Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor

Hurricane Dean did not deter a group of teenage boys from Eleven Miles, in St. Thomas, playing a game of scrimmage, first in a field and later in the road where few vehicles were passing at 10:00 a.m. yesterday.

Signs of life as usual could be seen in the odd coconut vendor looking for a sale, men enjoying the their favourite brew at one open bar, while others hurried to secure the precincts of their property.

From the St. Thomas to the airport road, in Kingston, gulls huddled on rooftops, goats gathered on church porches and the verandas of homes and dogs grouped close to their masters. It seemed the instinct of these animals were alerting them that the weather system was about to birth danger.

The shelter at Easington Primary School in St. Thomas had 62 persons there. All were in good spirits having passed Saturday night there, but in need of a few essentials such as rain coats, boots and mild medication.

Close to the sea, locals gathered to photograph the huge waves that came in at 20-second intervals. One onlooker remarks, "These are not as big as the ones that we saw during Hurricane Ivan."

Just for fun

When asked why be out if you are not part of the essential services, a member of the group tells The Gleaner, "Just for the fun of it."

But it's no fun for the scores of homeless people who lie on makeshift cardboard and plastic beds along the piazzas of Duke and Barry streets. They seemed oblivious to the peril just hours away.

Downtown Kingston is deserted except for a blanket of garbage - fodder for the drains and the once glorious Kingston Harbour.

barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com