The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

STRONG winds reminiscent of a tornado struck Current Settlement in North Eleuthera early yesterday morning, leaving behind damaged trees, capsized boats, and scattered debris.

Residents say the weather system, though brief, tore through the settlement with alarming force before vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

Marty Bihn, a US national who spends much of the year in Current Settlement, described how the morning started with thunderstorms before things took an unexpected turn.

He said he went to close some windows that weren’t fully shut because the wind had picked up enough to potentially blow them in. As he was doing so, he heard an unusual swooshing sound different from a typical thunderstorm. Looking outside, he saw a waterspout that spread.

He said the winds were powerful enough to strip bark from 30 to 40 casuarina trees, snap a basketball hoop at the community park, and toss debris into the air. 

“It actually picked up a golf cart about seven feet in the air and carried it 30 feet, set it back down. It didn’t hurt a thing on it. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.

Mr Bihn also described watching his garbage can shoot 40 feet straight into the air before dropping into a neighbour’s yard, sending trash flying. 

He said no one was injured.

The storm damaged several boats, with at least four having their canvas tops torn off. 

The weather system lasted only a few minutes, but residents wasted no time coming together. 

“Within ten minutes of this happening, neighbours started showing up. Our phones were ringing,” he said. “People were offering to help with the boat. People were down here offering, asking the community to help clean it up.”

The community park, which had been littered with fallen branches and debris, was already in the process of being cleared. 

“The communities here are, they’re the most amazing people you’d ever want. Their hearts are always good, and even if they don’t like you, they’ll help out,” he said. “The saddest part of that reality for me is I have never met better people than I have here.”