The crew of the 70.2-metre Lürssen superyacht Horizons III have delivered essential supplies to Carriacou in the Caribbean following the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall on 2 July as the earliest category four and five Atlantic hurricane in a century, with wind speeds of 150 mph. Carriacou was struck by the eye of the storm but Jamaica, St. Vincent, Grenada and parts of the US were also badly affected – with homes, electrical infrastructure and agriculture suffering severe damage.
Speaking to BOAT's sister publication Dockwalk, Horizons III Captain Ferdi Heymann explained: "The destruction is phenomenal. I mean, there's nothing left. It's like all the houses are flattened. On Union Island, for example, 90 per cent of all the structures were just spirited away. There were ferries washed up on shore. I've just never seen anything like it."
On 2 July, the crew got word of the storm while cruising in Trinidad and decided to take action.
"Our guests flew out of Trinidad and ended the trip there, and then I mentioned everything to the owner, who supported us with purchasing all the supplies," explained Heymann. "We loaded up as much as we could – everything we thought they could need – and then sailed to Carriacou, as we felt that would be the most direct route."
On 6 July, the superyacht docked in Tyrell Bay, one of the few "protected" ports in Grenada. The crew then began to offload supplies with the help of locals, which included cans of non-perishables, pots and pans, bedding, sheets, tools, nappies and baby powder.
"In spite of everything, the people did not seem depressed," added Heymann. "They were just grateful that people were coming to help. They still had their laid-back, Caribbean spirit. It was incredible to see the whole community rallied together [and] very emotional for everyone."
Horizons III was delivered in 2008 under the name Martha Ann and sold to her current owners in 2019. She has an exterior by Espen Øino and an interior by Francois Zuretti.