Hurricanes Irma and Maria: Both hit us hard, but I'm trying to find some normalcy – and a little

ROADTOWN, TORTOLA, BVI – After two hurricanes in two weeks, I am trying to find some normalcy and a little humor, as our stomachs start to unwind from the stress and before we start to fully take in the magnitude of what we've endured and the reverberations to follow.

I worry about friends with businesses, people whose income and sustenance depend on things returning to normal, and those who are still without a home, both on our islands and our Caribbean neighbors – especially now on Dominica, St Croix and Puerto Rico with the direct hits they took from Maria.

Irma and Maria sure pulled no punches. Both his us hard. But we are resilient and determined to rebuild.

There are still a lot of people out there struggling, who’ve lost everything, and may not know how to strategize getting their basic needs met, and are maybe even losing hope. I pray for their suffering to be eased. There is a lot of help on the way and there are a lot of people working really hard on your behalf. Have faith! #BVIStrong

[Christine Perakis is our Facebook friend and newest contributor to Sailing Illustrated. Her three Irma-related, first-hand reports on SI were widely viewed and shared on social media. Since her first story appeared here, Christine has been interviewed by the UK's ITV, as well as the New York Times, ABC News radio and the Washington Post. –TFE]

Trying to find a little humor as the hard-hit Islanders "start to fully take in the magnitude of what we've endured and the reverberations to follow." Photo today courtesy of SI contributor Christine Perakis, who somehow manages to get an internet connection to submit her reports to SI and her Facebook page.