Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 111 is my conversation with Jason Stemple, who fulfilled his lifelong dream of owning property in the Bahamas on Green Turtle Cay off Abaco — only to experience Hurricane Dorian's catastrophic destruction firsthand. Jason describes the surreal aftermath: roughly half the homes on the island simply gone, concrete walls knocked flat, and a piece of plywood driven into the ground so hard it could not be removed — and his property survived while concrete structures twenty feet away were obliterated.
Listen now: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube · Press play in the player above to watch.
Jason Stemple is a property owner on Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas who fulfilled his lifelong dream of owning a place in the islands. He experienced Hurricane Dorian's destruction firsthand and has been actively involved in the community's rebuilding efforts.
Green Turtle Cay is an island in the Bahamas located off Abaco. It is a small Caribbean community that was devastated by Hurricane Dorian, losing at least half of its homes in the storm.
Hurricane Dorian caused catastrophic destruction in the Bahamas, particularly on islands like Green Turtle Cay off Abaco. The storm destroyed at least half of the homes on some islands, knocked down concrete structures, and created damage so severe that a piece of plywood was driven permanently into the ground by the wind.
The survival of structures during Hurricane Dorian appeared unpredictable — some properties survived relatively intact while concrete homes just twenty feet away were completely destroyed. Factors may have included construction methods, materials, positioning, and elevation, though the randomness of the destruction raised hard questions about what truly protects buildings in a Category 5 hurricane.
After Hurricane Dorian devastated Green Turtle Cay, the community began a massive rebuilding effort. Property owners like Jason Stemple remained committed to restoring the island, working to support displaced residents and coordinate reconstruction despite the overwhelming scope of the destruction.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 111 with Jason Stemple is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and iHeartRadio. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
Jason lived through something most of us will never experience, and he tells the story honestly. This is not a guy exaggerating for effect; he is giving you the raw truth about what a Category 5 hurricane can do to an island community.
What really drew me to this conversation was Jason's decision to stay involved with Green Turtle Cay after Dorian. A lot of people would have walked away. He didn't. That commitment to place and community is something I deeply respect, and I wanted him to walk through both the storm and the rebuild.
Press play in the YouTube player at the top of this page to hear the whole conversation in his own words.
For Jason, owning property in the Bahamas was not a retirement fantasy — it was a lifelong dream he made happen on Green Turtle Cay off Abaco. He opens up about what drew him to this specific island, how he made the leap from dreaming to owning, and what life was actually like there before everything changed. The path to island ownership is not what most people imagine, and his story captures both the romance and the reality. His journey begins early in the episode.
Hurricane Dorian was not just another tropical storm; it fundamentally altered Green Turtle Cay. Jason describes the aftermath in vivid, haunting detail — at least half the homes gone, concrete structures obliterated in ways that defy logic, and a piece of plywood driven so deep into the ground that he calls it the sword in the stone. What makes the story remarkable is that his property survived while massive concrete homes twenty feet away were destroyed. The full account unfolds in the middle of the conversation.
The most haunting question after any disaster is why some structures survive while others do not. Jason saw it firsthand: his property made it through relatively intact while a concrete home just twenty feet away was demolished, its walls knocked flat. He found a piece of that neighbor's wall, the size of a cinder block, in his own yard. He and I explore the possible factors — construction, materials, elevation, positioning, and pure chance. Jason's analysis begins mid-episode.
Listen to the full conversation: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · or watch in the YouTube player at the top of this page.
After the wind stopped and the water receded, the real work began. Jason did not just assess his own damage and leave — he stayed involved in the effort to rebuild Green Turtle Cay. This part of the conversation reveals what it actually takes to resurrect a community after half of it has been erased: coordinating relief, supporting displaced residents, deciding what to rebuild, and keeping hope alive when the scope feels overwhelming. The rebuilding efforts are detailed throughout the episode.
When Jason describes what he saw after Dorian — the concrete walls knocked flat, that piece of plywood driven into the ground like a sword in stone — you get a sense of just how powerful and terrifying that storm was.
What really strikes me is his decision to stay. When you love a place, really love it, you do not abandon it when things get hard. This conversation is worth your time if you care about the Bahamas, if you have wondered what it is like to survive a major hurricane, or if you appreciate stories about people who rebuild when it would be easier to quit.
Press play in the player above, or grab the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Green Turtle Cay · Abaco · Bahamas · Hurricane Dorian · New River
Jason Stemple is a property owner on Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas who achieved his lifelong dream of owning a place in the islands. He experienced Hurricane Dorian's catastrophic destruction firsthand when the storm devastated the island, destroying at least half of the homes there. His property survived relatively intact while concrete homes nearby were destroyed. Following the storm, Jason remained committed to Green Turtle Cay and has been actively involved in the community's rebuilding effort.
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