Caribbean - the perfect climate?

strawberry icecream wrote:

Anyone know how far is a *safe distance* to have a house from such a
volcano? I looked at villas on the east coast...which muct be about 8 to
10 miles from the volcano, which is on the far west coast. Is that a safe
distance? Apologies if I am asking a stupid question. But volcanoes are a
new thing to someone like me from the UK.

Heh. Ask 10,000 Montserrations. A safe distance is one which has
a mountain between you and the volcano. In the case of Montserrat,
that means about 5km+ from the peak. In the eastern caribbean, that
also usually means the north end of the islands, since the volcanoes
tend to move south during the geologic life of the island.

--
Ken Tough

strawberry icecream wrote:

By the way, does anyone know if all the caribben islands essentially
close down for those months of the hurricane season..or do tourists
still come and rent villas?

Tourists do rent villas, but prices are a fraction of the high
season. If you don't mind the possibility of a blackpool day out
(thick cloud) then June/July is an excellent time to visit. Many
islands have carnival around that time, prices are low, and places
are empty. I was amazed how empty Sint Maarten/St. Martin was in
July. We walked down Orient beach and saw I think four people.

Many places do close down, or take the opportunity to renovate
which can be a problem.

The temperature is okay, can be hot, only a problem when there is
absolutely no wind whatsoever. The only downside is that there is
a risk (a small one, but significant) that you might get caught in
a hurricane week. I say week, because as the hurricane approaches,
if you're on the path, you'll be boarded up into your hotel and all
aircraft and ferries will leave the region. You're then holed in
for the duration, and it's a bit of a boring way to spend a holiday.
That would only be the case if you have a pretty good chance of
being, say, 50 km off the eye path. Nonetheless, it's the lower
quarter up to 150 km off a big hurricane that's a bigger wet-weekend.
That's where all the rain is, and you might experience a very soggy
stay in a hotel looking its worst.

Personally, I think that other than the sad tragedy of people who
lose homes or lives, that part can be fun. (I'm not a sun person).
Swimming in a pool in the middle of a torrential hurricane rain
is exhilerating.

--
Ken Tough

On Wed, 19 May 2004 09:33:39 +0200, Ken Tough
wrote:

Heh. Ask 10,000 Montserrations. A safe distance is one which has
a mountain between you and the volcano. In the case of Montserrat,
that means about 5km+ from the peak. In the eastern caribbean, that
also usually means the north end of the islands, since the volcanoes
tend to move south during the geologic life of the island.

Move south as in physically or as in lava flow?

On Wed, 19 May 2004 09:43:30 +0200, Ken Tough
wrote:

Swimming in a pool in the middle of a torrential hurricane rain
is exhilerating.

So is sex.

Cruising Chrissy wrote:

Ken Tough wrote:

Heh. Ask 10,000 Montserrations. A safe distance is one which has
a mountain between you and the volcano. In the case of Montserrat,
that means about 5km+ from the peak. In the eastern caribbean, that
also usually means the north end of the islands, since the volcanoes
tend to move south during the geologic life of the island.

Move south as in physically or as in lava flow?

Well, a volcano doesn't pick up socks & move, but usually the
islands are a chain of peaks. The ones in the north are old
extinct volcanoes, and the active volcano will be the most
southerly. Works in Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica at least.
I think the same for St.Lucia, not sure.

--
Ken Tough

On Thu, 20 May 2004 10:04:57 +0200, Ken Tough
wrote:

Well, a volcano doesn't pick up socks & move, but usually the
islands are a chain of peaks. The ones in the north are old
extinct volcanoes, and the active volcano will be the most
southerly. Works in Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica at least.
I think the same for St.Lucia, not sure.

Toughie, why is this so? Why the southerly migration of active
volcanoes?

Cruising Chrissy wrote:

On Thu, 20 May 2004 10:04:57 +0200, Ken Tough
wrote:

Well, a volcano doesn't pick up socks & move, but usually the
islands are a chain of peaks. The ones in the north are old
extinct volcanoes, and the active volcano will be the most
southerly. Works in Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica at least.
I think the same for St.Lucia, not sure.

Toughie, why is this so? Why the southerly migration of active
volcanoes?

It isn't universal over the whole world that the volcanos migrate
south. I think maybe in Hawaii or in the south Pacific it's the other
way (that the volcanos progress north) - it's because of the shifting
of the geological plates - at the edge of the plates you have
earthquakes where they grind together or volcanos.
grandma Rosalie

On Fri, 21 May 2004 12:42:06 GMT, Rosalie B.
wrote:

Toughie, why is this so? Why the southerly migration of active
volcanoes?

It isn't universal over the whole world that the volcanos migrate
south. I think maybe in Hawaii or in the south Pacific it's the other
way (that the volcanos progress north) - it's because of the shifting
of the geological plates - at the edge of the plates you have
earthquakes where they grind together or volcanos.
grandma Rosalie

Thanks, Grammy.