Title – Tropical Storm Damage
Date – September 2004
Location - Bikini Atoll – Marshal Islands
Having been woken up with water dripping through the roof and almost every section of the room and my equipment being drenched, was a harsh reminder that even in reasonable accommodation you can suddenly find yourself at the mercy of the elements. 5am is also not a time when your brain is always switched on and this was certainly the case on this occasion. As I wandered outside to make my way to the main compound building for shelter. I was not completely unaware of the strength of the wind, but turning round having heard a large crack, the route I had just taken was rudely obscured by the tree collapsing exactly where, 10 seconds earlier, I had been walking, really was a wake up call.
At this stage I took notice and discovered I was in the middle of a tropical storm on and island that is not prepared for these kinds of weather systems and about as remote as you can get anywhere in the world. Next to fall was our communication mast and that effectively ended our communication with the outside world. The sixteen people on the island certainly at that point considered the option of being stranded here, on an island that is still too radioactive to allow you to drink the water or eat the local produce.
Being prepared for every emergency is not always possible, some you just can’t see coming, but you can prepare for the most obvious ones and knowing what they are and how to protect yourself against them will substantially reduce the risk and worry of your trip. Beyond The Blue seeks to help individuals with this preparations stage of their trip and offer advice and guidance that can be used throughout your adventures.
Here on Bikini Atoll fortunately the dive centre had 12 minutes left on their satellite phone that we were able to save for an emergency which through good fortune alone, never materialised. The air strip through some miracle survived almost untouched when much of the rest of the Atoll was torn to shreds.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop will help prepare you and although we will not train you in island survival skills, we will demonstrate the benefit of common sense and show individuals how to stay alert, to assess risk and avoid it.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
Date – September 2004
Location - Bikini Atoll – Marshal Islands
Having been woken up with water dripping through the roof and almost every section of the room and my equipment being drenched, was a harsh reminder that even in reasonable accommodation you can suddenly find yourself at the mercy of the elements. 5am is also not a time when your brain is always switched on and this was certainly the case on this occasion. As I wandered outside to make my way to the main compound building for shelter. I was not completely unaware of the strength of the wind, but turning round having heard a large crack, the route I had just taken was rudely obscured by the tree collapsing exactly where, 10 seconds earlier, I had been walking, really was a wake up call.
At this stage I took notice and discovered I was in the middle of a tropical storm on and island that is not prepared for these kinds of weather systems and about as remote as you can get anywhere in the world. Next to fall was our communication mast and that effectively ended our communication with the outside world. The sixteen people on the island certainly at that point considered the option of being stranded here, on an island that is still too radioactive to allow you to drink the water or eat the local produce.
Being prepared for every emergency is not always possible, some you just can’t see coming, but you can prepare for the most obvious ones and knowing what they are and how to protect yourself against them will substantially reduce the risk and worry of your trip. Beyond The Blue seeks to help individuals with this preparations stage of their trip and offer advice and guidance that can be used throughout your adventures.
Here on Bikini Atoll fortunately the dive centre had 12 minutes left on their satellite phone that we were able to save for an emergency which through good fortune alone, never materialised. The air strip through some miracle survived almost untouched when much of the rest of the Atoll was torn to shreds.
Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop will help prepare you and although we will not train you in island survival skills, we will demonstrate the benefit of common sense and show individuals how to stay alert, to assess risk and avoid it.
Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com
Image – ©Peter Mayhew
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