for anchors but the only place that would offer protection from westerlies is inside the bay with mooring balls only. You might be allowed to anchor and tie off to the mangroves there during a hurricane but the bay is tiny. There is also a small marina / dock. I have no personal experience about how well the marina and mooring balls are maintained and I would not stay in that bay to hide from a hurricane. If I was in St.Lucia, I might actually consider the marina in Rodney Bay, since it is protected from all directions - but you know my opinion about marinas during hurricanes.
Martinique:
Le Marin: A large marina providing good protection and equipped with hurricane preparations. The bottom is predominantly mud, ensuring good anchor holding. I personally would not go into the marina but find shelter in the anchorage inside Le Marin; there are also mangroves there if that’s your preference. Very open to surge and wind from the west and south so you need to tuck yourself in some corner that offers protection from these directions.
There are more hurricane holes on each island, but again, I don’t think any of them offer protection from a direct hit so I didn’t even want to list them all. Sailing away and anchor in a location that's not supposed to get hit is my personal recommendation.
Final Thoughts
Hurricane Beryl was a huge wake-up call. No island is 100% safe. Watch the weather closely, be ready to move, keep your boat in shipshape to be able to go on a longer sail out of the predicted hurricane area, and always be stocked up on water, provisions, and fuel. This is my fourth hurricane season in the Caribbean, and I’ve been through some severe tropical storms, but this was my first Category 4 hurricane this close to my location. It changed everything! What I used to think was a safe place, like the mangroves in designated 'hurricane holes', is not anymore.The aftermath of this hurricane is insane. Islands like Carriacou and the Grenadines are completely destroyed; there’s no water, electricity, or medical services.
I've set up a fundraiser, and with your generous donations, we were able to raise around $2063 USD. The amazing Hotel Laluna in Grenada has offered to double this amount to more than $4100 USD. Laluna works together with the government of Grenada to distribute the donations to the places and people who need them most.
Useful Links and Donation Options
Weather Apps: To stay up to date with the weather, I always use the app Windy as well as NOAA Hurricane Center.
Facebook Groups:
Grenada Cruisers Net (VHF, local weather information, and more): Channel 66, daily 7:30 am
I've finished my fundraiser, but there's still more money needed. If you would like to donate, please feel free to reach out to me for information about trustworthy options.
If you'd like to get official government information, here's the link for the Grenada government website and the link to the St.Vincent government website.
On a side note: Some of the pictures I used are screenshots from the YouTube channel WXChasing who shared live videos of the direct hit of Hurricane Beryl in Carriacou and also drone videos of the aftermath.
Other pictures have been sent to me from my friends on the islands or have been shared by others on social media.
Last but not least: this blog post is my personal opinion and experience and no official advice. Every sailor has to make up their mind and decide what’s best for themselves, their crew and boat.
Stay informed, stay prepared, and stay safe!
Kristina