The superlative has become such an abused form of expression that it is now very difficult to simply and directly convey the matchless fury of a mature hurricane. 
Sir Francis Beaufort was not so burdened with the echo of today's clamoring salesmen.
He was a nineteenth century English naval officer, who devised a scale of wind conditions, still used today, that was expressly meant to be useful to mariners. He divided the range of possibility into twelve parts, gave each a name, and included a few unexpectedly charming descriptive remarks.
A sample from his table:
"Force Six - Strong Breeze - wind speed 21 to 35 miles per hour - Large branches in motion; telegraph wires whistle; umbrellas used with difficulty." Occasionally, he approaches the poetic: "Force Five - wind speed 19 to 24 miles per hour - Small trees in leaf begin to sway; wavelets form on inland waters."
When he reached the top of the scale, the charm and poetry are usurped by a blunt finality:
"Force Twelve - Hurricane - wind speed above 73 miles per hour - Devastation occurs."
Devastation occurs. Indeed it does. How long did Sir Francis linger over this choice of two words to summarize all that he knew of a wind that could flatten a forest, obliterate the separation between sea and sky, and hurl the remnants of Her Majestys finest fighting ships onto the High Street of a seaside village ? He was certainly aware of the pivotal event that launched his countrymen on their path to glory:
In 1588, the Spanish Armada sailed northward to humble the English by force of arms. One hundred and thirty one ships put to sea, crowded with twenty thousand disciplined halbediers, dragoons, cannoneers, and troops of the line.
South of the Channel entrance, their single formation was assaulted by a revolving storm of devastating force, scattering ships first in one direction, then in another. Dozens of ships were overwhelmed and sank, some were hurled onto rocky shores of France, and others were carried as far as the southern coast of Ireland. When the storm subsided, and the tattered remnants of the Armada regrouped, they were easy prey for an eager English fleet that had weathered the tempest in the snug shelter of Plymouth Harbor.
Thirty ships returned to Spain, soldiers and crew thanking God for their deliverance, kissing the crowded and dirty soil at the end of each gangplank. Their humiliation ended forever the Spanish domination of the seas, passing the chance to the English, who redirected the course of the exploration and exploitation of the New World, traveled to every corner of the earth, and proceeded to build the greatest Empire the world had ever known.
The Armada was beaten twice: first, by a hurricane, and, finally, by the agile ships and sailors of the Queen Victoria's Royal Fleet. The destiny of our ancestors and ourselves was given direction by an elderly cyclone, born in the tropics, twice traveled across the Atlantic: a whirling heat machine made of moistened air: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and a 1% mixture of argon, carbon dioxide, helium, krypton, neon, xenon, wood smoke, cow farts, and baby burps, all set into motion by the irrepressible spinning of the earth.
On the day their pregnancy news was announced, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, 28, and Elsa Pataky, 35, were seen in sunny St. Barts, France on Wednesday (January 18). The Fast Five actress looked lovely in blue, sporting her beautiful baby bump.
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky
Chris and Elsa - w...
She might be 44, but Tamara Mellon still boasts a figure that women half her age would be proud of.
The Jimmy Choo co-founder showed off her toned figure in a sexy animal-print bikini as she hit the beach with her daughter in St Barts yesterday.
The skimpy string two-piece highlighted Tamara's env...
With almost every other celebrity couple enjoying the New Year in exotic locations, Gary and Danielle Lineker weren't going to be any different.
The married couple were spotted enjoying a romantic walk along a beach in St Barts today - and looked very much in love.
Gary, 51 and his wife, 32, had o...
Which beaches to choose?
The glamorous island of St Barts is one of the Caribbean's top beach destinations. Ringing the island are immaculate strips of sand and ethereal turquoise waters. The shallow reefs that encircle the island help to protect these renowned beaches, and they also provide excell...
St. Barts, Why Not?
Since the wealthy and celebrated frequently visit St. Barts for a tropical vacation, you will find that many plush St. Barts Resorts can be found on this stunning island. For those taking St. Barts holidays, it is simple to find hotels with each luxury available. Frequently thes...
Vacation With the Rich and Famous at St. Barts.
Want to bump into celebrities and be seen hanging out where the rich and famous play? Then the Caribbean island of St. Barts is the place to be.
While warm sand and blue waters do make an ideal vacation location, this destination has that and a whol...
Where to go for one day in Caribbean?
St. Maarten / St. Martin
The half-Dutch, half-French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, with its many restaurants and hotels, makes a great base for an island-hopping adventure. Graced by the nickname Unspoiled Queen, tiny little Saba is not the kind of Caribbe...
Villa La Plage in St Barts.
The posh French resort isle of St. Barth's was already a prize destination when Roman Abramovich purchased an estate there for $89 million in 2009; since the oligarch arrived it has become even more so.
Now Christie's International Real Estate has listed another impres...
Baywatch in St Barts.
Making it official after five years of engagement, Brooke Burke and beau David Charvet have reportedly tied the knot while yachting in St. Barts.
According to Life & Style, the "Dancing with the Stars" host and the former "Baywatch" hunk, who have been vacationing in the...
St. Barth Summer Sessions Aug. 5-15, 2011
St Barth Summer Sessions 2011 this year will have a focus on artists from Brazil. The festival will take place at a variety of different venues all over the island, and in the end of the festival there will be a big common concert in the Harbor of Gustavia ...
The Eclipse, no ordinary yacht.
It probably hasn't escaped your attention that, with modern methods of transport, measuring and telecommunication, no "terra incognita" is safe from the crazed enthusiasm of certain explorers of scientists. Everything has already been discovered and minutely placed o...
Ashley Rodriguez Trio
Ashley Rodriguez, one of the famous finalist from the American Idol 2010 is back in St Barth between May 5-15. Ashley was participating last summer for the St Barth Summer Session in august 2010 at La Plage and she will now come with her 'All Girls Band', Liz on the guitar ...
The La Plage restaurant introduce :
ST BARTH SUMMER SESSIONS
« 5 to 15 august 2010, 10 days of crazy music ! »
Festival program
La Plage St Jean Tel: 0590 52 81 33 Email: tombeach@wanadoo.fr Site: www.stbarthsummersessions.com
THE GREAT FISH DEBATE There seems to be a bone of contention among a few of my friends. Fine folks who love some of the finer things in life, such as Dover Sole That flat fish floating in butter and capers. Known in French as Sole Meunière, it is made from what is called in European fisherman ver...
Eugénie Blanchard: The Oldest Person In The World
Born in Saint Barth on February 16, 1896, Eugénie Blanchard became the doyenne of humanity on Tuesday, May 4. Since May 25, 2008, she has been the oldest person in France, and at the age of 114, she is also now the oldest person in the world, fo...
2010 St Barth Book Festival
Organized by the association Saint BArt, the fifth edition of the St Barth Book Festival took place April 12 to 20, 2010. Four authors were the invited guests this year, including Alex Godard, writer and illustrator from Marie Galante, known primarily for his wonderf...
2010 St Barth Film Festival
The St Barth Film Festival Cinéma Caraïbes celebrated its 15th anniversary on April 24-30, 2010. This year, organizers Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, Joshua Harrison, Rosemond Gréaux, and Sophie Maupoil paid tribute to Haiti, with the projection of Moloch Tropical, the...
FILMS ON THE BEACH We survived! The 15th annual St Barth Film Festival, which took place April 24-30, 2010, was a very interesting event this year, with a wide range of films and filmmakers from the Caribbean basin. Getting them all to the island was quite an accomplishment, with the clouds of volc...
