When I (Ryan Nelson) first posted about Firefly Sunset Resort closing due to Hurricane Dorian, the initial poster created said they would reopen on Tuesday, Sept 3, 2019. Little did we know that Hurricane Dorian would make landfall on the idyllic paradise that Firefly Sunset Resort is on – Elbow Cay – as the most dangerous Category 5 hurricane, carrying the strongest winds in recorded history for the northwestern Bahamas.

Lorenzo and the hard-working staff know the intense preparation that goes into hurricane prep. Most of the staff are native Bahamians; and hurricanes and the prep that comes with these storms is something they’ve endured since they were children. Many of them also have worked in the hospitality industry for years, so their extensive knowledge on guest evacuations, structure stability, supplies needed, and more.

They worked overtime to secure the resort. But even with their professional preparedness, they could never imagine a monster hurricane with wind guests at 220mph beating Firefly and Elbow Cay. This is just one headline that makes you cry to read it. “Hurricane Dorian unleashes 220-mph wind gusts as it slams Bahamas:

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As of today, 9/2, The cell service is very spotty (if any) as the hurricane is still slowly hovering over Grand Bahama and Abaco is still being lashed with storms. Ann Irvin sent me these photos this am. And they’re hard to look at.

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According to Ann, “Georgia Peach is 3/4 gone …the resort looks bad hit BUT Lorenzo and all the folks that took shelter are safe and alive! Thank you Lord!” We don’t know all the devastation on the island at this time but we thank you for your support. Our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages have been bombarded (in a fabulous way) with messages of Hope, Help and Love.

***For those wondering how these updates are able to be posted, I (Ryan) have worked for years with Firefly Distillery, Irvin House Vineyards and Firefly Sunset Resort on marketing/PR/social media and more. I am in Charleston and gathering as much information as possible to share with our visitors, friends and families. Please DM me on the Firefly Sunset Resort Facebook Page, Twitter Page and Instagram and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

PLEASE follow the Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue for news and updates!