iessepenhussdeaedercepeenese remem enhances naeel mreemnitertat tana peta teeatenshintremhaaaenm terpaaed West Van couple forced to start over by Hurricane Mitch Julie Crawtord Contributing Writer AFTER 22 years sailing around the world, Doug and Mary Solomon thought they had found paradise in the tiny island of Guanaja, off the coast of Honduras. Little did they know thar Mother Nature would eject them from their Eden with noth- ing but borrowed clothes on their backs. After leaving the family farm in South Africa, Doug and Mary and their three chil- dren sailed all over the world. The kids were largely home-schooled as they cruised the South Atlantic, the Caribbean, Samoa, Fiji, the Cook Islands, north up to Lake Ontario and south down the coast of Mexico. They settled briefly twice in B.C., where they owned the Gibsons Fish Market, and a bead store on Granville Island. But the sea called them back, and they set sail again, purchasing Blackfout, a 42-foot esailboat, and heading for the east Caribbean isles. The Solomons operated Blackfoot as a charter boat, raking deep-sea divers and plea- “S sure-seekers all over the Caribbean. When Doug and Mary finally decided to settle down, they chose the idyllic island of Guanaja, population 5,000. Over the next few years the couple built a luxurious beach-” front resort, with open-style cottages 13 feer off the ground made of mahogany wood. The property was rich with vegetation, pas- sion fruit plants and a newly thriving banana plantation. Their’ first. guests were married on the white sand beach. Forty more people came / for. Thanksgiviig weekend. The resort had been open for ong week when Hurricane Mitch hiv. - -» Hurricane Mitch, which ravaged much of ‘Central America between Oct. 26 and Nov. 4, 1998, is considered the deadliest hurricane to hit the Adantic in more than 200 years. In Honduras alone, the. class-five hurricane caused $4 billion in damage and resulted in anywhere from 7,000-11,000 deaths. Mary and Doug had been sailing offshore since 1976 and had been through three hur- ricanes at sea, but they would meet their match in Hurricane Mitch. Early weather reports said that the storm was travelling northwest, but it was actually . moving southwest, says Doug, which. cost .cisland residents valuable time. “Mary gave local weather updates on her ham radio. until their safety was uncertain, and Doug quickly dragged food and water in > a:wheelbarrow across a swamp. Then, with their cats, dogs and a parrot in tow, they ran up a hill behind the resort, taking refuge ina. hallow covered in thorn bushes. “What. little protection the couple. had, “however, was soon torn away. by the viclent winds. : . . . “Te was unbelievable,” says Doug, “We lay, “ona bare hill for 72 hours. At one point dur-":, “fing the storm Mary: said. ‘Are we going to Le die DOUG Solomon at the counter of Dundarave Chocolates, which he owns and oper-— SUNDAY FOCUS NEWS photo Julie Iverson (ebove), photos submitted (right) ates with his wife. His store motto reflects their experience: “Because life is sweet.” But lidle could be heard above the 200 mile-per-hour winds. : Once Mary stood up and was blown down the hill, “She became airborne and just disap- peared,” says Doug. The hurricane itself was bigger than Honduras. The water level rose 30° feet. Doug says he was probably the last person to hear the engine of the windjammer Phanton, which went down just off their beach; the crew was lost. ¢ Doug and Mary were lucky to escape with their lives. “Quite a few people en our island were killed, just blown away,” savs Doug. But their new home and. business didn't fare as well. When the couple finally headed down to where the resort had been, “we were _just totally devastated. There was nothing, not a_thing. And we just sat down on the ' photo submitted ASTER 22 years at sea the Solomons came ‘ashore on the island of Guanaja — - anly to be shipwrecked and financially sunk by Hurricane Mitch. ee i beach and cried.” People started wandering down to Doug and: Mary's property. “They were totally amazed to find us alive, because our part of the island was devastated.” Doug estimates that less than seven per cent of their palm trees were left standing; the hillside was stripped bare, a mangrove swamp on the property died and has never grown back. : Financially, the couple lost everything. To add insult to their injury, the Solomons had just shipped all their heirlooins, art, antiques and photographs to the resort. = The British frigate HAMS Sheffield was in nearby Belize, and the medies onboard quick- ly came to the residents’ aid, saving hundreds of lives, says Doug. . And he is quick to thank the people of North and West Vancouver, who, after a story was published in the North: Shore News, generously gave money and much-needed supplies to the smalt island. Retief effort was coordinated by son Donald, a massage thera- pist-in West Vancouver. Son Graham, a pilot ar Tinker Air Foree Base in Oklahoma, organized aid Stateside, while daughter Cathy and partner, Oscar Perez helped rebuild on mainland Honduras, and later on Guanaja. . Doug and Mary rebuilt one small resort with whatever was salvaged from the storm. “The rustic Hotel Paradiso, reeveled in the truest sense of the word,” Jaughs Doug. One stroke of good fortune: Blackfoot was parked offshore and had weathered the storm. Rebuilding ‘the resort to’ its former glory would be too, expensive: Doug and Mary abandoned their dream, sailed another season on their boat, then finally dropped anchor in West. Vancouver. ; - Now Doug and Mary are the new owners of Dundarave Chocolates, a bustling little The Blackfoot survived Hurricane Mitch to sail*on with new owners. MARY and Doug Solomon salled the’ Caribbean in their yacht, Blackfoot... —- shop beside Capers in West Vancouver. The store specializes in fine Belgian chocolates (> and novelties, made on-premises and by local: chocolatiers. . a oo o : . This will be the first. winter. Doug's seen since 1980. He has crossed an ocean virtual-- ly every year since 1960. : . ce he, Now they live: in’ an ‘apartmest jon | = Bellevue, with'a view of the water, of course: . | “People say ‘How can you live in such a small apartment?” but it’s bigger than our. boar!” says Doug... . Does he miss the sea? ae - “Pohave co bear running water,” admits Doug. “That’s one thing T miss. And the soli-”: tude of the open water, just going where you" want, when vou want, away from land. ; “Sailing into the path of the: moon and’ looking at the southern hemisphere’s stars...: amazing.” : ~ Many other people would have given ‘up. * after the tribulations faced by the Solomons, .. but Doug and Mary are eternal optimists,’ right down to the motto on their. business’ ’ card for the chocolate shop: “Because fife is sweet.” : . : ya “Well, it is,” says Doug. “As husband and wife we've. done amazing things. We. love :°” cach other, and we've got the greatest kids...; they’re our best friends. Uve had the greatest: : life anyone could ever have.” ae Coming in Sunday Focus: NEXT week in Sunday Focus Martin Millerchip looks at art and violence.” “To sugyest a feature story that deserves to be in, Focus” write © to > Martin. Millerchip, North ‘Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave. North Vancouver, V7M 274, fax 985-2104 or: e-mail . °°).