Half Moon Cay

[benchmarklearning]

According to John Heald on Facebook, HMC took a direct hit from Irene. :eek: He will update when he learns more about the damage. Hope all is well (plan to be there on November 5!).

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't belong to Facebook.

 

Hope we can get the updates here.

[IRL_Joanie]

Quote from Facebook:

 

John Heald

 

we are very concerened about Half Moon Cay as it may have taken a direct hit. No word for sure yet and I will let you know what I hear. One things for sure - I know you all love this slice of paradise so lets all hope it's OK

 

Unquote

 

Keeping our fingers crossed also.

 

Joanie

[CruiserBruce]

Notice he said may have. Reports from Nassau have that part of the island chain on the western, or somewhat (relatively) dryer side. Still pretty windy. That as of 8 am Calif time. The eye was near HMC at that time. Way too soon to tell.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvadore) is just to the west of Cat Island and to the southeast of Eleuthera. It would seem to me that it would have gotten a pretty direct hit in that area, but I could be wrong. Looking at the path, it appears to have gone directly over the little island.

 

The other consideration is, of course, storm surge since the island is particularly flat.

[IRL_Joanie]

Half Moon Cay (Little San Salvadore) is just to the west of Cat Island and to the southeast of Eleuthera. It would seem to me that it would have gotten a pretty direct hit in that area, but I could be wrong. Looking at the path, it appears to have gone directly over the little island.

 

The other consideration is, of course, storm surge since the island is particularly flat.

 

If I remember correctly, the last big hurricane(s) wiped out over half of the beaches. I'm not sure how much was lost as we did not go there until 2010.

 

I also remember reading that they had to completely rebuild everything as everything was totally destroyed:(

 

Sad situations no matter direct hit, storm surge(s) etc. It is all bad looking:(

 

Joanie

[eh2zed]

All boats afloat at Cape Eleuthera Yacht Club reported on Newsgroup via Twitter. May bode well for HMC. No doubt damage but maybe not catastrophic.

[sail7seas]

I'm worried about HMC losing more beach. Since we first started visiting there, it has been a very noticeable decrease in the amount of beach. When it is high tide, there's hardly room for the lounges.

 

The bougainvillea, which I Love, the hibiscus and all the gorgeous greenery etc will regrow. How do they get more beach? :sad

 

And what about the poor chickens? :eek:

First thing I'll check on when we are there in November, is Maasdam's canon. They moved the canon off Maasdam to HMC. Hope it survived safely.

[SwissMyst]

I'm worried about HMC losing more beach. Since we first started visiting there, it has been a very noticeable decrease in the amount of beach. When it is high tide, there's hardly room for the lounges.

 

The bougainvillea, which I Love, the hibiscus and all the gorgeous greenery etc will regrow. How do they get more beach? :sad

 

And what about the poor chickens? :eek:

First thing I'll check on when we are there in November, is Maasdam's canon. They moved the canon off Maasdam to HMC. Hope it survived safely.

 

Anyone else notice those huge piles of sand when you dock at San Martaan? - I think that is where they get their sand, if nature is not cooperating with their travel brochure sandy beach tourist needs.

 

Where I live in So California, we are constantly dredging sand out of the harbor and dumping it someplace else, due to the location of the artificial yacht harbor which interrupted the normal flow of sand up and down the coast.. Beaches come and go around here depending upon the weather and ocean patterns.

[IRL_Joanie]

Anyone else notice those huge piles of sand when you dock at San Martaan? - I think that is where they get their sand, if nature is not cooperating with their travel brochure sandy beach tourist needs.

 

Where I live in So California, we are constantly dredging sand out of the harbor and dumping it someplace else, due to the location of the artificial yacht harbor which interrupted the normal flow of sand up and down the coast.. Beaches come and go around here depending upon the weather and ocean patterns.

 

The "sand" at Half Moon Cay is not really sand. It is Parrot Fish defecation.

 

I KID YOU NOT!!! I asked this question while at HMC in December and that is what it is.

 

So transferring sand from somewhere else.... I do not think it would be the talcum powdery feeling any more if they did what you suggest.

 

Joanie

[benny salami]

:cool: Beaches can be repaired. According to The Independent {UK} Grand Turk may have escaped another Hurricane Ike disaster. Too early to fully access but Ike damaged 95% of structures. Grand Turk has a huge wild horse population that hopefully was spared.

 

As far as HMC there are no residents and all personnel fled ahead of the storm. We pray that both these great island escape major damage and loss of life.

[eh2zed]

Initial reports on Eleuthera Newsgroup is that there is damage but not catastrophic. Cat Island less known. HMC resides between these two. Won't be wonderful but maybe not real bad.

[sail7seas]

Wouldn't it be great if Carnival/HAL decided to dredge at HMC and build a dock the ships could tie up at. :)

[GeriatricNurse]

Wouldn't it be great if Carnival/HAL decided to dredge at HMC and build a dock the ships could tie up at. :)

 

That would be great! :) Something like Castaway Cay, the private island for DCL! :)

[Typhoon1]

Wouldn't it be great if Carnival/HAL decided to dredge at HMC and build a dock the ships could tie up at. :)

 

I would have to disagree Sail.

 

Doing that would destroy much of the natural beauty of HMC. Let's keep HMC intact and let Disney have their dock.

 

One thing I don't want to see is a bunch of concrete and steel.

[mudscraper]

The "sand" at Half Moon Cay is not really sand. It is Parrot Fish defecation.

 

I KID YOU NOT!!! I asked this question while at HMC in December and that is what it is.

 

So transferring sand from somewhere else.... I do not think it would be the talcum powdery feeling any more if they did what you suggest.

 

Joanie

WOW. We learn something new every day.

[IRL_Joanie]

WOW. We learn something new every day.

 

For your "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY I REPEAT-THIS IS AN EMERGENCY" edification Mudscraper!!

Although they are considered to be herbivores, parrotfish eat a wide variety of reef organisms, and they are not necessarily vegetarian. Species such as the green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) include coral (polyps) in their diet. Their feeding activity is important for the production and distribution of coral sands in the reef biome, and can prevent algae from choking coral. The teeth grow continuously, replacing material worn away by feeding. The pharyngeal teeth grind up coral rock the fish ingest during feeding. After they digest the rock, they excrete it as sand, helping to create small islands and the sandy beaches of the Caribbean. One parrotfish can produce 90 kg of sand each year

 

Research before you vilify please:rolleyes:

 

Joanie

[Hobbsey]

I would have to disagree Sail.

 

Doing that would destroy much of the natural beauty of HMC. Let's keep HMC intact and let Disney have their dock.

 

One thing I don't want to see is a bunch of concrete and steel.

 

Agreed!! The ships look so much lover at anchor off shore. The ecology of the Island is kept much more sound and intact without dredgeing a deep and wide channel and sinking piers and pilings.

[sail7seas]

I would have to disagree Sail.

 

Doing that would destroy much of the natural beauty of HMC. Let's keep HMC intact and let Disney have their dock.

 

One thing I don't want to see is a bunch of concrete and steel.

 

 

I agree but for all the times we have had to leave on a bright sunny day because they couldn't drop tenders. Maybe we'd miss fewer calls if there was a dock?

[Beebob1]

Wouldn't it be great if Carnival/HAL decided to dredge at HMC and build a dock the ships could tie up at. :)

 

Does Carnival/HAL own the island used or is it leased? Disney bought their own island.

[HeatherInFlorida]

The "sand" at Half Moon Cay is not really sand. It is Parrot Fish defecation.

 

I KID YOU NOT!!! I asked this question while at HMC in December and that is what it is.

 

So transferring sand from somewhere else.... I do not think it would be the talcum powdery feeling any more if they did what you suggest.

 

Joanie

 

Okay ... now this is the most fascinating piece of information I've seen in almost my entire life (and I'm talking a looooooong time). So not that I question Joanie, but I googled it. And sure enough, just one parrot fish "transforms 200 pounds of coral to sand each year. Their bodies make a crunching sound when they sleep." (I guess as they turn coral into sand).

 

And to top that off "At night parrotfish enter into a sleep-like state inside filmy, mucous cocoons that covers them from head to foot. Scientist once thought the cocoon hid the parrotfish's scent from nocturnal predators. But that doesn't seem to be the case and scientists now are not sure why they have the cocoon. Parrotfish sometimes change sex" (my bold;))

 

I can never get over the fountain of information in this forum. And I'm serious. I do wonder, however, if all the times I've curled my toes in the warm soft sands of Half Moon Cay I was actually massaging my feet in parrot fish poop.:)

[IRL_Joanie]

Okay ... now this is the most fascinating piece of information I've seen in almost my entire life (and I'm talking a looooooong time). So not that I question Joanie, but I googled it. And sure enough, just one parrot fish "transforms 200 pounds of coral to sand each year. Their bodies make a crunching sound when they sleep." (I guess as they turn coral into sand).

 

And to top that off "At night parrotfish enter into a sleep-like state inside filmy, mucous cocoons that covers them from head to foot. Scientist once thought the cocoon hid the parrotfish's scent from nocturnal predators. But that doesn't seem to be the case and scientists now are not sure why they have the cocoon. Parrotfish sometimes change sex" (my bold;))

 

I can never get over the fountain of information in this forum. And I'm serious. I do wonder, however, if all the times I've curled my toes in the warm soft sands of Half Moon Cay I was actually massaging my feet in parrot fish poop.:)

 

LOL Heather, that was my first thought as soon as I was told that little tid bit!!!

 

I thought also that the gentleman had said Parrot Guano as I had never heard of Parrot Fish. Twas after mentioning it to a HAL Officer on Nieuw Amsterdam and he corrected me to it being a fish.

 

Joanie

[LAFFNVEGAS]

 

I can never get over the fountain of information in this forum. And I'm serious. I do wonder, however, if all the times I've curled my toes in the warm soft sands of Half Moon Cay I was actually massaging my feet in parrot fish poop.:)

Just read Tom your post and he is still laughing :D

[Oceanwench]

For your "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY I REPEAT-THIS IS AN EMERGENCY" edification Mudscraper!!

 

Although they are considered to be herbivores, parrotfish eat a wide variety of reef organisms, and they are not necessarily vegetarian. Species such as the green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) include coral (polyps) in their diet. Their feeding activity is important for the production and distribution of coral sands in the reef biome, and can prevent algae from choking coral. The teeth grow continuously, replacing material worn away by feeding. The pharyngeal teeth grind up coral rock the fish ingest during feeding. After they digest the rock, they excrete it as sand, helping to create small islands and the sandy beaches of the Caribbean. One parrotfish can produce 90 kg of sand each year

 

Research before you vilify please:rolleyes:

 

Joanie

 

I find this an interesting story, Joanie, but I can't see that the poster was attacking you in this.

All he said was that we learn something new every day!

You can't really assume it was sarcasm. Am I missing something? :confused:

 

Heather -- too funny! Those "fun facts" will make a great conversation starter at HMC on my next cruise!

[IRL_Joanie]

I find this an interesting story, Joanie, but I can't see that the poster was attacking you in this.

All he said was that we learn something new every day!

You can't really assume it was sarcasm. Am I missing something? :confused:

 

Heather -- too funny! Those "fun facts" will make a great conversation starter at HMC on my next cruise!

 

Sorry Oceanwench, I was responding to the sarcasm he/she expressed directly about me on another site:( As posted here on CC his/her response looked innocent, but was not meant that way at all:(

 

I was only trying to explain to SwissMyst why transferring sand from another island would not mix well with HMC sand.

 

Joanie