Fishermen taking no chances with Hurricane Beryl

As Hurricane Beryl churns through the Caribbean, Jamaicans are bracing for its potential impact, with many like Kemar Bailey, a fisherman from Old Harbour Bay, convinced that the storm will hit local shores.

Bailey, who returned from a three-day fishing expedition on Monday afternoon, spoke with a certainty that he said comes from experience.

"This is our livelihood," Bailey emphasised. "The strong winds would be an everyday thing for us but there are signs out there that shows us more." Bailey, 33, relies on a weather app to gauge the sea conditions whenever he is going out.

"The sea is extremely rough, my belief is we're going to get it," he asserted. "You nuh normally see fish eat that much and believe me, you see the parrot [fish] them a swim off water and a eat the grass that the current is holding underneath the water. You don't normally see stuff like that so when it happens you know the weather ago stay a way."

Bailey's sentiments were echoed by others who stressed that there are still fishermen on the Pedro Cays who are still assessing the situation. Bailey, on the other hand, is taking no risks and returned to land. The fishermen are expecting that by Wednesday, the hurricane should hit Jamaica.

"Me move based off my experience, so over time, we know what to expect when a hurricane is coming or if there is any unusual weather I can decide when and how to move," he said, drawing on his knowledge from previous hurricanes such as Ivan and Dean; the latter was especially troubling.

"Water wash up here so fast, it happen as fast as when you a ketch water in a bucket. I had to save my sister from about there," he gestured toward the shoreline. "I had to carry her on the rooftop of an upstairs house and that's where we stayed till it was over," referencing his traumatic experience with 2007 hurricane. With Hurricane Beryl looming, Bailey and his family are taking no chances.

"I am not even staying in the community. I am going to St Mary while my other family members move to higher grounds," he disclosed, highlighting the urgency of preparations.

His concerns are not unfounded as, last night, meteorologists issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica. The Meteorological Service of Jamaica called for all fishermen to return to land as the island braces for potentially catastrophic weather. Prime Minister Andrew Holness also said that the Government is considering invoking disaster risk management measures to ensure preparedness for any eventuality.