Back in SXM

Before our flight to SXM from Boston on Sunday, we had been watching the weather closely. A storm named Maria was scheduled to pass by the island the day before our flight, and we weren't sure if our flight would be cancelled or not. There were lots of cancellations the day before our flight... but we heard nothing. News on the island was that Saturday was a fine day, sunny even, where was this storm that was showing on the weather maps?

So, sad we didn't have an excuse to stay in Boston for another few days, we trundled off to the airport. Our flight from Boston to Charlotte was uneventful. Our flight from Charlotte to SXM was another story. USAir had cancelled the flight the day before, and now our flight was oversold. The plane was full to the gills. 30 minutes from landing, the captain announced that there were lots of high winds in the island area and that we should buckle up and get ready for some turbulence. He had the flight attendants buckled up too. When pilots have the flight attendants sit down too, I get all sick feeling. Its no good.

For the most part the descent was fine, but as we got close to the water and headed for the runway, we could feel the plane being pushed here and there. The landing was very bouncy. The passengers erupted into applause when we were finally down. I learned later that a flight to SXM from Miami at around the same time was diverted due to high winds and returned to Miami. I am glad I didn't know that while I was on the plane - I am not a terrific flyer.



It turned out that much of TS Maria's winds were sort of behind the center of the storm, and they came through SXM later on Sunday. We were home in time to close some shutters that faced in the direction that the rain and wind was coming from, and to stare at the ceiling, watching our newly repaired roof for leaks.

It was also my first real chance to see the closed section of road that is currently making life difficult in Cole Bay. I'm sticking to driving on the French side these days.