Crab hunt in the storm! - Fearless youths chase rain food in Hellshire ahead of Melissa

Armed with a few cutlasses and crocus bags in hand, a group of young people were busy crab hunting along the Hellshire main road in St Catherine yesterday, even though Hurricane Melissa had already started impacting the island.

Among the group was Tia, whose face lit up with excitement as she spoke about capturing the aggressive creatures.

"We out here from about 12 o'clock and we a look for crab. We ketch whole heap already and come back and we ago cook dem. We nah go sell dem back because storm a come and a food we a defend. This nuh really frighten we because some of us out here from last (Monday) night in the dark. Crab bush nice dem time here when rain fall because the crab dem push out," she said.

Hellshire is a coastal area with wetlands, which are also a natural habitat for crocodiles. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has issued warnings for persons to be cautious.

NEPA said that crocodiles are likely to be displaced from their original habitat after a heavy downpour.

But Tia said they have nothing to fear.

"We nuh frighten fi crocs because we bring we cutlass and if dem ever attack, too much a we deh here. We ago bring dem home if we can bring dem home too. Mi nuh see any since we come out here still," she said.

Before running across the road into the mangroves, one of the hunters told THE STAR that Melissa's arrival is the perfect time to catch crabs. He added that the heavy rains usually bring out the fattest crabs.

"Crab is rain food and it just give a good vibes to be out here inna di rain a hunt we food. Now a di best time to come out because the big fat one dem push out. We get some big ones weh we know ago full a meat, so while Melissa a gwan, the pot a gwan bubble and full a crab and pepper. We ago hold a feast man," one crab hunter said.