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Open for Business: Caribbean Resorts After Earl
September 1, 2010 by Lisa_Rogak · Leave a Comment
Worried about any damage that Hurricane Earl wreaked on your favorite Caribbean resort — or on the one you just happen to have a reservation for this fall?
As they say, No worries, mon. I surveyed representatives from resorts all across the Caribbean on Tuesday, and here are their reports:
*Biras Creek Resort, BVI: General Manager Rik Blyth says the resort “experienced 60-75 mph winds as a result of Hurricane Earl. We experienced moderate damage to foliage and landscaping, a few cedar shingles were blown from roofs, and some docks are in need of minor repair. Luckily, the resort shuts down each year for about two months to refurbish and freshen things up, so we don’t have guests onsite until we reopen October 20th. We had crews onsite to begin repairs at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, and will be better than new in plenty of time prior to reopening.”
*The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, St. Thomas: The clean-up effort began Tuesday, and the pool and beach reopened on Wednesday, but the resort is not accepting new arrival reservations until Thursday, September 2nd.
*CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla: “While CuisinArt — pictured above — was scheduled to close for the season on August 30th, since guest safety was the top priority, all hotel guests were were safely evacuated from the property one day early, on August 29th,” said a spokeswoman. “Other than some minimal landscape damage, we withstood Hurricane Earl without any substantial property damage, and we’re currently taking reservations for when we reopen on October 30th.”
*St. Kitts Marriott Resort: From a spokesperson: “Other than rain and a few fallen branches, the St. Kitts Marriott withstood the storm and there has been no significant damage whatsoever to the property. It’s business as usual at the resort, the sun is shining and all amenities and facilities are available to guests.”
*The Peter Island Resort & Spa, BVI: The resort sustained some wind damage due to Hurricane Earl. “To maintain the highest level of services our guests have come to expect, the resort will be closed for a week to spruce up the property,” says a spokeswoman.
*San Juan Marriott Resort, Puerto Rico: According to a spokeswoman, “I’m happy to report that the storm did not significantly impact operations. There was some heavy rain and light winds, but no damage was sustained and no cleanup efforts needed. The resort remains open and fully operational for guests to enjoy.”
*Finally, from Cindy Clearwater, a wedding and event planner in St. Croix: “Crucians — folks living on St. Croix — are pretty well-versed in hurricane preparation and take warnings very seriously. This weekend, we spent much of our time stocking up on dry and canned goods, bottled water, ice, gassing up vehicles and shuttering or boarding up windows. On Monday, all schools were closed and non-essential government workers were sent home by noon. Most businesses and restaurants closed as well, allowing their employees the opportunity to stay safe off the roads and at home with loved ones. Local radio personalities stayed on-air all day taking calls from local residents and helping to keep everyone informed about the storm. The best part about living in the islands there is always a strong sense of community whenever a storm affects St. Croix.
“We only experienced tropical storm force winds, and thus damage was minimal. There are tree limbs down and electricity is still out in a few areas, but most the cleanup should be completed in a few days. Resorts, restaurants and other businesses are, for the most part, up and running again today.”
And she reports, after Hurricane Earl bypassed St. Croix, residents cranked up The Dixie Chicks’ song “Goodbye Earl.”
A Quintessential Coastal Maine Village…
This is Stonington on Deer Isle, on what’s referred to as the Blue Hill Peninsula. Stonington is a small thriving village of primarily artists and fishermen, not to mention incredible views of the outlying islands and distant mountains of Isle au Haut. And let’s not forget an Opera House. My husband and I went yesterday to visit one of my listings (Inn on the Harbor) and to enjoy some fried clams and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc by the water! We stopped by Isalos Art Gallery, one of the many wonderful galleries lining Main Street. I’ve been a big fan of Rebecca Daugherty’s large formats of fishing boats but I had never met Michael Daugherty in person (we’d only connected on Facebook and Twitter) until this visit.
Stonington offers a wide variety of real estate, many of which are second homes. There’s a pretty strong demand for weekly rentals on the coast, so a second home makes a great investment. It’s a wonderful small town to park your car and forget about it for a while…
Good Morning Sunrise over Greening Island, Maine…
August 27, 2010 by DanaMoos · Leave a Comment
Greening Island sits just off the coast of Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It also sits at the base of Somes Sound, the fjord that nearly splits the island into two.
Scrub Island Chef Andy Niedenthal Doubles as Special Ops Agent
August 26, 2010 by Lisa_Rogak · Leave a Comment
I profiled Scrub Island Resort in the September/October issue of Ocean Home, but didn’t have enough room on the page to include some eye-opening comments from Chef Andy Niedenthal, so enjoy:
I’ve talked with a number of island-based chefs in the last year, and one topic that always fascinates me is the sheer logistics of getting food across what sometimes amounts to thousands of miles of ocean, and how they make the effort to work with local suppliers, whether they’re farmers, butchers, or ice cream makers.
When I asked Niedenthal how he got ice cream to the resort, he laughed and said it was the equivalent of running a special ops mission. Temperatures average in the mid-80s year-round, so everyone involved had to be on high alert.
Essentially, Niedenthal sends a small truck equipped with a refrigeration unit over on a barge to collect the ice cream in St. Thomas before barging it back to the docks at Scrub. From how he describes it, it’s a constant recon mission with cellphones and radios constantly abuzz until the quarry is safely tucked away in the walk-in.
Get it from the store! Get it on the truck on the boat! Then, Get down to the lift, it’s here at the dock!
Wouldn’t getting an in-house ice cream maker make his job a little easier?
“I’m working on it,” he says.
I’ll keep you posted on further developments…
Sometimes the best views aren’t from the destination but rather of the destination
August 24, 2010 by DanaMoos · Leave a Comment
This is the view of Mount Desert Island, Maine, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It’s taken from the shorefront in Sullivan, Maine from one of my listings dating back to the late 1800′s – a classic Maine “Shingle Style Cottage” (Dan Cooper shows some nice examples on Mount Desert Island, or “MDI”). MDI has long been a very desirable to live for the natural beauty and deep water for large sailing and yachting enthusiasts. There are gorgeous homes dotting every bit of the coastline, many with incredible views of outlying islands. Waterfront homes on the island with deep water frontage from 4,000-8,000 square feet and beyond can range from $2.5 million to $10 million.
But waterfront homes off the island are a different story and can offer a buyer a gorgeous piece of shorefront property and a view quite often under $2 million. Continue up the coast along Route 1, or ‘down east‘ as we say: “When ships sailed from Boston to ports in Maine (which were to the east of Boston), the wind was at their backs, so they were sailing downwind, hence the term ‘Down East.’”
Down East Maine is known largely for blueberries, Puffins, the Schoodic Peninsula (part of Acadia National Park) and fishing. While much less affluent than MDI, there are beautiful waterfront homes down east which make great vacation homes just the same…
