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Heading South? Help the Abacos!

Left with widespread destruction from Hurricane Dorian, Man-O-War Cay is looking for visiting cruisers to lend a hand in the rebuilding efforts.
Hurricane Dorian damage in Man-O-War
Most homes in Man-O-War were left in shambles. Beth Browne

Want to help the Bahamas? Heading south this winter? Man-O-War Cay is looking for volunteers to help with the recovery and rebuilding efforts. Interested? Here are the details:

Guidelines and Requirements for Man-O-War Volunteer Boaters

Current Assessment/ Needs: MOW is in the early phases of recovery. We are still drying-out homes and businesses and removing mountains of debris. This is expected to continue for several months. We are not part of the normal winter cruising grounds you may have experienced in the past. We are looking for working boaters who have enjoyed the beautiful waters of the Bahamas and culture of the island and want to give back to the incredible people of the these islands.

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Volunteers wishing to come to Man-O-War Cay on boats must be SELF-SUFFICIENT and prepared to work.

Vegetation destroyed in the Bahamas
The vegetation will take a while to recover. Beth Browne

Duration/ Schedule: We are looking for boaters to stay a minimum of 1-week. Longer is better. Volunteers are expected to WORK A MINIMUM of 6 hrs/day, 5-6 days/week, our normal work day starts at 7 am and finishes about 5.

BOATS MUST BE APPROVED before arrival so we can control numbers and assure access. The harbor at Man-O-War has a number of sunken boats and heavy barge and ferry traffic, so space is limited. There are NO MOORING BALLS. At the moment we have NO DINGHY DOCK, (we will find a place for you to land) so we plan for one of the first tasks will be to construct one.

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Services Provided: This is not the MOW of the past, there are no docks and services are very limited services. We expect you to live aboard and work on island during the day. We offer lunch and dinner at the Hibiscus restaurant for working volunteer, or you can cook onboard. We can provide a limited amount of gas or diesel for volunteers and we have fuel for sale. We do have a grocery store and coffee shop. Bring spare fuel and water containers for refills

Food and Supplies: Similar to your other trips to the Bahamas, load up before coming over – food, water, supplies…. If you can bring over frozen meats to donate to the Hibiscus restaurant, it would be appreciated.

Projects: Currently, we are occupied with debris removal and putting tarps on damaged roofs and we expect these efforts to continue for some time. No special tools required, hammer, saw, cordless tools may come in handy.

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Volunteers must be in good health with NO MEDICAL CONDITIONS. We have limited medical facility on island.

Volunteers with SPECIAL SKILLS, such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, roofing, mechanics or operation of heavy equipment are particularly welcome.

Rebuilding in Man-O-War
The road to recovery is long, but community spirit in Man-O-War is high. Beth Browne

To apply to come, send the following information to beth@bethbrownebooks.com:

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  1. Names

  2. Leader’s Name

  3. Contact info: emails and cell numbers

  4. Year, make, size of boat, power or sail, draft

  5. Number of able-bodied volunteers aboard

  6. Expected date of arrival and departure at Man-O-War

  7. Special skills

Thank you!

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