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Remembering 20 years ago today
#67122
09/05/2015 08:20 AM
09/05/2015 08:20 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278 Maryland/DC Metro
BeachKitten
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
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Thoughts are with the people of St Maarten, as we recall the loss and devastation experienced in September 1995 from Hurricane Luis. Luis forever changed the island we love. It certainly changed the part I've known best, Mullet Bay.....and redirected the path of many lives for our island friends. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6dcEFuBEc78
"It is good to do nothing all day, and then to rest"
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: TravelHat]
#67125
09/05/2015 09:51 AM
09/05/2015 09:51 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807
Central Florida!
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I'm sure everyone who lived through it has unbelieveable stories. We were on a cruise that week that HAD been scheduled to visit SXM and STT. Although communication then certainly was nothing like it is now, we knew a little of what was happening to our beloved SXM at the time. Our ship went to the western Caribbean instead, which was so dead flat calm, it was astounding. We surmised that the monster Luis had taken all the energy out of the ocean.
Our first trip back to SXM after Luis was in February 96, when we stayed at L'hoste and were astounded at the wide destruction still evident at that time.
Carol Hill
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: pixie45]
#67129
09/05/2015 11:16 AM
09/05/2015 11:16 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807
Central Florida!
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For whoever you want to send a message to, just click on their user name. That will bring up a screen that you can click on a button to send them a note.
Carol Hill
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: SXMWendell]
#67133
09/05/2015 12:15 PM
09/05/2015 12:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,143 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
islandgem
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,143
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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We were there in April 1996 and it still looked bad in many places. There were several boats in pieces up on the shore and buildings showing various forms of destruction. It took a very long time to recover from Luis!
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: SXMWendell]
#67134
09/05/2015 12:28 PM
09/05/2015 12:28 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,648 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,648
Brookfield, CT.
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We were scheduled to be there November of '95 but because of the damage, and the fact that our trip was an AA package trip 'after thought' trip in addition to our usual April trip, the only place they could book us was into a high-rise in Aruba, which may be part of why Aruba just doesn't do it for me to this very day. Sad memories and just not where our hearts wanted to be. I don't remember how long it took for the island to reopen to visitors but it was the airline that cancelled/changed this trip due to all the island's problems at the time.
We did return to the Towers in April of '96 for our regular timeshare time and the devastation across the island was unbelievable.
Most of the damaged units of Mullet Bay were still standing (and IMHO still salvageable had the property owners wanted to....) but the cliff side units including the convention center and original casino area and pool were totally destroyed. We were still able to walk the area and see remnants of what used to be. Heartbreaking to see the sand rising atop the pool chairs in what little was left of the cliff side pool.
The walk along Simpson Bay was equally heart breaking to see - so many damaged and destroyed homes and small hotels with their pools ripped out and standing on end. And I'm not sure if it was this storm or another that beached the huge working boat on the end of Simpson Bay Beach, but I know it sat there for ages. We weren't aware of the Beachside Villas at the time as being a popular rental spot but we did see their pool ripped out and about standing on edge, what portions of it still existed.
And Orient Beach, particularly in the Club O area, had pretty much returned to its natural state of sand and sea grape and not much more. Rumor had it that most of the original Club O wooden cottages had washed away and were floating throughout the Caribbean waters.
I think we may have seen as many tossed and torn boats thrown up onto dry land as we saw unscathed boats in the water and there were still countless boats semi submerged all across the island, where ever we went.
What used to be the Food Center was a pile of rubble and the real heartache was to see the homes of so many reduced to trash piles. Those that were able to salvage portions of their homes and cover them with the countless blue tarps were the lucky ones.......so hard to believe.
And so very sad to remember. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" />
But the truly incredible and amazing thing was the will of the people of the island. Their strength and heart was amazing to see and if you took the time to engage them, their belief in their island and their faith in God that he would bring them back to be even better and stronger was amazing. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: Marcheall]
#67135
09/05/2015 03:54 PM
09/05/2015 03:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,807
Central Florida!
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We were determined that we were going to visit and to help the island get tourism going again. L'hoste was largely undamaged, other than all the vegetation being gone, but as of February 96, Club O was basically NOT there. I can't remember, but think there was one building behind Papagayo that survived. Club O was serving drinks out of a cooler on a cement pad that I remember being roughly behind Papagayo. I don't remember that they were serving any food as of yet.
Carol Hill
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Re: Remembering 20 years ago today
[Re: BeachKitten]
#67139
09/06/2015 11:14 AM
09/06/2015 11:14 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 101 Pittsburgh
louise
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 101
Pittsburgh
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Our first trip to St. Martin was the November after Luis. Although many months had passed, we were still shocked by the devastation that was still there. Boats were still laying on their sides on the airport road. Maho Beach resort was still half destroyed, and Mullet Bay devasted. Orient Beach had very few restaurants/bars, and of course all the subsequent development had not yet begun. Very few leaves were on the trees, so even the landscape looked barren. In spite of what we saw, what we experienced was amazing. We both fell in love, again, on this magical island. The people and their survival stories shocked us, but endeared them to us with their courage and fortitude. We have been returning almost every year since then. We actually prefer the St. Martin that we first met, but even with the crazy changes and expansion, we still return. It is the highlight of every year for us. A time for rest and rejuvenation. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" />
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