Category Archives: Caribbean

In Bonaire, you dont think, you just do. At least thats what I repeat to myself standing at the edge of this cliff, eyeing the dirt-covered notch of fossilized coral beneath my feet. About 25 feet below that theres clear, impossibly turquoise water. Maybe too clear: I think I see shadows of rock-masses right beneath the ripples, but hopefully my eyes are playing tricks on me.

On the southern end of the Caribbean, the Dutch municipalitythe B between Aruba and Curaao in the ABC islandsis less about tourist traps and more about outdoor appreciation. Here, 20,000 residents are relegated to two citiesKralendijk, the capital, and the older Rinconwhile about one fifth of the whole island is covered by Washington-Slagbaai National Park, where I am currently frozen.

To get to this perch above Boka Slagbaai bayonce a setting for goat slaughtering (slagbaai comes from slachtbaai, Dutch for slaughter bay)I trekked in aqua shoes up a lumpy trail lined with spindly candle cacti that sprung from the ground like electrified hairs. Take away the sounds of the ocean, and the landscape could easily double as a Western US desert. But then an iguana crosses my path, moseying along on Caribbean time. Behind me flamingos converge, feasting on a former salt pan. And at the top of the trail, I emerge to see the waterexpansive, gorgeous, with coral reef all around, all protected thanks to the islands conservation efforts.

So now, all there is to do is jump from this cliff, which seems like nothing. But a crowd has gathered to watch. Maybe they were in the national park to hike the trails of Mount Brandaris, the highest peak on the island. Or maybe they were there to dive and snorkel in secret cove beaches, like the hidden tide pools of Boka Kokolishi, a favorite for wading. Maybe theyve kayaked, explored historic ruins or driven in their 4x4 along a dirt road, where mountain goats climb rugged mounds to one side and geysers from the ocean spurt angrily on the other. Maybe, but now theyre here to watch me.

All I just want to get it over with. I look downa mistake, because then I hesitate (a note to cliff jumpers out there: Dont look down. Never look down.). And eventually, I leap.

Did you know you could do a belly flop on your back? Before visiting Bonaire, I didnt. But now I do. And Id do it again. Heres what else you can get up to on this small but mighty adventure island.

Inhabit the scuba spirit of Captain Don

Today, the miles of reef fringing the perimeter of Bonaire is all a protected marine park, stretching up to 984 feet offshore and stocked with 470 colorful species of fish, 60 kinds of coral, and multiple diving and snorkeling sites. The reefs accessibility, along with year-round good weather, has earned 24-mile-long Bonaire a reputation as the shore diving capital of the worlda place where you can pop into underwater wonders straight off the land, rather than needing a boat.

But the value of the reef might never have been recognized if not for one man, a Californian named Captain Don Stewart. Navy man, avid diver, raconteur, and inventor (he apparently was responsible for the sliding screen door), Captain Don was also an environmentalist. As the story goes, he made a pit stop in Bonaire while on a sailing trip back in 1962, his 50-year-old schooner in need of repairs. At the time, only 4,000 people lived on the island, but it was the water that caught Captain Dons attention. When it was time to leave, he changed his plans. I could see the reef as we tied up, he said of his first sighting. I could hear it calling my name.

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The History of the McRib

Bonaires introduction to diving began with the six tanks Captain Don brought with him, and the protection of local marine life became his legacy. He spearheaded a campaign to have permanent moorings placed at dive sites that prevented divers from anchoring in, and thus destroying, the reefs. His efforts not only led to the banning of spearfishing to protect the reefs (its the reason conch, though plentiful in the waters around Bonaire, has to be imported from neighboring islands), but also to the creation of the Bonaire National Marine Park in 1979. Today, all divers in Bonaire are required to attend a class on reef preservation, as well as pay a nature fee of $25 to enter the park waters.

Youll see his name invoked throughout the island, most prominently at the PADI diving resort he founded in 1976, Captain Dons Habitat, a favorite of divers and divers-to-be with certification classes, specialty courses, and access to over 50 moored sites by custom dive boat. (The attached Rum Runners restaurant, a go-to for cocktails with a killer sunset view, is a favorite of everyone else.)

Other area resorts include Buddy Dive Resort, Grand Windsock, the more affordable Caribbean Club, and the luxurious Harbour Village, complete with its own secluded stretch of private beach, the only place youll find that on the island. But resort access isnt required to hit the water: Stop off at a dive shop for some equipment, choose a spotthe extraordinary 1,000 steps perhaps (actually just 67 steps), or the Oil Slick, where you step off a short cliff into the wavesand take the leap.

Throw caution to the wind (literally)

The consistent trade winds that blew Captain Dons aging sailboat over to Bonaire are the same breezes that make the island a destination for wind-fueled sports. Champion windsurfers are made hereyoull find some teaching classes at Lac Bay. The Frans Brothers, stars of the 2013 documentary Children of the Wind, about three Bonarians journey from a small fishing village to windsurfing superstardom, run their own windsurfing school and wing foil center on Sorobon Bay. (One of the owners, Elton Taty Frans holds the fastest record for windsurfing from Bonaire to Curaao).

Of course, if you want a more laid-back activity, theres plenty of that, too. The windsurfing club Jibe City offers rentals and classesplus adirondack chairs, hammocks, and a bar for those who prefer to watch.

Another option? Skim across the seas on a kiteboardthats done at Atlantis Beach, with classes at Kiteboarding Bonaire or Bonaire Kiteschoolor try your hand harnessing the wind on land. Bonaire is the only island in the Caribbean where you can landsail. Using the New Zealand-designed Blokart (rhymes with go-kart), Bonaire Landsailing Adventures allows you to zip around a waterfront track right dotted with cacti. Just watch out for those iguanas.

Duck underground

Youre standing in front of a gaping hole in the ground about three feet wide, depths as dark as the eye can see. Your snorkel is strapped around your neck. Then your spelunking guide nods: Yup, this is the cave where were going down. Yet another one of those just do it Bonaire moments. If youre lucky, theres a rickety ladder to climb, but youre most likely rappelling into a dry cave to crawl through spiny formations, or a wet one, emerging in a wonderland of clear pools, stalactites, stalagmites, and coral shaped like everything from brains to bats. Oh waitthose are real bats.

Theres a reason Bonaire is devoid of lush vegetation. Its geology was formed by a volcanic core pushed up from the earth and surrounded by limestone karst. But what the land lacks in nutrients for plant life, it makes up for with its holes. Caves, over 400 of them, litter the landscape, and the Bonaire Caves & Karst Nature Reserve is dedicated to their protection. To that end, just a few are accessible to visitors, and require a guide like those from Go Caving Bonaire or Caves Tour Bonaire to take you through the underground worlds (if you choose the latter and get Dirk as your guide, be ready for plenty of adorable dad jokes).

Delve into the islands cultural history

Arrive at Bonaire by sea or land, and the first things to catch your eye are the pink-hued salt flats on the southern end of the island, each lined with massive 50-foot tall white pyramids of salt. Theyre part of one of the largest solar salt facilities in the Caribbean. (The salt is available to buy all over, but at the flats, theres a box of crystals to sample for free.)

Drive by the flats on land and youll notice something else: almost identical square white houses, Scandinavian in their minimalist design. Dating back to 1850 and made of coral stone, these were once shelters for the enslaved brought in by the Dutch from the west coast of Africa to work on the flats (slavery was abolished in the Dutch Antilles 13 years later). Their homes were typically located inland in the city of Rincon, but as the flats were a seven-hour walk away, staying overnight in these accommodations meant they could work, sleep, and work again. And it was tough workthey often went blind due to sun and heat exposure.

Though the residents today are a conglomeration of several culturestheir language, Papiamentu, is a mixture of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and African dialectsat times, Bonaire can seem like two countries: one for those who built the country, and one for those who conquered it. The original inhabitants were an Arawak tribe called the Caiquetios, believed to have migrated from Venezuela. (It was their name for the islandBojnajthat evolved into Bonaire.) After the Spanish landed, they searched for riches on the arid desert-like land and found none. They subsequently deemed the land useless, enslaved the Caiquetios, and shipped them off to Hispaniola (now Haiti) and the Dominican Republic to work in the copper mines.

1636 saw the arrival of the Dutch, who came in search of salt to use as preservatives in the herring industry. In Bonaire they found their White Gold, and, in the late 1600s, implemented the slave trade to work primarily on the salt flats. Until slavery was abolished, the entire island amounted to one large plantation. Around Kralendijk, youll see maps for a self-guided historical walking tour, taking you past Dutch colonial buildings like the Protestant church, built in 1847 for Dutch immigrants, and Wilhelmina Park, named after Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (she has her own welcome seat affixed with a plaque).

But to learn more about the cultural history of Bonaire, of those who toiled on the land and whose descendants still live there today, head inland to Rincon and find the Mangazina di Rei. Once a building used by the government to store agricultural rations for the enslaved, today its a museum documenting the islands cultural, agricultural, and geological makeup.

Every last Saturday of the month, they hold the Nos Ziljea, a celebration of local crafts, agriculture, and musical entertainment plus local foods like Funchi, a mash of black eyed peas and brown sugar, and goat curry, which you can also sample at nearby local restaurants like Posada Para Mira. (If youre feeling adventurous, go for the iguana stew). Or if you're visiting from February through May, look for one of the Simadan events throughout the country, a festival that harkens back to a celebration of the harvest, with its own dance called the Wapa. It culminates in the day-long Dia di Rinconon April 30.

Create your own safari

Cruise around the island and youre bound to encounter quite a bit of wildlife. Some are a natural fit, like iguanas, waterfowl, caracaras, parrots, and even goats. Also flamingos, pink like the salt flats, munching on shrimp from briny waters and hanging out at Bonaire Wild Bird Rehab, their very own sanctuary. They say theres more flamingos than people on the island, and that might very well be true.

And then there are the donkeys. Dropped off by the Spanish in the 1500s and left to fend for themselves on the island, about 1100 burros now roam freely throughout Bonaire. And if encounters with humans turn unfriendly, its usually the fault of the animal with two legs and opposable thumbs. Thats where Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire comes in.

Established in 1993, the sanctuary takes in donkeys injured and orphaned by car accidents or by other means. Here, about 750 animals are cared for by volunteers and set up, Golden Girls-style, for the rest of their days with food, shelter, medical care, and gossip buddies. Visitors can pay an entry fee and embark on a DIY safari, walking or driving through the sanctuary by car, golf cart, or scooter, and buying grass pellets to get swarmed by burros poking their snouts in open windows, car doors, and anywhere else they fit. Long-term visitors to the island can sign up to volunteer or apply to be an intern. Short-termers can choose to sponsor or adopt a donkey, securing a local friend the next time they return. And if you cant make it down in person, you can always watch the action go down via livestream.

(Ad)venture into the night

Bonaire might be more suited to daytime exploration, but there is also a burgeoning nightlife scene, helmed by live performances at Little Havana and salsa parties at Cuba Compagnie. And you can count on cocktails backed by spectacular sunsets at places like Karels Beach Bar in the heart of Kralendijk, or at more upscale restaurants like the Mediterranean-inflected Sebastians, Ingridints at Buddy Dive, and the aforementioned Rum Runners at Captain Dons Habitat. Theres even an option to sail into the sunset itself, with a four-hour dinner cruise aboard a 50-foot wooden schooner fromMelisa Sailing.

Later, move on to the heartier stuff at Tiki & Co. Its Bonaire-raised owner Eddy Trenidad has apprenticed everywhere from the Prohibition-inspired Room 13 in Chicago to the trend-setting Stirr in the Netherlands (now closed). Have him whip you up something to please your palate, or choose from any of the well-balanced options. Just be aware: Drinks come heavy on the gothy theatrics here (order the Sorobon Zombie for a flaming surprise), and even heavier on the booze (order only one Sorobon Zombie if you want to remember what happened that night).

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Plunge Into Adventure on This Tiny Southern Caribbean Island - Thrillist

What happened

Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL -0.35%) are running 14.6% higher this week compared to where they closed last Friday, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, despite no company-specific news that would account for the jump.

In fact, there's been plenty of cruise industry news to suggest the exact opposite, especially around peer Carnival (CCL -2.19%), which continues to catch analyst downgrades and price target cuts after laying an earnings egg.

Image source: Getty Images.

The cruise ship industry was swamped by the rogue wave of Carnival's earnings report that essentially gave up all hope of returning to profitability this year as inflation and other costs took their toll on performance.

Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Lines all sank on the report, with Royal ending last week down 14.6% from where it began. That means its identical percentage gain this week isn't enough to put it at breakeven from two weeks ago, though it's doing better than either Carnival or Norwegian.

That could be because despite Royal Caribbean and Norwegian not reporting earnings for a few weeks yet, Royal Caribbean is actually better positioned than its rivals. As my colleague Dan Caplinger recently pointed out, the cruise ship operator didn't dilute its shareholders the way Carnival and Norwegian did in a bid to stay afloat. That means its earnings won't need to be quite as spectacular as its peers need to produce to show earnings improvement because it has fewer shares outstanding.

The cruise industry was first battered by the pandemic, and now it's facing rough seas due to the possibility the economy will suffer from stagflation or a declining economy that stills rising inflation. All signs also point to the Federal Reserve raising interest rates by 75 basis points for an unprecedented fourth time when they meet in November, which will raise costs for both consumers and for the cruise line stocks on the debt that they hold, which is significant.

While Carnival had said bookings for the 2023 cruise season were holding up better, running ahead of 2019 and at higher prices, credits it had to issue to passengers for pandemic-era cruise cancellations were hurting its performance in the back half of this year.

We need to see what sort of havoc all these different moving parts play when Royal Caribbean reports results, which may lead to more waves swamping its deck.

Link:

Why Royal Caribbean Is Sailing 15% Higher This Week - The Motley Fool

The 2022 Virtual Island Summit (VIS) came at the right time.

The week-long series of panels, discussions, and networking events saw some 10,000 people from over 500 islands around the world attending for the benefit of their environments.

VIS acknowledged that this is a crucial time between the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Climate Change Summit (COP27), when policymakers begin to work towards finding wide-scale solutions for climate action.

Recognising that since last years COP26 in Glasgow, there have been several developments affecting island communities, VIS highlighted the fact that Tuvalu, along with Antigua and Barbuda, created the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, to investigate potential legal pathways for vulnerable communities to access financial assistance from major economies. This was followed by stalled negotiations on loss and damage, which left the Alliance of Small Island States 'disappointed. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has called for more accountability on climate action, while Vanuatu has proposed a treaty to phase out fossil fuels at UNGA.

The concerted pressure over the course of the year has led to movement on loss and damage by Denmark, who has announced that it wants to get the ball rolling on finding a resolution, by committing $13 million USD into the fund. Likewise, climate-vulnerable communities around the world have begun to rally together for more concerted action. In many ways, the VIS is a microcosm of global sustainable development, and highlights how knowledge-sharing can impact resilience-building and workable solutions.

Therefore, the online event, the fourth edition of VIS, drew a wide range of high-quality speakers and engaged audiences. The forty-session Summit was opened by Prime Minister Mottley, who lauded event organizers Island Innovation for their hard work in connecting global island communities with one another to find sustainable solutions.

The ability for leaders and experts of island nations to come together on the basis of our shared experiences during this climate crisis, is a moment that is of great importance not just to us who live in island nations, but indeed to the entire world, Prime Minister Mottley said. I truly believe we can, and must use this summit to advance the development of our global island community. As evidenced by the work Barbados has, and continues to do with respects to environmental advocacy and protection, we are ready to both take part, as well as grow via this important venture.

.All sessions of the Virtual Island Summit have been recorded and are available for replay here: https://islandinnovation.co/library/

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Virtual Island Summit 2022 comes to the Caribbean at 'crucial' time | Loop Barbados - Loop News Barbados

From rapper Bad Bunnys protest songs in Puerto Rico to food as resistance in the Dominican Republic, the arts are dynamically linked to cultural commentary in Latin America. Penn in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLAC) centered on this theme of Shared Narratives: Arts, Culture, and Conflict in Latin America and the Caribbean for their sixth annual conference at Perry World House.

Penn President Liz Magill gave opening remarks, saying, This conference exemplifies something wonderful at Penn: the interest and compassion to engage in conversation across disciplines.

Whether expressed through music, poetry, or streaming on video, stories are about connection, conveying something unique about individuals, their homes, their languages, their cultures, said Magill. They can connect us to something universal ... no matter where or when were coming from.

The conference discussed artistic expression in many forms and included presentations on social change and socioeconomic impact, cultural expression and preservation in education spaces, and repression and resilience in art, as well as a panel on Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean agency, resistance, and power.

The conference was originally convened in order to gather experts on Latin America from all disciplines. In addition to professors from across the University, undergraduate and graduate students also shared their scholarship. Maya Pratt-Freedman, a fourth-year student from San Diego studying sociology and cinema and media studies, played a short clip from her documentary Essentially Criminal. Pratt-Freedman took a semester off last year to explore criminalized immigration along the United States/Mexico border.

In a panel on Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean agency, resistance, and power moderated by Odette Casamayor-Cisneros, associate professor of Spanish, three graduate students presented on their research. Bonnie Maldonaldo of Africana Studies spoke on Armas y Comida Pal Pueblo: Food as Resistance in the Dominican Nation. Alexandra Snchez Roln, also of Africana Studies, discussed Bomba Music and Resistance, while Joao Nery Fiocchi Rodrigues in sociology presented on narrations of slavery and state formation in the Americas.

In the keynote address, Playing Boring Games, Building Cross-Border Cooperation, Juan Llamas-Rodriguez of the Annenberg School for Communication imagined the border as a board game. He created a playable game where the object is to repair all the sewers in the border region, a goal that can only be accomplished if all the players work together.

The limited funds available in the game and the restrictions placed on players mobility across the border are two of the main impediments to achieving the game goal before it is too late, said Llamas-Rodriguez. These features are research-based logistical hurdles that are inherited from not cooperating across borders, he said.

Game playing can be an agent for social change, Llamas-Rodriguez said. In his game, players are meant to ask critical questions, like Why are the stories being told in a game? Why do the characters look the way they do? Why are the players rewarded for certain actions and punished for other actions? Reflective play can be a catalyst for transformative possibilities as players examine their own actions within a social context, he said.

The need for a bottom-up approach is critical in border regions, said Llamas-Rodriguez. The problem I think lies in the current dispositions that prevent these policies from moving forward: entrenchment, antagonism, apathy. As long as we see the border region from the perspective of the nation state, we will remain uninterested in protecting the livelihoods of border residents. The answer is to move from a static position protecting the state towards regional cooperation, he said.

The boring adjective in the title was actual feedback that Llamas-Rodriguez received when he submitted his game when he sent the game into a peer-reviewed journal. Boring, he said, is part of the point.

Were ignoring so many of these border issues because these arent the flashy issues; this isnt the exciting part, Llamas-Rodriguez said.

Llamas-Rodriguez suggested that this game could be played by different agents before meetings about border issues as a way to get people talking and collaborating together. Until people are willing to engage in boring policy issues and take the time to fix them, nothing is solved, he said.

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Penn in Latin America and the Caribbean | Penn Today - Penn Today

In the face of the damage caused, the Church responds through its humanitarian services.

Torrential rains, hurricane winds, floods, displaced families, extensive damage to property, interruption of basic services and even human loss of life are the result of the impact of Hurricane Fiona throughout the Caribbean region.

In response, the humanitarian services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have activated a series of actions to help authorities and community organizations cope with the situation and mitigate the damage caused by this natural phenomenon.

Help has been provided to aid about 65,000 affected families on the French island of Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. The aid seeks to provide food, water, hygiene items and other emergency supplies, as well as human assistance through Helping Hands volunteers, through which cleaning and debris removal will be carried out, as well as the distribution of supplies. The Church will continue to provide additional relief and assistance.

In addition to its direct actions, the Church will provide support throughorganizations to 17 emotional resilience centers operated through the international Mercy Corps organization in Puerto Ricowhere water, food, and other essential emergency supplieswill also be provided.

The Church's manager of welfare and self-reliance for the Caribbean Area, Josue D. Vanderhorst, said, "In the Caribbean, we are people of faith in Jesus Christ and our people have a high degree of resilience. These phenomena occur and the best thing we can do is to be prepared, as we are taught in the Church. This presents us, at times, with the challenge of families who lose their belongings, their homes and sometimes more regrettably, even loved ones. He indicated that in addition to material help, the Church provides assistance and emotional support in view of the traumas that a situation like this can cause.

"Our Heavenly Father remembers his children and answers their prayers, no matter how difficult the situation, so we hope, in a way, to be part of that answer, providing what is necessary to those who need it most and in the shortest possible time. As Christians, we are sensitive and supportive of the pain of others, so the least we can do is be there and humbly respond with what we have within our reach; extending a hand as the Savior Jesus Christ would have, he added.

Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, Hurricane Fiona caused the loss of human life, displaced more than 12,000, and resulted in the flooding of rivers, streams and ravines, landslides, and large material loss in addition to breakdowns in the electrical system and damage to agricultural areas and those that are without communication in the provinces of El Seibo, La Romana and La Altagracia.

In partnership with the Rotary Club of the Dominican Republic, funds will be used to help those affected in the eastern and northeastern regions of the country, including food, clothing and medicine for people who lost their homes due to the hurricane.

Church leaders in each region have reported that despite the damage, churchmembers and missionaries are safe. There have been no unrecoverable losses. Most of the Church buildings are in good condition, apart from some minor damage from falling trees and other objects on the meetinghouses of El Seibo and La Romana, in the Dominican Republic.

They emphasize the importance of the emergency plans that "the Church teaches its members to prepare and implement in these situations, both at the family level and in each congregation and at the level of the entire community. This includes good communication for the care of those most affected," said George Marmol, president of the La Romana stake, which covers the most affected provinces.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, power service was suspended throughout the island, in addition to devastating flooding, both in urban and rural areas and especially in the central and southern areas of the country. More than a million people reportedly remain without electricity, some 800,000 lack clean water and about a thousand families have not been able to be relocated, while about 30 inches of rain have been measured in some places.

Humanitarian aid projects have been approved with the World Food Program, Project HOPE and the Red Cross for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Other major projects for the Caribbean area are also being considered.

Guadeloupe

Hurricane Fiona also caused damage as it passed through the French territory of Guadeloupe on Friday, September 16, causing damage and flooding across the island.

In the aftermath of the storm, missionaries and Church members joined community efforts by assisting residents, distributing water and cleaning supplies, and cleaning homes and affected sites.

Stories of Hope

Internally, among Church congregations and their members, emergency plans were activated and through local leadership in each community, the self-reliance program is providing support to Church members who have also been affected. So far, these actions have benefited some 350 families in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Andrs F. Tapia, bishop of the La Manicera neighborhood in El Seibo, recounted: "As soon as the hurricane passed, I visited a sister, and seeing her house totally destroyed, we cried together because she is a person without resources who lives day to day. However, both she and many others do not lose faith. Via the actions currently being carried out by the Church which help with immediate resources, she and others harbor hope and feel gratitude for the support they receive."

At another local church congregation, the elders quorum president (a local leader) housed another brother from his congregation who lost all of his property. These types of actions, for many, are a source of hope.

For his part, Nicols Nez, president of the Hato Mayor branch, said: "In a general way, I could see how the hurricane caused a lot of damage in the community, but I feel grateful for the opportunity to serve in the work of the Lord and to help my sisters and brothers to see that this is nothing more than a test. The important thing is to move forward and persevere, because we are not alone."

Actions will continue

Regarding the situation in Puerto Rico, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, declared a state of emergency, a measure that will free up federal funds for relief work. President Luis Abinader Corona did the same regarding the Dominican Republic and the Minister of the Interior of France, Grald Darmanin, announced a state of natural catastrophe for the French islands, which is expected to take effect in the coming days.

Forecasts from the U.S. National Hurricane Center indicate that the rains will continue with possible additional flooding. The centre of Fiona is expected to pass close to the British Turks and Caicos Isles.

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Hurricane Fiona Affects the Islands of the Caribbean - news-caribbean.churchofjesuschrist.org

The podcast Tracking the Tropics with Bryan Norcross is now available to stream.

(FOX Weather)

Updated at 8:30 a.m. Eastern

Tropical Disturbance #1 is in an unfortunate position. It's far enough south that it's less likely to turn north until it reaches the western Caribbean. If it arcs to the north from below Cuba, it could threaten the Gulf coast, Florida, or the Bahamas. It will likely organize into a tropical depression over the next couple of days, at which time we'll get a forecast cone from the National Hurricane Center.

Tonight and tomorrow, the disturbance will track across the extreme southern Caribbean islands including Trinidad and Tobago bringing gusty winds and tropical downpours.

Until the weekend, hostile upper-level winds emanating from Hurricane Fiona are forecast to impact the system. That factor should slow any development, but it's probably not enough to keep the disturbance from organizing into at least a depression. As the system moves farther west in the Caribbean, however, the atmospheric environment is forecast to markedly improve. That, combined with the exceptionally warm water in the western Caribbean Sea, should allow the system to further organize and strengthen.

The various computer forecast models agree that the system will track across the Caribbean for the next few days. Then there is a decent chance it will evolve into a tropical storm or hurricane as it begins its turn north.

A tropical disturbance east of the southeastern Caribbean islands has a high chance of development.

(FOX Weather)

The graphic below shows the diversity of possible tracks. This is a way to visualize the uncertainty in the forecast. Notice the zone of concern extends from the Gulf to the Bahamas east of Florida.

This range of possibilities is normal for a system in its initial stages of development. The rule that forecast errors are highest for disorganized or just-developing systems applies. This visualization gives us an idea of the areas that need to stay fully aware of changes as the forecast evolves.

The differences in the various tracks are related to the forward speed of the system, how quickly it intensifies, how far north it tracks, plus the exact orientation of the dip in the jet stream that could scoop it north. The various combinations of these variables give us the diversity of possible long-range tracks.

If the storm were to form and move toward the U.S., it would likely not be an issue until at least Tuesday of next week, depending on its track.

At this point, do not focus on any tracks you see on the internet. The system has only begun to develop, and many factors are in play. The best anyone can do in the potentially affected areas is to stay informed.

Hurricane Fiona has intensified into a Category 4 monster. It now appears it will track west of Bermuda by a decent amount. The closest National Hurricane Center forecast point is almost 150 miles offshore. The Bermuda Meteorological Service has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the island. Impacts will begin tomorrow and last into Friday.

Fiona continues to drag an enhanced tropical moisture flow over Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Some tropical downpours will still occur for the rest of the week, but there will be plenty of clear times as well.

About Saturday, Fiona will reach the Maritime Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The hurricane will merge with a northern disturbance to form a large and powerful North Atlantic storm. The Canadian Hurricane Centre is already alerting residents there of a potentially severe storm possessing both tropical and intense winter-storm-type properties but with very heavy rainfall.

Fiona will produce very large ocean waves and dangerous surf from Florida to New England late in the week, as energy in the Atlantic waters from the storm's powerful winds reaches the coast.

Fiona is a powerful Category 4 hurricane.

(FOX Weather)

Tropical Storm Gaston somewhat suddenly formed out of a disturbance in the middle of the Atlantic. It is forecast to intensify to near hurricane strength and then quickly weaken. It might affect the northernmost Azores, islands in the northeastern Atlantic, but as a relatively weak system. Gaston is only expected to last a few days.

Tropical Disturbance #2 has flared up a bit in the eastern tropical Atlantic. The NHC is giving it a slight chance of developing into at least a tropical depression. It's not expected to affect land at the current time.

Disturbance #3 is forecast to move off Africa tomorrow or Thursday. Some computer forecast models develop it quickly as it tracks to the north off the African coast, while others ignore it. In any case, it's not expected to be a threat to land.

Mother Nature is reminding us that it's the heart of hurricane season. What happened in the first part the season is not relevant, except that the ocean waters are warmer than they might have been because they weren't stirred up by previous storms. This is an important time to stay informed.

FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross has a podcast, Tracking the Tropics with Bryan Norcross, available now on FOX News Audio. You can get it on your device by clicking here.

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Tropical Disturbance likely to organize in the Caribbean and could be a threat to the US next week - Fox Weather

Another fantastic day of weather across the region, with low humidity, a decent amount of sunshine and low rain chances. Hopefully youre enjoying this taste of Fall after some of the hotter days weve seen recently.

Well see mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies this weekend with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Rain-free conditions are expected through Saturday and most of Sunday. Late Sunday evening, we could see a few showers approach as a front comes into the area. Overall, a pretty nice weekend locally.

The tropics have been quite active recently, with 4 named storms in the basin as of Saturday morning. We have Fiona, Gaston, Hermine and Ian all out there.

Fiona is currently impacting Canada as of Saturday morning, with heavy rain, surf, wind and storm surge. The storm has become extra-tropical (aka a Noreaster) as its moved north, meaning its lost some of its tropical characteristics, but that doesnt really matter in terms of impacts. Remember Sandy in 2012? Sandy also become extra-tropical, but sure brought impacts to the Northeast. Fiona is doing the same to Canada. Check out some of these posts below for what it looks like there.

While we wait for the NHC's official call, it looks like #Fiona has recently made landfall between Canso and Guysborough. With an unofficial recorded pressure at Hart Island of 931.6 mb, this makes Fiona the lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada. pic.twitter.com/TYo9G05sUz

Hermine and Gaston are in the far eastern Atlantic and no threat to North America. Ian on the other hand, is a different story. Ian is the storm we will be talking about for the next week or so, as it moves through the Caribbean and towards Cuba and Florida.

As of Saturday morning, Ian is a relatively weak tropical storm. However, the NHC expects it to strengthen significantly over the next few days, becoming a strong hurricane before making landfall in Cuba and Florida.

5 days out, the exact path is always a bit uncertain, but there has been decent consensus on impacts being felt in Florida. The exact landfall location is still being determined though and that can have a big impact on storm surge and where the worst winds are felt. The consensus models which are a blend of all of the models essentially have been adjusting west a bit over the last day or so. So has the National Hurricane Center (NHC) track. Hurricane Hunter aircraft are scheduled to investigate the storm numerous times through Saturday and Sunday so that should help improve the forecast too.

The GFS and the European models both show a strong storm on the western side of Florida as we go into next week. There are some differences through in exactly how strong and where itll be located. Depending on the exact track of the storm, we could see some remnant effects late next week. The GFS does show some local impact here late next week. If its just some rain, that could be good news for us -as we are behind on rainfall.

Stay tuned for updates on Ian over the weekend. As we get more hurricane hunter recon data and better model data in over the weekend, I expect some changes to the forecast. We will continue to monitor the storm and keep you updated. Ill be sharing updates on Twitter through the weekend a lot too.

Hope you have a great weekend!Meteorologist Ricky Matthews

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Blog: Nice weekend locally, watching Ian in the Caribbean - WAVY.com

The podcast Tracking the Tropics with Bryan Norcross is now available to stream.

(FOX Weather)

Updated at 8:30 a.m. ET

Tropical Depression Nineformed out of the disturbance we've been following in the Caribbean. It appears that the hostile upper-level winds that were limiting development let up just enough for thunderstorms to form near the center of rotation. The fact that we now have a well-defined center helps the forecasting. The computer forecast models have a better starting point to latch onto.

Now that the system is a tropical depression, we get a cone from the National Hurricane Center. Hopefully, that will get more people in Florida to pay close attention to the potential threat, which is harder to accomplish for a disorganized disturbance on the other side of the Caribbean Sea.

The NHC cone shows the threat zone as the Florida peninsula. The cone is a compromise of the key computer forecast models, some of which show landfall close to Tampa Bay and others that take the storm closer to Miami. A consensus of the models in other words, a kind of average is historically the most accurate predictor of where the storm is going to go.

But there are a couple of important points. Bear in mind that, on average, the center of the storm stays inside the cone about 2/3 of the time. And when a system is just forming, forecasts are poorer, so the accuracy is even less.

The projected path and intensity of Tropical Depression Nine.

(FOX Weather)

While the current cone is the best estimate of the system's track based on the available information. As the depression gets better developed and turns into a tropical storm with a well-defined center, the forecasts should improve, and we can have more confidence in the cone. The point is that we should expect adjustments in the coming days.

The timeline with this storm is compressed. It's not like when Irma was approaching when we watched the storm's progress for more than a week. Plans are going to have to be implemented in a hurry.

If the storm were to move toward the Keys and extreme South Florida, the current timeline puts the storm there as early as Tuesday. If it were to move toward Central Florida, it would be more like Wednesday. If it went outside the cone to the northern Gulf coast, it would arrive on Thursday plus or minus.

The timeline is subject to change, of course, but it's unlikely to be radically different.

A strong jet-stream dip is forecast to reach the Gulf of Mexico Sunday and Monday. That feature should scoop up the storm and arc it north and east. Since we don't know exactly where the system will be when the dip grabs it, we don't know exactly where the arcing track will end up.

People in the northern Bahamas should also monitor the progress of the system.

The water is very warm on the storm's track. There is no obvious reason it won't steadily intensify. The only inhibiting factor would seem to be whether the upper-level winds are conducive. The forecast shows the environment as essentially ideal for intensification before the system gets to Cuba. In the Gulf, some dry air might come into play as well as slightly more hostile winds. But if the storm intensifies significantly, that might not be a factor. Strong storms can better throw off outside influences.

Right now, the National Hurricane Center is forecasting the system to be a strong Category 2 hurricane at landfall in Florida. This means that all planning has to assume it could be at least a Category 3. We always assume at least a one-category error this far in advance.

If you live in the threat zone, do your friends and neighbors a favor and be sure they are paying attention.

Hurricane Fionais now just past Bermuda on its way to eastern Canada. The Canadian weather service is warning that Fiona is shaping up to be a severe event for Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec. A large area will experience hurricane-force winds. Strong storms are not uncommon there, but normally they are in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees. Prolonged and widespread power outages are predicted.

Tracking the tropics

(FOX Weather)

Flooding is also possible from continuous rain, and the coastline will be battered by waves over 30 feet, causing significant erosion in some areas.

This is all forecast to begin later today and continue into Saturday.

Tropical Storm Gastonis doing a loop over the northern Azores - islands in the northeast Atlantic. The storm isn't terribly strong, but it is going to be relentless.

Tropical Disturbance #1is a disorganized mass of showers. It has a slight chance of developing into a tropical depression.

Tropical Disturbance #2is a robust system in the waters just off the African coast. It has a good chance of developing into at least a depression as it moves to the north.

Tropical Disturbances #1 and #3 are in a race to get named first. The next name on the list is Hermine, and the one after that is Ian.

Stay well-informed in the Florida threat zone to be sure you have the latest information. Things will develop quickly over the next few days.

FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross has a podcast,Tracking the Tropics with Bryan Norcross, available now onFOX News Audio. You can get it on your device byclicking here.

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Tropical Depression Nine forms in the Caribbean and aims toward Florida - Fox Weather

Look up what drives deforestation in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the results are many: trade with countries like China and the EU, mining to satisfy growing demand for gold and other metals, speculation and land grabbing tied to U.S. universities and pension funds. While all of these are factors, one of the biggest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions in the region and its best hope for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 remains the food system.

Food production and deforestation are responsible for almost half of greenhouse gas emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean, and meat plays an outsized role. More than 77% of agricultural land globally is used for livestock, either for grazing or feed production. And food demand is only expected to rise by more than 50% by 2050. In Latin America, cattle ranching is especially important: the region is home to 67% of beef cattle and 76% of dairy cattle. Beef production is expected to increase by 125% by 2050 to sustain meat demand.

Food production is an enormously important for the economy of Latin America and the Caribbean. Commodities like soy and beef are the main and often most lucrative exports for many countries, and the sector employs roughly 15% of people in the region. But at the same time, the region suffers from both increasing rates of food insecurity alongside rising rates of obesity, especially among children.

Bringing its food system, currently one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases, to ultimately net-zero emissions in the next few decades remains a big challenge for the region, where almost a dozen countries have pledged to reach net-zero emissions by around 2050. According to a new report from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), reaching net zero by 2050 will require ambitious and sustained improvements in crop yields as well as dietary changes, especially in beef consumption. It calls for shrinking the proportion of land dedicated to agriculture, and increasing the area available for carbon sequestration and biodiversity preservation.

Its a timely report, said Florence Pendrill, a researcher at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden who studies the drivers of tropical deforestation and land use change.

There is an increasing recognition and focus on the role of agriculture and land use in the joint crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, both coming out of the climate COP26 in Glasgow late last year, and going into the U.N. Biodiversity Conference [COP15] later this year, Pendrill, who was not involved in the report, told Mongabay. The IADB report considers both supply-side and demand-side measures to reduce emissions, which can be useful as countries work toward realizing these goals.

Patrice Dumas, a co-author of the report and senior researcher at the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), said the report is largely directed at stakeholders in the region, providing a comprehensive overview of the best options for reducing emissions, alongside figures that help compare and evaluate them. What surprised him, he said, was not that cattle ranching turned out to be one of the primary ways to decarbonize the food system, but the ample opportunities to sustainably intensify the livestock sector.

I knew that it would be big, but not that big, Dumas said. Latin America has always had very extensive cattle production, thanks in part to an abundance of land, and so a shift to more intensive forms of production in areas less valuable for carbon and more amenable to pasture, like savannas, presents a big opportunity.

The report reviews options to reduce emissions and transform the land-use system into a net carbon sink by 2050 while improving nutritional security for the regions growing population. Providing cattle with more concentrated feed, boosting nitrogen in pasture soils, silvopasture, and improved pasture management are all some of the supply-side options that the authors identified to help intensify livestock production and bring emissions savings. They also pointed to agroforestry practices to help slash emissions from cocoa, beef, and coffee production. Demand-side solutions include switching beef for a more plant-based diet or for pork and poultry, which produce lower emissions in their production, and reducing overall beef consumption, especially in Brazil and Latin Americas South Cone (encompassing Argentina, Chile and Uruguay), where daily beef protein intake per person is three to four times higher than the global average.

But the report goes beyond just considering direct emissions. It also looks at the carbon opportunity cost of land, or at the amount of carbon that could be sequestered if land used for food production was instead used to grow native vegetation.

With the carbon opportunity cost one can go a step further to consider also the land that is already used for agriculture what if that land wasnt used for agriculture? Then it could instead be used for other things, including carbon sequestration, Pendrill said. However, she said a metric focused solely on carbon doesnt consider other potential environmental and social impacts, such as biodiversity loss or displacement of traditional peoples.

The report also tracks separately emissions produced in Latin America and the Caribbean and emissions linked to trade, given that between a fifth and a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions from the regions food system are associated with agricultural products used elsewhere in the world.

Results show that, overall, reducing the carbon footprint of beef is essential to transforming Latin America and the Caribbean into a net carbon sink. The most ambitious supply-side scenario includes cultivating more cattle on less land, rapidly increasing coverage of silvopasture and other practices to dramatically improve pasture yields, and improving crop yields to meet growing food and feed demand without having to deforest more. This would reduce direct emissions by 10% compared to 2010 levels, and revert previously cleared land, which would sequester 1.33 billion metric tons of emissions a year on average around the same amount emitted by 356 average-sized coal-fired power plants.

On the demand side, the most ambitious scenario sees a reduction of beef consumption of up to 85% in Brazil and the Southern Cone countries, and to a lesser degree in Andean countries. Countries in Central America and the Caribbean, where the average beef consumption is lower than the global average, could even see an increase in consumption. This would stabilize direct emissions, improve nutritional security across all countries, and revert formerly degraded land, which could absorb the equivalent of 1.74 billion metric tons of emissions annually, or the equivalent of taking nearly 375 million cars off the road.

Combined, these solutions could help the region reach net zero by 2050 if emissions from energy, industry and waste also undergo equally ambitious cuts, the report says.

There are options both on the demand side and on the supply side, but really the two need to be done together, Dumas said. Some countries, like Brazil, have already shown deep commitment to improving efficiency in crop production and land use, he added. But ambitious action cant just be on the supply side, it also has to be on the demand side, Dumas said.

Talking about dietary change, especially beef, remains culturally sensitive, according to Dumas, despite overwhelming research that cutting our consumption of meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce our impact on the planet. The biggest demand for beef comes from within the region itself, the report says, where people consume more than twice as much beef per capita 9 grams per person than the global average of 4 g. In the Southern Cone and Brazil, those numbers are even higher: 18 g and 13 g, respectively.

Time and time again we see that it is just not possible to get the deep cuts in environmental impact we need via technological developments or shifts in production alone, said Paul Behrens, associate professor of environmental change at Leiden University in the Netherlands who researches food and energy systems and was not involved in the report. Saving the land and reducing the emissions from beef production is vital.

Behrens said that although the study provides an important detailed analysis of the Latin America and Caribbean region, the big picture adds more evidence to what a growing number of studies have already shown: While supply-side measures targeting beef do help a little, such as manure management, these reductions are not as large as simply changing diets, Behrens said. You need that dietary change to really get the big reductions.

Citations:

Dumas,P., Wirsenius,S., Searchinger,T., Andrieu,A., & Vogt-Schilb,A. (2022).Options to achieve net-zero emissions from agriculture and land use changes in Latin America and the Caribbean(1337). Retrieved from Inter-American Development Bank website: https://publications.iadb.org/en/options-achieve-net-zero-emissions-agriculture-and-land-use-changes-latin-america-and-caribbean

Figueroa,D., Galicia,L., & Surez Lastra,M. (2022). Latin American cattle ranching sustainability debate: An approach to social-ecological systems and spatial-temporal scales.Sustainability,14(14), 8924. doi:10.3390/su14148924

(Banner image: New research looks at supply and demand options to help slash carbon emissions from cattle, one of the biggest polluting sectors in Latin America. Image by: Rhett A. Butler)

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Reducing beef's carbon footprint is key to achieving net-zero in Latin America and the Caribbean, new paper shows - Mongabay.com

Its no secret that Disneyland has gotten more and more expensive over the last few years. In the companys most recent earnings call, Disney reported having fewer guests, but those guests were spending more per visit enough for the company to report a 50% increase in operating profits for the quarter company-wide.

But even for those guests paying more for Genie Plus and Lightning Lane, a $6500 souvenir is still a little steep.

Thats right: $6500 for one souvenir. But, in fairness, said souvenir is a collectible piece of one of Disneylands most iconic rides.

The Pirates of the Caribbean Heritage Timeline is a piece of art sold in the theme park's Disneyana store. Its actually a piece of a Rusty Leaf Fig tree, cut down in the recent renovation to the ride. The collectible is a cross section from the tree, with seminal moments in Pirates history, and that of the New Orleans Square land (where the ride is located), marked on it.

In 1987, for example, the tree was planted as part of a refurbishment to the ride queue. In 2006, Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa were added as characters on the ride.

The Pirates of the Caribbean Heritage Timeline at Disneyland

For approximately 35 years, these memorable trees enhanced the beauty of the queue line, a plaque on the piece reads. Perhaps the reader is fortunate enough to be one of the swashbuckling Disneyland guests that enjoyed some moments of this trees shade sometime in the past.

The trees set on carvings of pirate treasure were preserved by the Disneyland Urban Forestry Program, which manages trees in the park, and turned into art by John and Ron Daniels of David Wood Land, Inc., according to the plaque. The purpose of this work, it reads, is to preserve a special part of Disneyland Resort history while showcasing the beauty nature creates all around us.

Its not the first time Disneyland has upcycled removed trees into collectibles. At this years D23 Convention, the company gifted 1,000 tree cross sections to D23 fan club members, each one marked with the location it had been removed from, like Goofys Playhouse in Mickeys Toontown.

There are only 45 of the Pirates of the Caribbean tree timelines. According to a cast member in the store, the tree, which was once in the ride queue, was diseased and had to be cut down as part of the renovation.

She also said, unsurprisingly, that people have been buying them even with the hefty price tag.

Whether they bought them with pirates gold, though, was unclear.

The tree was cut down in the 2022 ride refurbishment

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You can own a piece of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean for $6500 - SFGATE