Been there, done that.

The history of the hurricanes that this seagrape tree has experienced over the past 100 or more years is told in its shape. First knocked down by Gilbert in 1988, it established an architecture of resilience with limbs assuming the role of trunks embedded in the sand. But the force of the Melissa’s wind and waves, was still able to topple it from its base. Now to see if the hammocks can be installed without touching the sand, otherwise, a previous location may be deployed. 

Synonymous with Negril is its Seven Mile beach, and here on our property is one of two pocket beaches tucked in between the volcanic outcropping that defines the West End and its equally famous cliffs. 

Tapcon screws, West System epoxy and a new design has made the iconic veranda stronger than ever. It will be tested again. The memory of Melissa is fading fast, but of all the hurricanes, it will never be erased. 

Ready for Breakfast on a Sunday morning

A new awning is on the way to keep out the sun, wind and rain and the painter will start this week.

As expansive, yet intimate as ever before, the lawn leading to the small beach is waiting for weddings. In the meantime, the small beach and boat landing will be the new launch sites for the kayaks and the standup paddle boards with their easy accessibility. 

All the while, across the road where all the debris had been piling up, a front-end loader carefully removed it by nearly countless truckloads. However, its seven-ton weight was too much for the lawn to bear especially after all the rain in the past two weeks so it will be returning in January after an expected dry spell to take out the remaining stumps on the seaside. 

Until then, a reminder of Melissa’s ferocity will remain as an unwanted feature in the landscape, an impressive stump with a diameter of greater than three feet.

There are very few photographs of the property and the changes it has gone through over the past 150 years. The roundabout had been developing into a very reasonable succulent and cactus garden, but now the hunt begins again for new specimens that are present on the arid parts of this west coast location.  With nearly three weeks left to complete the restoration, we should succeed in making the house and property as welcoming as it always has been. 

Recovery Mode

It has been almost one month since the most powerful hurricane on record hit Jamaica and left a path of devastation almost unimaginable if it weren’t true. Here in Negril, a sense of purpose is the driving force to re-establish its rank as one of the most desirable destinations in the Caribbean. And here, at Llantrissant, there is no less of a drive to be ready to welcome our first guests at Christmas and the New Year.

Our ground crew numbers four under the watchful eye of Gary Bartley, whose energy and strength seem boundless. Considering that the entire property was littered with fallen trees and debris strew by the waves and winds, Gary and his crew have nearly restored it to its previous pristine condition, albeit, with the loss of the lush vegetation and attentive planting by my wife, Cherry, whose love of gardening has held strong despite Melissa’s blows. She has recovered nearly all of the orchids! 

Reconstruction

All of the local hardware stores have an abundance of lumber. Pictured below is Samuel’s lumber yard. 

The first two days of the veranda reconstruction which began within four days of our arrival were very productive. Under the very competent direction of Vincent Bloomfield and his crew, the veranda roof was brought to a level with construction risers.

All the years of restoration and maintenance of the house that required a tool shed brimming with tools and supplies really came into its own.    

Every disaster brings opportunities to improve and attempt to mitigate against the design flaws of the past. Here we have decided to elevate the bottom plate of the railing so that water will not have a chance to rot the timbers. Also, the joinery is being reinforced with West System marine epoxy, after being secured with Tapcon screws into the concrete and sealed with a construction adhesive. 

 

If all goes well, there will be a new posting by the end of the week showing how Vincent and his crew have succeeded in restoring the veranda to its former glory.

 

Randy, Trevor, Vincent and Randy

Stay tuned and start planning your visit. The banks, restaurants and supermarkets are all open and welcoming. Our staff has remained loyal and dedicated and is looking forward to your visit. 

It Could Have Been Worse

Facing the Brunt Force of the Wind and the Sea

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. 

 Even the bamboo shower enclosure survived, barely escaping the fallen seagrape tree. 

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. 

The Strength of the Back Staircase

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.