Having personally gone through Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, my imagination had gone wild in the aftermath of Melissa. Yet, with the knowledge that the house has survived countless hurricanes over the past 140+ years, my hope was kept alive that it would still be standing strong as a testament to the skills of the craftsmen who knew what was needed to withstand the power of nature. With the use of solid timbers held together with mortise and tenon joinery and having the proper disposition towards the sea, the roof has remained. Another survival feature was the use of louvered windows or plantation shutters that allowed for the wind to pass through, dissipating and equalizing the pressure which kept the doors and windows from blowing in or out, or contributing to lifting the roof.
Here, one can imagine the veranda vibrating violently to the point that its posts and railings were eventually shaken loose. However, its roof never gave way, and not a single sheet of zinc was lost.
Fortunately, we have a good supply of cedar planks that will be put to good use in rebuilding the veranda over the next month.
Despite the continuous pruning of the seagrape tree throughout the year, it was not enough to keep it from toppling. However, it will spring back and continue to support the hammocks.
Overall, the landscaping has held up, although some of its features have been lost. The cotton trees remain the champions of resilience and protected the house not only from the direct force of the wind but also objects being carried by it. So far, only one coconut tree and a Royal palm were uprooted, the tops of the screwpine just snapped off their their fabulous root struts, and an almond tree in the driveway was toppled.
The Season Ahead
We fully expect to have all the damages repaired by the end of November and our staff will be welcoming back our guests from previous years, as well as guests who have been anticipating the well-deserved vacation that has been planned for the past year.