Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history (behind Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Rita, respectively) when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached. The Cape Verde-type hurricane formed off the coast of Africa and lasted from September 7 to September 19, peaking in strength as a very strong Category 4 hurricanejust short of the highest possible ratingon the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It was among the largest Atlantic hurricanes of its strength ever recorded.

During that time, I was living in Nassau, Bahamas having finished a contract working as a cruise ship photographer. Armed with an old manual Mamiya 645 medium format camera and a mountain of film, I was totally in my element wandering the back streets camera in hand, stopping for the occasional Corona and absorbing the atmosphere.

Then came news of the Hurricane Floyd.  The crusie ships were diverted to Mexico, the tourists 
vanished, and I was alone with my camera, the storm and a couple of Greek ex-convicts running the guest house I was staying in.

Windows were boarded up (in some cases not very effectively), the locals stocked up on emergency supplies at the local supermarket, and I retreated to my windowless room.

Hurricane Floyd remained just below Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale for 12 hours while crossing the Bahamas, making landfalls on Eleuthera and Abaco islands, before an eyewall replacement cycle weakened it to a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h).

The following images are a record of the periods before and after the hurricane struck highlighting the sheer force of nature and its impact on the community, and how life goes on after such an occurance.