Thirty Years Ago on the Beach - #4 Gilbert hits

The radio was finished as apparently was Kingston.

The sky was darkening as the morning passed and a rhythm of rain and wind began. First wind and rain, then still, then more wind and rain followed again by more stillness. This went on and on, relentlessly.

The groundsman and his crew had done about all they could to get the property ready for the upcoming storm. The cook seemed in as good spirits as one could hope for considering the circumstances. There was now nothing left to do but wait.

The day grew darker as noon approached. The electricity went off. It was about this time that the strong winds began to sustain themselves. The rhythmic nature of the winds and rains ceased almost as if a switch has been thrown. It was time to close up our sea front villa and ride the storm out.

We lost track of time. The day was so dark it seemed like night. The wind was howling as the rain hit the shutters harder by the minute. As minutes turned to hours, we began to realize that all of us, the locals and tourists alike, were going to experience something that none of us had before!

The last hurricane that hit Jamaica was 1951. None of the locals were 37 yet so no one remembered Hurricane Charlie. The groundsman, being 35, remembered some of the stories he had heard growing up and related what he could about Charlie, but didn't recall all the details. None of this was making anyone feel better.

Every now and then the high wooden ceiling would snap with a loud crack! The wind and pressure were trying to rip the villa roof off. The groundsman decided to venture out to make sure everything was holding. The door to the villa was on the opposite side of the sea. Upon opening, the door nearly ripped off the hinges. We held the door as the groundsman got as low as he could and made his way outside. The door slammed shut behind him.

Waiting for what seemed like an hour, the groundsman finally knocked on the door and we cracked it open. He grabbed it and squeezed his way inside without opening the door more than absolutely necessary. He was drenched and out of breath. We pulled him in the living room area and sat him on the leather couch.

Once he caught his breath, he explained that the wind was like nothing he had ever seen! The rain was blowing sideways, stinging his skin on any part exposed. The wind was blowing directly from the north and got stronger while he was outside.

When he got up to change his clothes, he let us know the roof looked good on all the villas. But the sea was beginning to get close to our front villa and we should get ready to move to the back villa if the water comes in.

Parts 3, 2 and 1
https://negril.com/forum/showthread....rt-prep-begins

Loving this, Rob, thanks for the memories!

I am trying to post each section in the exact timeframe in which it originally occurred.

Getting chills even though its sunny, still and 75F here in Chicago.