Another recipient of our WRI Appreciation Award this year at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was John Crupi, the Captain of the M/Y Dorothea III. He has used our services for many years on multiple vessels and transits and it was our honor to ask him a few questions regarding our business relationship. Crupi has had 3 jobs in the yachting industry and has been with the Dorothea for about 17 years. Back in 2003, his usual voyages included coastal trips in Alaska, Panama, and the Caribbean, but since then has crossed the Pacific a few times and has explored thousands of miles. A summary of the discussion we had includes: WRI was crucial for the vessel back in 2007 where mechanical issues caused an engine fire. Constant check ins assisted in finding the vessel's location. Technology has to be managed, and it's the experience at sea/with forecasting that will ultimately help create the most successful of voyages. "You can use models and other instruments to assist, but if you don’t know how a current runs or where storms are more likely to form, then it's not as effective as it could be". Customized forecasting is priceless. It relieves the Captain's burden of weather planning their own voyage when a professional can analyze/provide the best route and conditions for them. Customized forecasting is crucial for a beginner Captain in assisting their first voyages. We at WRI thank Captain John and all of our clients for their loyalty and great business, and we look forward to next year’s recipients! Picture above depicts Captain John Crupi (From M/Y Dorothea III) holding the WRI Appreciation Award.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria packed a terrible 1-2 punch to the Northern Leeward Islands through the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with Irma crossing the region during the September 5-6th time frame, followed shortly thereafter by Maria which came through during the September 18-20th time frame. Irma went on to cross the Turks/Caicos, the far S'rn Bahamas, portions of Cuba and eventually Southern Florida, including the Keys. Both storms were Major Hurricanes when they moved through and they caused a tremendous amount of damage. Dominica and Barbuda: Barbuda was directly struck by Irma at the height of that storm's intensity with massive amounts of damage incurred. Reports suggest that rebuilding has been slow here. Dominica sustained a direct impact when the storm passed as a Category 5 on September 18th. 95% of the island's buildings sustained damage, many of them severely. Yacht services are likely still significantly hampered. USVI/BVI/Puerto Rico: This area was hit particularly hard by both Irma and Maria, with Irma striking the BVI's directly and Maria striking Puerto Rico directly. Significant structural damages were reported from the BVI's to/across Puerto Rico. While the damage remains great across the islands, the efforts to rebuild to welcome back yachts has advanced faster. There are anchorages that need to have wrecked vessels cleared and submerged hazards are still a possibility, so caution must be used when navigating this region. St Maarten/St Barth’s/Anguilla: This region, Anguilla in particular, was hit hard by Irma. Each of the island's tourism departments report that cleanup efforts are ahead of expectations. Marinas and yacht services are being brought back online faster than other parts of the islands to be able to welcome visitors back. Many buildings, however, remain closed or are still being repaired. Turks/Caicos: Hurricane Irma battered the islands on September 7th with significant damage reported. As the storm had weakened some, the damage wasnt as severe as in the Caribbean. St Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe and Antigua: Despite the close passing of the hurricanes, these islands were relatively unscathed by either hurricane. Relief efforts to these islands continue and some yacht owners have gotten involved in the effort to bring the needed supplies. The relief efforts are ongoing and if you would like to assist, this link will take you to a page with a breakdown of charitable organizations doing work for those impacted by the hurricanes, not only in the Caribbean but in the US as well. While the devastation to the region as a whole was incredible, most of the islands are open for business and welcoming yachts back. WRI is standing by to help minimize the Christmas trades so that you can safely get to and enjoy this area! Image Caption: An infrared (IR) image of Irma, with the eye of the hurricane directly over Barbuda.

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