Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter
Top left and Above: Fishermen in Roselle, St.Thomas, securing their nets and boats before the arrival of Hurricane Dennis yesterday. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
GATHERED AROUND a huge mound of river rocks and sand in the middle of the water-broken Yallahs Ford in St. Thomas yesterday, a small group of residents contemplated many 'what ifs?' as they looked beyond the surrounding mountains for the strengthening storms of Hurricane Dennis.
What if we get trapped? What if the entire ford goes? What if the Government could get them a good bridge and toll it once and for all?
The Yallahs River was already rumbling with a tribal dance in the newly-created canyons left in the wake of Hurricane Ivan 10 months ago. The rains had barely started and the river was impassable. Already, parts of the ford had broken away and the river was dancing with increasing violence.
The group breaks up with scattering rain by 8:00 a.m. No more 'what ifs?', everyone is getting ready for the worst.
BOAT REMOVAL
Nearly an hour later, fishermen in White Horses are heaving boats from the Roselle fishing beach at the count of "one, two, three." Swelling waves from the Caribbean sea are nearly already slamming on to the White Horses main road as the fishermen hurry to avoid a beating. "We a block road before Dennis," said one fisherman, as his fishingmates helped him wheel his boat across the main road on bamboo logs.
The men were taking no chances. "'Ivan' really did some damage and we do not know if this one ('Dennis') will be as bad, but we have to prepare weself," said fisherman Calvert Harrison. "One, two, three, push!" and the men were off to get the final boat across the street.
