Steve McCabe: from island to island

A big two thumbs up (fuck it, how about 4 thumbs up!) to some of the unsung heroes of Hurricane Dean's passage through Dominica - all the guys with chain saws who got out there the same day to start the process of clearing up. I was walking through the village on Saturday evening and met one guy with a bunch of kids following him down the road, like a scene from the Pied Piper of Hamlyn.

The system I seem to have been watching for ages is now Hurricane Dean. It's got a better shape this morning. Couple of things in our favour - it's forecast to pass somewhat south of us - right over Martinique. Also, more of the system is to the south of us, and it's moving fast - over 20 MPH - so it'll be past us soon! The pressure though has dropped to 987 mb, so it's strengthening rapidly. It's due to pass over us. We'll start to see it within 24 hours. Best site for info: http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Hurricane/Track.aspx The usual preparations are being made. Store lots of water, buy lots of canned food. 'Crix & Kubuli' or even 'Beer and Oysters' in some cases. As Michael Caine said, 'You, you and you stay calm, the rest of you panic'.