We were in transit from the Bahamas to the Turks and Caicos when the quake occurred. There was a tsunami warning for our area right after the incident, but was canceled approximately 24 hours later. We did not feel the quake nor have we seen any direct impact in the areas we have been. Thank you, however, for all the concerned emails and messages you all sent to us.
We've also received a number of questions about how the Dominican Republic fared and how people here are responding. Many individuals we've spoken to in Luperon and Santiago said they felt the quake. Buildings shook and the ground swayed, however there are no reports of immediate damage.
Both Dominicans and expatriate cruisers were quick to respond. Travel into Haiti is difficult - there are few border crossings and the country itself is considered very dangerous right now. However, people have been very generous with their donations.
Despite past tensions between the two nations, Dominicans are proud to have been the first country to send aid into Haiti (and are very much aware of the tremendous American response). Via churches and missionary groups, most families gave clothes and those that had money to give, did so.
The demeanor of the Dominican people is worth noting as well. Today is a national holiday honoring the first president of the DR, Juan Duarte. Although normally marked by celebrations, festivals, and parades, all events have been canceled out of respect for the crisis in Haiti.
The cruising community in Luperon has responded en force as well. Buckets like the one above have been placed at all the local hang-outs in town. Although cruisers notoriously travel with few superfluous items, the buckets have been filled with clothes, canned food, and dry milk. The goods are then collected and transported via another local church mission operating in Haiti. The EYE of the World crew donated cans of food, soap, and a large box of powdered milk (many of these items were actually given to us by students at Lindsay Middle School in Hampton, and it is our pleasure to pass them along).
Unfortunately, there is only so much that Dominicans can do. Although incredibly willing to give, many are concerned about a mass exodus of Haitian refugees. They feel that the local infrastructure would be incapable of supporting a rapid increase in population, many of whom have lost everything they had. The DR is not alone however, as a similar concern was prevalent in the Turks and Caicos.
We don't have direct access to tv news, but we hear about the impact and the graphic nature of the images being shown in the US. We join the international community in hoping for a quick and successful recovery.
WWI
