FYI - The Prefecture has announced that there will be exercises involving the Prefecture, the Gendarmes, the Military, and the Red Cross this afternoon (Wednesday, 6/15). The exercises will take place around the Grand Case airport, Hope Estate, and Cul de Sac. The announcement mentions the possibility of seeing "armed personnel" and hearing "noises simulating security force interventions".

Interesting. I don't think we will be over that way today, but sounds like it would be fun to see.

Or a traffic nightmare.

Reminds me of the time a US aircraft carrier visited SXM. A F-16 (I think) flew low the length of Orient beach - unbelievable. Then a bunch of the sailers danced up a storm at a Latin dance club in Simpson Bay. Very cool.

Tim--I remember a bunch of US sailors at Mullet one time. Very cool to see them there.

That was in mid-April 2006 and the aircraft carrier was the USS George Washington.

Picture below is courtesy of the US Navy.

My wife remembers that day when those sailors showed up at Orient for some R & R. A pretty toned group of them were walking in front of us on the Club Orient side and all dropped their shorts and heading in the water. My wife was never the same. LOL

We were there when it was docked. Lots of pilots and officers staying at Royal Palm. My son was in the pool talking airplanes with them. They were trying to get him to go on the ship but never worked out. The child was disappointed. Be he remembers the experience.

Carolyn

I was on Island (probably 10 years ago) when a multinational force was simulating different scenarios each day.
One day there were snipers on top of the police station in Simpson Bay.
David

Carol, do you remember when that was? An approximation? I’m lousy with dates. Yes it was cool and I remember the sailors at the Latin club being super well behaved.

Oops just read bdeeley’s post. Ignore me.

Tim--not sure. When we saw them it was definitely NOT mid April, regardless of the year, as we have never been on island in April.

Most likely related to hurricane preparedness

We saw lots of them in Grand Case last evening. Kind of obvious when there is a group of about a dozen young men, very fit, very clean shaven, buzz cuts, all together. I was salivating.