Milton churns up Cayman seas, worsening erosion
(CNS): Although Hurricane Milton was hundreds of miles from the Cayman Islands throughout Wednesday, it still caused very rough seas on the west coast of Grand Cayman as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico. Large waves crashed along the harbour in George Town and all along Seven Mile Beach, compounding the beach erosion problems, and battered West Bay, especially in North West Point.
Debris washed onto the roadway along with the waves, making it extremely unsafe. As a result, police closed Seafarers Way on the waterfront between Warwick Drive and Fort Street and urged the public to stay away.
Pictures and videos were posted all over social media illustrating the worsening erosion at sites such as The Sovereign condos, Laguna Del Mar, Royal Palms and Coral Beach. At the Marriott resort, waves crashed over the swimming pool deck into the pool, which guests are still allowed to use even though the adjacent bar and restaurant deck is closed. Planning officials have condemned the structure due to the significant erosion.
At some properties on the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, where the sand is now continually eroding even without storms, the situation is worsening, even where there is almost no beach left. Rubble is crumbling into the sea, polluting the marine environment and leaving what were once luxury properties facing the full force of the churned-up sea and large waves.
Two cruise ships scheduled to visit the George Town port on Tuesday were cancelled, and the port docks were flooded.
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Category: Science & Nature, Weather
Cubans were awaken last night with a storm surge crashing doors and windows flooding their dwellings. There were no anticipation or a warning. Milton missed them. How and why did this happen?
A giant storm went by pretty close to them and churned up the seas? That’s how. Why, because bad weather happens. Any other questions?
The sand is not leaving because of the dock in town. If it was, why is their sand at red spot , hog sty bay, 7-11 store? The 7 mile beach needs a proper sea wall like the ones in East End and West bay. Do you all not see the walls that were built in town ? They were built after 1932 storm. Why haven’t they been destroyed in the 100’s of Northwesters???? Can you not see?? improper construction!!
I would suggest the strata pay for it before they lose their property!!
No, ‘they’ cannot see (or hear, or speak).
‘ proper sea wall like the ones in East End and West bay’ that is protecting sand accumulation. OK, Please educate me because I don’t know of any. Fact or fiction… Garbage or truth. I suspect garbage! More of the same from #Caymaneducation.
To be fair and civil, I think they may be referring to the Lovers Wall at East End ( inshore of Ten Sails). Which was constructed post Ivan to offer a degree of protection for the homes in the area, as well as mitigating erosion of the shore.
The old folks used to tell us as kids that it was not wise to build so close to the sea. Many of the impacted properties need to be condemned and demolished.
Your old folks built these structures.
I thought you said expats built Cayman? Make your mind up!
Expats provided the funds. Try to keep it straight bobo.
“The old folks” sold the island.
Very short and selective memory it seems. Many of the impacted properties were not in fact built too close to the sea.
But, but, but… the TI groynes that have been there for decades suddenly woke up to cause all the erosion. Cayman version of ‘The Transformers;’ sleeping aliens impersonating as rocks just waiting.
No the TI groyne and sea walls further up as a combination have caused the erosion.
The current TI groyne is 5 times the original size.
Your last statement is factually a lie. the south side (complete) was done first, the north side (complete) some years later. I witnessed both.
The TI groynes actually prevent erosion. The engineer that designed it has been telling CIG that for years and they don’t listen. More of these coves need to be built to restore the beach.
Just standing around and blaming everyone else certainly isn’t working.
If this island wants to keep tourism as its money maker then the biggest attraction of all (SMB) needs immediate attention from CIG.
I would say the members of parliament have their heads in the sand on this issue, but unfortunately the sand is all gone.
Wish the members of parliament were.
Hmmm…remember going to G.C. w/ family in 1979…BEYOND Royal Palms, VERY-LITTLE building….RACED on the 7-mile beach run; a full beach @ the time….NOW, it would be the 4 1/2 mile “beach-run”…BUT, will return for the 35th time in January…hope we can STILL land @ OWEN ROBERTS Airport..
Tourism is ruining these Islands by your ilk. Do yourself a favor and stay home.
Successive governments allowed these developments to be built very close to the sandy beach front with sea walls, pools, restaurants and decks all within a stones throw of the sea.
If you build by the sea isn’t reasonable to expect that there will be a chance that water can come higher and higher – then erode away structures?
The affected properties should be expected to clean up all the debris – now – common sense should prevail.
Dont blame this all on climate change – blame it on greed, poor planning approvals and the good ol boy network.
These properties on the south are mainly 30 to 40 years old, and were built well back from the water at the time (Laguna, Marriott etc).
Marriott ( known as Radisson back then) in the early 90s had a deep, deep beach. Image:
http://www.citycliks.com/graphics/24_06.jpg
With an illegal pool deck. They built it without permission then applied for approval after the fact.
And mother nature is going to be the same after 30 or 40 years?
Many many properties that you did not name were built in very recent years.
well back would be across the road completely. if it’s on the sand, it’s too close.
STOP with the science based logic – some folks heads will explode. The favored conspiracy theory here is to ignore the shifting weather patterns that will impact sand, and favor the age old – let’s blame those darn developers. Are solid walls part of the equasion – sure. Were they OK’d by Caymanians – YES! But the greatest variable is shifting weather events – but those with their heads in the sand cannot pass on ignoring science.
@4:17 Beautiful old photo of the Marriott. Did they not build on something after that photo closer to the sea?
The reef balls they put in the ocean in front of the Marriott hotel definitely changed/ disrupted the ocean currents in a negative way on our 7Mile beach.
Just imagine how a dock that will accommodate Mega ships in the open ocean would create
Negatively ocean currents that would negatively affect our currently 5 Mile Beach !
Vote No !
The groyne at Treasure Island and Marnie’s wall are to blame.
Ah yes, the ‘sand jealousy’ monsters have awakened.
to 1.35 i doubt that piers built on pillars will have serious effect on the currents along Seven Mile Beach.
The reef balls changed the water flow you say.?
Umm…going to have to call “BS” on that one .😂
Just like the TI groynes affecting weather patters off the coast of africa – suddenly after 30 years!
I keep thinking about these properties coming out of the sea. There was not even a proper hurricane nearby. It’s a weird feeling knowing they must be on borrowed time. We never had a direct hit in a while but a major one will come eventually. Then what?
import more cheap labor to rebuild and complain about the traffic and crime it produces.
Lol. How is it always an expat’s fault? No wonder many of you can’t get anywhere in life being too busy pointing fingers.
I think the point here is not the expats, but the government’s immigration laws and regulations and the way they are enforced here, which has led to over half the workforce on work permits to come here from developing countries, many of them
working on minimum wage, became $6 ph is a fortune where they come from. My finger points at government for facilitating and encouraging this, not the expats.
Time for the government to condem and purchase the damaged properties that are eroding the beach, before it gets worse and cost even more to replenish. Once the drbris is cleaned up and things stabilize, sell the properies to developers who can build smaller properties far enought back from the high water mark to not cause any further erosion.
Lacovia probably needs to be reconfigured before they get too far along and end up causing the same eroision issues.
Condeming more will save huge replenishment dollars in the future.
Why should government purchase them?
Precisely. Keep the government out of meddling with being property developers.
Hold on……Realty Commi$$ion$….
To reclaim beach land which is so scarce. Earmark it for public use.
At its active back natural state value – perhaps.
At its built $1,000+ a square foot value, no way.
Precisely, this is exactly what these hotel chains are waiting for … a CIG buyout.
Remove the port and the TI groynes and the beach will return in no time.
hahahahahahahahahaha.
Not trying to be difficult, but where would the sand come from? Unless you’re a coastal engineer, I don’t think you should state your guestimates as facts.
Correct. 12:09 has no facts, just an uninformed, interest to sound like he/she/it knows all. ‘Take out the port’! Great suggestion (NOT) ????? This individual obviously has no concept of the Cayman economy, or sympathy for the vast families that depend on products being imported.
Is there a link to some of the social media pictures? Interested to see what Sovereign and Laguna Del Mar looked like after the last couple days.
Owning one of these condos would be akin to paying for a first class promenade stateroom on Titanic as she pulled out of Southampton.
Where is Planning? Why can’t they issue orders to have buildings removed ? For Laguna is is structurally stable? Whos is dealing with this urgent issue?
Planning is not the issue. DOE are the problem.
Complete tosh
But is the Marriott hot tub still open?
😂
We can hope it’s a ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ to help reverse what’s happening, go back 30 years with evidence to warn and show the ignorance of the many politicians who didn’t heed warnings and scientific evidence.
I can dream, can’t I. If only it was so simple to reverse.
How is the Marriott even selling rooms? The place needs knocking down!
The weather forecast for October 23rd might just knock it down for us.
Marnie’s house needs to be first to go, as it was the initial catalyst.
Damn thing has so much poured concrete and steel , we’ve all been waiting on the Right Storm for +25 years.
The 23rd of October? You been getting weather reports from god or what? If so, let me know what stocks to buy please.
My bad… October 19th! But it’s comming!
Models are showing the 18th.
And they want to build a pier long enough to service mega ships??????
The Marriott is the Pier!