Hurricane-driven waves damage resorts
Published: September 20, 2010
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Large waves from Hurricane Igor crashed ashore Friday evening
ST. CROIX — Large waves stirred by Hurricane Igor as it passed hundreds of miles north of the territory Friday caught several businesses on St. Croix’s north shore off guard.
Hibiscus Beach Hotel, located in Estate La Grande Princesse, experienced significant damage to 16 of its rooms.
John Odato, husband of hotel owner Michelle Forgenie-Odato, watched Friday evening as large waves flooded the hotel. Odato said the waves destroyed windows, furniture, bedding and electronics.
He said officials from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency visited the hotel Friday and Saturday and apologized for not being able to warn the hotel about the magnitude of the waves because they themselves weren’t warned.
“No one expected that thing,” he said. “If we have a hurricane watch, we always put up hurricane shutters. We did it for Earl.”
He said he hopes to have the hotel fully operational again by October 23.
Not far from Hibiscus Beach Hotel, the Palms at the Pelican Cove experienced some damage, but not as significant.
Palms at the Pelican Cove general manager Julie Printy said a large wave came about 5 p.m. Friday and knocked the windows out from the dining room lobby.
Printy said the waves also knocked down a beam that supports a gazebo and left sand and beach debris around the pool. Water also got in one of the offices at the hotel.
Printy said 30 employees came over the weekend to clean up, and the beam had been replaced Sunday and the windows were in the process of being replaced Sunday evening. She said the restaurant was back in business for dinner Saturday night.
Printy said she never experienced anything like that in the 12 years she has worked at the hotel. “It came from nowhere,” she said.
Several other businesses on the Christiansted waterfront were also affected by Friday evening's waves.
