Dusty
What started as a faint haze over the horizon during the weekend soon thickened into a thick, dusty fog obscuring sister islands across the Sir Francis Drake Channel as a Beaconite began his week. Dust from the Sahara Desert had made its way across the Atlantic, enveloping the eastern Caribbean with predicted averages exceeding more than 150 dust particles per cubic metre. The Department of Disaster Management issued an air quality alert Monday, warning at-risk people like those with chronic respiratory issues, children and the elderly. Residents can take precautions by keeping doors and windows closed, remaining inside, and wearing masks, according to the advisory. High levels of dust in the air can cause dry and itchy throat and eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose. Conditions were supposed to peak over the middle of the week, and the worst of the Sahara dust plume should be dissipating today and throughout the weekend.
Scout
A Beaconite was heartened by the news that British Girlguiding will be able to continue in the Virgin Islands. As a former member and volunteer for Girl Scouts of America, the United States equivalent to British Girlguiding, she appreciates the opportunities and experiences this type of organisation can provide. As she watched the “Brownies” in the Girlguiding unit for ages 7 to 10 sing and dance to pop songs, chat, and show off their painting, she was reminded of how universal the experience of being a kid can be. Meeting these Brownies, who were having a sleepover at the West End Community Centre on a recent Saturday, brought back many memories for the reporter — memories of helping her sister’s troop with each of their meetings and special events, like sleepovers and field trips. The way the girls on Tortola played and laughed with each other reminded her of the girls in her sister’s troop. While there may be some differences in the way that Girl Scouts of America and Girlguiding UK are run, the reporter thinks the core of what these organisations mean to girls remains the same. As one Girlguiding Brownie put it, “I wanted to become a Brownie because you can learn new skills and also socialise with little girls your age and just have fun together.”
A hitch
A Beaconite’s first attempt at hitch-hiking home was a total washout in all senses. As soon as he had positioned himself by the roundabout in Road Town (later to be informed by all too-wise-after-the-event seasoned car stoppers that he had chosen the wrong place at the wrong time), the heavens violently opened and he was drenched for the following 20 minutes before giving up, sodden, and seeking shelter. Indeed, who would want a dude rapidly descending from damp to dripping wet in their nice dry passenger seat? Though the newly arrived Beaconite had never hitch-hiked before — he has seen far too many American serial killer movies — he still believes in the fabled generosity of Virgin Islands drivers. So the next time you see a slightly confused-looking Irishman in a suit stick his finger out for a lift to the beautiful tranquillity of Brewers Bay, please take pity on him.