UPROOTED, scattered, and battered — but not broken.

And we’re not just referring to the spirit of Pelican Bar owner Denever Forbes, more popularly known as Floyd, but also to the now-retrieved scrap wood and boards previously used to build the world-famous beach bar that’s no longer standing off the coast of Parottee, St Elizabeth, on a sandbar in the sea, after falling victim to Hurricane Melissa’s wrath.

Just shy of six weeks since the Category 5 system made landfall in the western end of Jamaica, leaving death and destruction in its wake, Forbes has been working feverishly to retrieve the boards — complete with inscriptions from past customers — that were washed away when a 16-foot wave obliterated the beach bar on October 28.

His singular aim: To rebuild Pelican Bar and restore the coastal community’s lifeblood.

“We are gathering pieces from the original structure,” Forbes told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview. “The pieces came to the shore because it was the big wave that just lift the whole thing from the surface, put it on the shore, and then scatter the pieces all over.

“It wasn’t just blown away piece by piece… The waves dem was so high above it till it lift the whole thing out of the surface,” he recounted, sharing that he’ll be rebuilding Pelican Bar — which was located about a mile off the coast — for the second time in 24 years.

Piles of board that were scattered when Hurricane Melissa destroyed Pelican Bar are gathered for reuse when the structure is rebuilt in Parottee Bay, off the coast of St Elizabeth.

He’d built it as a personal hangout and sleeping spot in 2001, and started operating it as a bar a year later amid interest from others. In 2004 Hurricane Ivan levelled it.

Using lessons learnt from that experience, Forbes rebuilt Pelican Bar. And, up to October 28 this year, it had remained standing — even after Hurricane Beryl wrecked much of St Elizabeth when it skirted the island last year July. But Melissa was a different kettle of fish.

“Nothing could’ve been done to withstand Hurricane Melissa,” Forbes said, adding that the only way one could’ve adequately prepared for the devastating storm was to go inside a cave — and even then, maybe water would’ve entered the cave.

“It was so powerful that there was nothing that you could do because it come with big waves… and the hurricane was dangerous by digging the sea floor also, so you know that would cause chaos,” he said.

FORBES…the waves dem was so high above it till it lift the whole thing out of the surface

Explaining to the Sunday Observer that the poles on which the platform for the beach bar was built were planted naturally, and not held in place by concrete, he said they were, “lift[ed] like a pencil coming out of fingers”.

But as a committed contributor to community tourism — since Parottee is an embankment point for visitors to Pelican Bar — Forbes is intent on getting the structure back in place as quickly as possible.

A favourite destination for tourists and locals alike, with past visitors including American R&B singer Chris Brown and legendary Jamaican cricketer Chris Gayle, the floating bar typically serves between 100 and 150 people daily.

“I’m trying to get it back together because it is the community livelihood and everything, because fishing get mash up. Because it looks like all the [fishing] traps gone in the hurricane, so the sooner the better we get this thing going and then the community can start living lively again from there,” said Forbes.

According to the beach bar owner, “Every home [in Parottee] have a sign saying ‘Tour to Pelican Bar’.” The residents, he said, transport guests to the bar by boat, earning an income from the service.

Fisherman and boat captain Sheldon Forbes, who’s been transporting visitors to Pelican Bar for more than 10 years, attested to the role the popular bar played in the fishing community.

“We are out of jobs [because there are] no more fish traps to go to in the early morning to [get our catch to] sell,” said Sheldon. “Even if you have a bad day out at sea, we could always depend on the bar to get some guests to take over [there], so we could at least get some money to go grocery shopping, pay bills, and all type of stuff.”

He emphasised that the bar — which offers fresh seafood, cold drinks, and a one-of-a-kind experience — was a source of income for many.

“Driving to Parottee, the first thing you’re gonna see is a sign that says, ‘Pelican Bar tours’. Coming down, you pass that one [sign], you’re gonna see another one, so a lot of persons are devastated right now,” said Sheldon.

Forbes was unable to provide a definitive timeline for reopening Pelican Bar but told the Sunday Observer that on the two previous occasions when he’d built the structure, it had taken him two months.

He has, however, vowed to take the rebuilding process day by day.

“I will just take time, building up and out,” he said.

He intends to maintain the same design for the new structure but disclosed that it will be bigger than the last one.

“I’m gonna just try my best to put it back up because it was everyone’s second home away from home and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a [traveller’s] destination so I’m just gonna put it back so people can find the reason and happiness of the ocean with sticks standing above,” Forbes said.

From a personal hangout spot to being the lifeblood of an entire community, Forbes is committed to “picking up the pieces” and restoring Pelican Bar to its glory days.

Denever Forbes, more popularly known as Floyd, is seen in this undated photo looking out from a section of his now-destroyed Pelican Bar off the coast of Parottee in St Elizabeth.