Hurricane Dorian, The Bahamas, September 2019

Crew: Dr. Tristan Guttridge, Annie Guttridge, Forrest Simon, Chelsea Greinstein, Ryan Helmig, Nate Harrington, and Joe Reiger

Supporting: Silent Hunter Group, Help the Bahamas, Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation, Treasure Coast SeaTow, Blue Marlin Cove, Tropic Ocean Airways and Blue Tide Marine

Aiding: The Bahamas

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Backstory: On 1 September 2019 a tiny, incredibly flat and vulnerable group of islands including Abaco and Grand Bahamas were devastated by Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5, 200 mph beast that ruthlessly swept through The Bahamas. Many islands took direct and prolonged hits leaving many homeless, desperate, and in need of immediate aid. The early aerial imagery released showed catastrophic damage.

Silent Hunter founders Tristan and Annie joined forces with Forrest and Chelsea for an unusual but very important project. As they have all spent a great deal of time in The Bahamas over the years, they were heartbroken for those left with little to nothing, but they knew that together, they could have a unique and important impact.

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Our Vision

As the hurricane made its move through the islands, helpless onlookers took to social media to help in any way they could. Many, including us, took to our platforms spreading awareness whilst notifying the globe of what was to follow. Pain, fear, loss, destruction, sorrow, confusion, and immense heartache. We desperately shared information on missing people, phone numbers to call for aid, evacuation and support points, promoted honest fundraisers and drop off locations for donated supplies. Lastly, we encouraged holiday goers to support the unaffected Bahamian islands, to continue bringing tourism to a country that needed support.

So, how could we help past collating goods for those in need whilst encouraging financial donations to responsible nonprofits? The internet was swamped with large, reputable corporates requesting donations, and we decided to not only support a select few charities and individuals, we created an additional mission to assist those in need.

Our vision was simple: to purchase and distribute new and used boats, motors, equipment, and supplies, and after their initial use for aid drops, they were to be donated to local Bahamian fishers, who had lost their vessels during Dorian. 

We wanted to give something of longevity, something that could be used by them as an immediate resource to obtain nearby food, to transport those in need, and as a gifts that would empower and enable them in a time of desperation and darkness. We strived to give hope. Please view Help the Bahamas for more on that subject.

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GoFundMe and Beyond

On 4 September, we decided it was time to launch our own GoFundMe to raise funds for our vision and project. Within ten days we had raised over $11,600, and our mission began. As our GoFundMe collected donations we continued our efforts in organizing supplies and logistics; everything from boat and motor purchases, to restoration, followed by calls and emails with government officials and fisheries.

During this period, Annie spent time supporting Tropic Ocean Airways efforts, working alongside them and Blue Tide Marine. She was able to assist with the offloading of firetrucks and school buses in addition to being set missions to locate, purchase, and source everything from fuel cans and dog food to motors and rare inflatable boats needed for immediate rescue efforts. Blue Tide Marine were among the very first responders on the ground in Abaco after the hurricane hit.

Our team also supported and collaborated with Charles Conigliaro of Stuart Sailfish Club Foundation who were shipping urgent supplies to affected islands via a series of Blackhawks and cargo planes, then later moved to water barges. We directed heavy supplies to his locations and also created our own Amazon WishList. The list allowed us to quickly alter the ever changing urgent supplies required on hearing updated news, and with goods being directly delivered to Charlies’ preferred locations this resource was a valuable tool.

With supplies flooding in from around the country we were receiving calls of trailers and U-Haul’s needing drop-off locations. Two extra large trucks loaded with supplies had planned to arrive at midnight with only a few hours to offload and depart again. We of course couldn’t turn any supplies away so both Forrest and Chelsea met this group and spent several hours offloading both trucks by hand until finished, ensuring all goods donated were taken in, ready for dispatch in the coming days.

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Your donations

With your donations we acquired four boats and five motors, boat building supplies for repairs and repainting, radios, anchors, engine locks, fuel cans, dive masks, snorkels, fins, spears, and other important items. We budgeted for goods, in addition to import VAT, duty, and fuel. No member of our crew took any monies during this process from start to finish. We covered basic costs such as car gas but did not take anything additional; all raised funds were expended on goods for our relief efforts.

The funds generated allowed us to not only purchase our desired fleet, it bought supplies to repair items, allowing us to get more bang for our buck! Forrest has worked on boats his entire life and he and Chelsea spent endless hours sanding, filling, painting, and restoring the boats. With bad weather keeping us from delivering the vessels, Forrest and Chelsea ensured that once we had the green light, we were delivering boats in the best condition we could offer.

Forrest and Chelsea also drove endless miles collecting vessels from around the state. Tristan also drove motors for drop off, and spent a lot of time with Annie, researching legal matters including Bahamian VAT and Duty restrictions and safety protocols and identifying communities to help.

The government was of course overrun with those in danger and in desperate need of aid, and those anxiously trying to help and bring such aid. Sending large items like boats and motors was no easy task and there were delays. Restrictive weather kept us landlocked, we were unable to cross, and frustrations built. We were firmly united though, and were strong and patient as we waited for the government to acknowledge and support our efforts. 

The call we longed for came in. Joe Rieger, a miracle man assisting and enabling countless relief efforts and owner of Blue Marlin Cove located in Grand Bahama, connected us with key officials and over the coming weeks we had the approval we desired. Deputy Prime Minister Turnquist, Vice president of The Bahamas, and the Minister of Fisheries generously enabled us to import our fleet VAT and Duty free. This success, led by Forrest, freed up budgeted funds for another boat and motor!

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Delivery Day

After gaining approval to deliver our vessels we found ourselves at the mercy of mother nature. High winds and swirl once again kept us landlocked. With our limited team and an entourage of boats and motors to move, we required a perfect weather window of opportunity to tow the vessels safely across the gulf stream, and over to their new owners. Crossing the open ocean with boats towing boats, and boats stacked on top of boats was no easy task and one we took very seriously. Ryan, owner of Treasure Coast Sea Tow, quickly became our guide and as a notable expert in moving vessels overseas, we patiently waited for him to give us the green light.

Then came the twenty-four hour weather window we had longed for, and delivery day was in sight! With just twenty-four hours’ notice, the entire crew, led by Ryan, Forrest, Chelsea, and Joe mobilized and planned to meet at Blue Marlin Cove. Blue Marlin would be our staging point to prepare and finalize the boats before delivering them to their new owners throughout Eastern Grand Bahama.    

The day we had longed for was finally here, and the 4am wakeup call signaled it was go time! Forrest, Chelsea, and their good friend and cameraman Nate Harrington helped place the boats in the water and they soon set sail with Ryan and his SeaTow vessel leading the crossing. In addition, we had our escort/support vessel, owned and piloted by Joe.

The crossing took several hours and we couldn’t have hoped for a calmer setting. The team arrived and were greeted by Customs and Immigration officials ready to clear all that we had, and wow did we have some goods to declare. It was a special moment to sit and write all that we were donating.

That afternoon and evening, the team worked nonstop, cleaning and organizing all equipment and vessels to ready them for their new Bahamian owners.

Excitement levels grew as the realization dawned that our mission was soon to be complete; we were just hours from delivery. In true, unpredictable mother nature fashion, weather forecasts drastically changed, bringing high winds from the south and we had no choice but to adjust our plans. With us unable to drive the boats to their owners, the owners come to us.

The team woke to heavy rain, high winds, and flooded roads. Thankfully, Joe offered his SUV to the rescue and by lunchtime we had everyone gathered in one place. Us, the Bahamian fishers, and also in attendance were several key Bahamian officials including Deputy Prime Minister Turnquest, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Michael Pintard. After weeks of roller coaster emotions and hurdles we’d made it. It was time to present the fishers with the boats you helped source, fix and make possible! 

Attempting to put into words the experience of the subsequent hours would be impossible. There were so many incredible humans in one place, meeting, connecting, hurting, inspiring, and sharing.

As we handed over the keys to our contributions, we were struck with both joy and fulfillment. We didn’t and couldn’t make a difference to all who were affected by the hurricane, but we sure did make a significant difference to a handful of incredible individuals. The smiles as they stepped foot on their new vessels was a sight we will never ever forget. The hugs of gratitude alone were life-changing.

We assisted with test drives as the new owners became acquainted with their boats. We shared stories and laughter, and simply enjoyed the escapism of the fresh air with nothing but the sound of the hull gliding over the water. Those present on this journey experienced so much and to see the newfound hope and change these vessels brought into the lives of these deserving fishers was humbling and inspiring to say the least. 

THANK YOU

On behalf of us all, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our vision a reality. We absolutely could not have done this without you. Thank you to those who donated time, funds or products, those who shared our posts, and those who continuously encouraged us. You enabled us and truly changed some Bahamians lives for the better during an incredibly dark and unimaginable time. ‘Thank you’ will never be enough.

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