Islanders, visitors tying down boats and equipment ahead of Hurricane Dorian

In anticipation of Hurricane Dorian arriving this weekend, Islanders are tying up boats and loose equipment for the weather ahead.

The Charlottetown Yacht Club sent notices to boat ownersadvisingthem to remove their boats from the water if possible.

Staff say boat haulers and crane operators will be busy Thursday through Saturday.

Those who could were quick to follow the advice but some travellers to the region are unable as their boats are their homes.

"This has extended our leave here," said Brad Cook, who is staying on his catamaran with his family.

"We were going to leave tomorrow but there's really no other place. In fact, Halifax, even on the other side, could get a potential hit so there's really no safe place there either to hide from this."

Others were working on their floating homes toprepare for the coming storm.

"Get everything inside and if it can't get inside,make sure it'slashed down" saidMichael Wohlschlaeger, who sailed up from the Bahamas with his family this summer.

Fishermen on the Island's North Shore saidthey're concerned about the storm surge and high water that may come with the storm.

Those that spoke with CBCNews saidthey will not be taking the lobster boats out of the water but will be looking for the safest place to tie up.

Two cruise ships have cancelled their scheduled stops to Charlottetown over the next few days.

Construction crews have also spent time working to secure job sites against the winds.

"We're trying to button up as many of the big holes here as we can to keep as much of the wind from getting inside the house as we can," said Rhyan Ramsay, owner ofA.L.R. Builds Ltd.

"When you're at this stage with just the rafters on, you don't want anything blowing down."

Ramsay said they are covering other materials to make sure they are not damaged in the expected heavy rainfall.

Both the City of Charlottetown and the provincial department of public safety have recommended people put together basic emergency kits that could last for at least three days.

The Islands provincial emergency management coordinator said a major concern with this particular storm will be the high winds. They could bring down trees, branches and provincialpower lines with it.

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