Hurricane damage to private islands prompts more itinerary changes

[TWELVEOHONE]

This item was written by Larry Bleiberg, former travel editor of Coastal Living magazine and The Dallas Morning News. Bleiberg is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

 

Christopher Stubbs, 69, shovels debris from a road in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene on Cat Island in the Bahamas on Aug. 26, 2011. CAPTIONBy Lynne Sladky, APHurricane Irene may be gone, but crews are working to repair damage sustained last week when the storm hit the Bahamas.

 

The private island of Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, will remain closed until Sept. 4, forcing three Carnival ships to miss stops there this week.

 

ALSO ONLINE: Many beach destinations are back in business

Holland America Line, which owns the island, said damage was limited and its horses, used for riding excursions, were uninjured in the storm. Over the next several days, repairs will be made to structures, vegetation will be replanted and beach erosion caused by the storm will be corrected.

[sail7seas]

I'm curious how they will correct beach erosion?

 

It's good to hear HMC will be ready to have ships call again as early as September 4. That's a good sign there could not have been huge damage.

 

[momatibm]

Sail,

 

They've called in beach replenishment firm to come in and replenish the beach. Similar to what is done along the Jersey Shore and in NYC and New England.

 

 

Elaine

[sail7seas]

It really interests me as we've watched HMC beach erode through the years we have been visiting there. When we first stopped at HMC the year HAL began using the island, the beach was considerably wider. Each storm has take feet away and it really saddens us to watch that.

 

When we were there in May, at high tide, the beach was quite narrow as I recall it.

 

[terkatz56]

I'm curious how they will correct beach erosion?

 

It's good to hear HMC will be ready to have ships call again as early as September 4. That's a good sign there could not have been huge damage.

 

 

:DMaybe they will bring in more parrot fish!

[CruiserBruce]

:DMaybe they will bring in more parrot fish!

 

My thought exactly!:D

 

Maybe pqay them more, or overtime!

[Cruzman]

It's expensive, but a sand dredge is required to replace areas that have been subjected to beach erosion.

[Himself]

Itis good that HMC will be opened in early September

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad HMC will be up and running soon.

[kazu]

I'm actually surprised and impressed that HMC will be up and running this quickly.:)