Crew of M/Y Horizons III Completes Relief Mission in the Wake of Hurricane Beryl

Captain Ferdi Heymann and the crew of 70-meter motor yacht Horizons III have completed a significant relief mission to bring vital supplies to the islands of Grenada in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.

The category 5 hurricane made landfall on July 2 with winds of 150 mph causing unprecedented destruction in Grenada and its smaller islands, wiping out electrical infrastructure, homes and agriculture. Officials said roughly 90 per cent of the islands’ buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

Many yachts, including Horizons III, sought shelter by heading south to Trinidad and Tobago, which sits below the hurricane belt and forecasted path of Hurricane Beryl. "It was very unusual to see a storm this early in the season and to have it so far south," explains Horizons III Captain Ferdi. Not only was the hurricane the earliest category 4 and category 5 hurricane in history, but also one of the fastest building, escalating from a tropical storm to a full-force category 5 in just 48 hours. 

The island of Carriacou took the brunt of the storm and images of the damage quickly began to circulate. Recognizing the need for immediate aid, Captain Ferdi and his crew rallied to organize a relief effort. "We loaded as much as we could in Trinidad — water, non-perishable foods, rice, the means to cook food like pots and pans, bedding, tools, tarps for shelter, rope, tools and generators, nappies and formula," he says.

One of the biggest tasks was loading 16 1000-gallon water containers from the dock onto the sundeck. When asked how they even accomplished such a task, Ferdi said,"the Egyptian way – rope and raw crew power!"

In total, the crew loaded around four or five containers worth of gear onto the boat and headed to the worst-impacted island. "The owner supported us, and we sailed straight to Carriacou."

The devastation, particularly in Carriacou, was immense. Horizons III was met by floating debris and overturned fishing vessels on arrival in Tyrell Bay. "The destruction was phenomenal. There was nothing left," Ferdi says. "Most of the buildings had lost roofs. Houses were flattened. I've just never seen anything like it. There was this little old lady with a broom inside a roofless house, just trying to clean up. It was one of the most moving sights I've ever seen."

Captain Ferdi and his crew of 20 worked into the early hours of the morning unloading supplies with the help of relief teams on the ground. "The port there is very shallow but we managed to get in with about 100mm under the keel, which meant we could carry everything off the passerelle. It was emotional, but we felt great being able to help," Ferdi says. "Everyone came together for the greater good."

The crew's relief efforts were met with gratitude and cooperation from locals and other NGOs. "The response was immediate. There were loads of people helping and other NGOs were already on the island," Ferdi says. "It was amazing to see everyone rally together and we were glad to be able to help. You don't want to see people having a hard time."

The relief mission underscores the importance of community support in times of crisis and is a testament to the impact that the yachting community can have in disaster relief efforts.

The crew of Horizons III on board for the mission includes chief officer Rhys Farrer, 2nd officer Fergal O'Brien, bosun Mason Leon, lead deckhand Jesus Conde, deckhand Sam Turnbull, deckhand Kai Lemoine, deckhand Madison Hujber, chief engineer Nigel Hirst, 3rd engineer Aaron Lambkin, relief engineer Gerben Post, chief stewardess Rouchelle Rose, 2nd stewardess Catherine Mickal, stewardess Shanna Rowe-Needham, stewardess Florence Davies, stewardess Summer Mentz, stewardess Constance Janse Van Rensburg, and sous chef Viacheslav Oguretskyi.

It's not the first time a superyacht has diverted its course to provide emergency aid and supplies in the wake of a hurricane. M/Y Laurel and M/Y Loon following Hurricane Dorian in 2019 after it hit The Bahamas.

• Ground Zero: Yacht Operations in Disaster Aftermath