Go to. Dorian Yacht Chat. The below is from there.
**PLEASE READ**
I know a lot of yachts are planing to make a trip with supplies and to help out. I am not going to list the reasons you should wait before going, but as a former USCG first responder to hurricane areas and on the ground during Lenny and Marilyn I will tell you what I learned.
Currently, they are in rescue mode. It will take some time before supply stations are set up and the locals know where to go to get supplies. Trust me, right now it is in total chaos mode. It's going to be a grab all you can and run. unfortunately, this gets ugly, and you better be prepared for that.
The best thing you can provide from a yacht with power and a galley is food. Hot food, and lots of it. In Lenny we were feeding 30 people a day and housed about 25. We had children sleeping on the salon floor, sofas, on deck, basically anywhere.
Unfortunately, when people get desperate things take a really bad turn.. This will include weapons, You better be prepared for anything. It gets really dark at night with no power.
You will find out very quickly that inlets have shoaled over or shoals have completely moved. A 10 ft channel is now 4 ft. The water will be a poop brown and you will be unable to see anything just under the water. engines will overheat with the mud in the cooling systems, watermakers are not usable.
People are going to want to use your communications system to call loved ones. your power to charge phones.
The amount of supplies you can fit on a yacht is nothing compared to a container drop. It will be up to you to get supplies ashore and somehow secure them. This will not be easy or safe. Again, locals are in rescue mode, not lets get these supplies ashore mode.
I can go on and on but my feelings are if you are going to over, from my experience, the thing I saw the most (that a yacht can provide) was the problem of food and water. A hot meal is a great moral booster. If a yacht can take up station and crank out 100 grilled cheese sandwiches at lunch and dinner time and walk around and hand them out. I think this would be a great help.
Again, The Coast Guard and British navy are in rescue mode, saving lives mode. It's best to stay out of their way until they get the area stabilized.
And I'll be clear on this point. I think you should wait until the pros have the situation under control.
