Fishing charter boat owner to head to Bahamas to deliver relief supplies

US Coast Guard warns private boat owners to not make trips at this time

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – It's now day five since Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the northern Bahamas, and the need for essentials is critical.

"The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be," said David Ide, owner of Lady Pamela II Fishing Charters. 

In Hollywood, Ide is working to get them there. 

"We do lots of stuff in the Bahamas," he said. "Me and my family vacation to the Abacos all the time."

Ide said he and others in the tight-knit boating community feel a duty to take care of the place that's always been so good to them, despite a new warning from the U.S. Coast Guard advising people not to make trips into the affected areas.

"There is high risk of debris in the water, sunken vessels  and destroyed or missing aids to navigation and pier facilities," the Coast Guard said in a news release.

"You need to get there and get these supplies there," Ide said. "Everybody wants to help, and they say they're going to go, and then they're like: 'Wait. Coast Guard says it's not safe.' And if you don't go, all this stuff sitting here, what good is it doing here?"

Ide said the plan is to head out Friday morning for Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos loaded with around 6,000 pounds of supplies. 

"Ace Hardware out of Georgia brought a tractor-trailer. They had, like, 30 chain saws, 15 skill saws. Every building material you could think of was in this trailer donated for free, which is really amazing," Ide said. 

"Hopefully, you know, everything is good and these guys can make it across and everybody can make it across safely without any hiccups," Lewis Dames, who is from the Abaco Islands, said.  

Dames has been helping coordinate supplies for the trip with a heavy heart. 

"You cry for no reason. People wonder what happened to you. Grown man crying in the store. That just doesn't happen," he said. 

"


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.