Cayman Diving Lodge...Opinions Please!!

[scubawife]

Kim's sister has been updating the forum on the Cayman Diving Lodge site as she gets info from Kim & Jim (owners of the Lodge). Here's the latest, very sad news:

"Just spoke with Des in Georgetown-Kim and Jim are staying with them and he said that they were able to get to the lodge and their condo at north pointe condo and that they are both "gone" He said that they are not habitable at all. I feel very helpless. The web site also says that East End may not have electricity for up to 6 months as they don't have poles to support the lines."

 

[tvictory]

There are now messages on the CDL message board indicating that the Lodge sustained major damage. Reported quotes from Jim & Kim include words such as "gone" and "not habitable".

More info is sure to be available soon.

 

[tvictory]

Here is a post from Kim's sister regarding CDL.

From: Judye-Kim's sister
Date: 15 Sep 2004
Time: 12:16:54

Just spoke with Kim for about thirty minutes via a landline in Georgetown. She verified that the lodge is all but gone-the kitchen remained and the office, but that all other rooms are exposed etc. and that the lodge has been looted. The boats survived as well as her car and she said that all that is left of what the dogs know is her car, so they are staying close to her car and are very confused. She fears that Spottie is not going to make it through this as she is old and not feeling well anyway. She said that the roof is caving in at the lodge and at their home condo and they got some bare minimums out-clothes etc and took all the food that would parish to the East End Shelter where it was needed. Jim was out again today surveying and trying to find a place for them to live and is unsure what the future will hold. Rico has been sighted and was scheduled to leave island on Friday as well as Tim-who had a ticket out. Kim went to the shelter to find Ms. Blondell who was there and said that her house as well was totally flattened. I will post more in a bit Judye

 

[Cahoolin]

This is all very sad.

Hey TravelDave, I live in Dubuque. Are you from around these parts?

 

[DocVikingo]

http://www.divelodge.com/status.html

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[TravelDave]

This is all very sad.

Hey TravelDave, I live in Dubuque. Are you from around these parts?

Des Moines originally - Atlanta now.

 

[ski-diveSteve]

Hey TravelDave,

I'm reserved for a week at the CDL Oct 9-16. Sounds like the lodge was destroyed but the staff is OK. Unbelievable what has happened down there. I now have no idea what to do. My air ticket is on United using miles. I'll probably cancel it and head to the Keys that week or something. If anyone out there has any suggestions about whether we should go to Grand Cayman in October let me know. I could rebook with another hotel if any are open. Not sure if any dive ops will be running again by then. And who knows what the condition of the dive sites will be? I'm not sure if its better to stay away in light of whats happened or go anyway. No doubt the island will need tourists to return at some point or the economy will collapse. When this will be is anyones guess. Dave, let me know what you decide to do.

 

[scubawife]

The US State Dept has issued a travel advisory. The CI govt is currently not allowing anyone except Caymanian citizens and those on work permits to come to the island. They are attempting to evacuate all non-citizens and non-essential workers. Cayman Airways is flying people out to Miami at no charge on a first come first serve basis. Outside of Georgetown, there will likely not be utilities for some time.

There are people who've just gotten off island as well as family and friends of those on island posting their experiences at stormcarib.com. Since there is still no island-wide means of communication, I'm sure some of things being recounted are exagerated or rumored, and also the experiences outside of GT seem to be very different in different areas, but overall, the island is in a state of emergency.

Lots of pictures and some home-video clips posted at davidolson.com.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hey TravelDave,

I'm reserved for a week at the CDL Oct 9-16. Sounds like the lodge was destroyed but the staff is OK. Unbelievable what has happened down there. I now have no idea what to do. My air ticket is on United using miles. I'll probably cancel it and head to the Keys that week or something. If anyone out there has any suggestions about whether we should go to Grand Cayman in October let me know. I could rebook with another hotel if any are open. Not sure if any dive ops will be running again by then. And who knows what the condition of the dive sites will be? I'm not sure if its better to stay away in light of whats happened or go anyway. No doubt the island will need tourists to return at some point or the economy will collapse. When this will be is anyones guess. Dave, let me know what you decide to do.

GC will not be proper condition to receive tourists by the second week in Oct & probably a lot longer.

Make alternate plans.

DocVikingo

 

[nipi]

Jim, Kim & the dogs moved yesterday into a vacant unit at Caribbean Court. We went by the North Coast condo to move his sofas into a dry unit & pick up the Lodge truck. We even had hot food & warm beer at Over the Edge en route. His boats are OK being moored in N. Sound Estates.