Before and After Dorian - The Beauty and Destruction.

Our story:
Back in June 2019, our original plan was stay in Marsh Harbour for a while to see if we liked it as a place to live. We were given an extraordinary opportunity to house sit for family friends through October. By the end of August, the week prior to the hurricane hitting we had made the decision to move there for a year or more, and with their help had figured out how to make a living remotely. We had even started looking at long term rentals. Our very generous introduction to what is in our opinion, the most beautiful spot in Marsh Harbour, had led us to not only get engaged on our friends' dock but also fall in love with all the local people there, as in the end, it is they who make the place welcoming and even more enticing than simply the sheer beauty of the landscape and crystal clear waters. We made a lot of friends very quickly.
We are well aware that what we lost to the storm was nothing in comparison to most. Our friends lost their home of a lifetime, memories and so much more. Thankfully, they were insured. Many others couldn't afford that luxury and have lost friends, loved ones and absolutely everything, including their homes, their ability to work and earn a living, schools, houses of worship, and somewhere to shop for clothes and bare necessities. For the less well off and the Haitian community who provided a considerable amount of manual labor in construction and maintenance, the fate was even worse. Many lived in shanty villages that were completely wiped out or washed away. A lot of the workforce have had to move to other islands to start again. That in itself will leave a big hole in the vital Abaco rebuilding workforce. With nowhere to live or school their children, they can't be there to help with those efforts.
The road ahead is going to be a very long one. Three months after the storm, according to those who have visited, the signs of improvement are almost non existent. No power, no water. The mountains of debris and misplaced boats remain, with the constant removal efforts barely making any visual impact. They're living in an apocalyptic scene. The task ahead is overwhelming. Much international help and generosity is needed for these communities to even begin to recover. This includes all the out islands as they have been hit just as badly if not worse, due to being even more cut off.
Temporary housing for workers, locals and even second home owners is vital on all the islands, as are the utilities. Massive debris removal of every home and business destroyed or damaged beyond repair must take place in order to provide property owners and planners the opportunity to rebuild their community in an organized and hurricane safe manner. Some owners won't return or be able to afford that expense thereby making the entire recovery process more complicated. On the up side, there is an opportunity to make Marsh Harbour an even more appealing destination, thereby enticing more holiday makers, many of whom live such a short distance away. And it's an opportunity to ensure that the buildings and infrastructure can weather the anger of ever more powerful storms.
I appeal to all who watch this video to seek ways to help the people of all the affected islands directly. There are many grass roots and charitable organizations doing this. Many can be found at this Washington Post link: wapo.st/2Lzhfqy. Please make the effort and perhaps consider a monthly donation if you can afford it.
Climate change is having a disastrous effect on all low lying islands around the world, especially those more prone to violent weather. Make yourself aware of it. These people are not the ones playing havoc with our environment, but they are paying the price of the careless and negligent actions of their larger neighbors worldwide. The seas are rising and the weather is ever more destructive. Please do your personal best on all counts.
Our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been affected by the hurricane.
Our considerable thanks must go to both sets of friends whose hospitality enabled us to experience the beauty of the island and to live through the storm to see another day. You know who you are. We owe you so much and love you to bits.
The music used in the video is from a 2007 Focus Features film I worked on with my dear friend and Oscar® winning composer, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek: Evening. I do not own the rights to this music. It was incredibly difficult to find a score that complimented what you're seeing without it being too dramatic, heavy or too light. I think this does the job perfectly, allowing for a sense of optimism at the end as well.
Thank you,
Christopher Kennedy

[@paulharding1536]

Gut wrenching to see all those gorgeous places simply, gone. Living further south in New Providence & watching that track we are since devastated at such loss. The wrath of Mother Nature has to now measured in a new category as 'Dorian' surely was a "6"? .... Well done on this production Christopher!

[@photoluminism]

Paul thanks. Yes I don’t think it’ll be long before they add a Cat 6 and it probably won’t be much different from what we went through. What is a little concerning is how many other low lying Caribbean communities are so vulnerable, with their wooden homes. And if everything is gone like in MH there’s nowhere for the workforce who are going to do all the rebuilding to live. The very wealthy (mostly foreign) will always find a way but for the soul of the community it’s much more of a challenge to start again when they have nothing. What we’re already seeing is an attempt by the haves to take advantage of the situation to get even more. Not a healthy situation.

[@Tiny_Island_Designs]

Now I understand why my friend Cathy wants to go back and repair...rebuild.