Remember when...

Remember when... George made sand sculptures on the beach?

This yr, late Jan, early Feb, there was a sand scuplter at Club O, midway down, don't know his name, he wore a red tennis visor. His tools were a - I think - a kitchen knife, spoon, straw and 2 1 litre water bottles [an assistant would fill with water and pour slowly over piles of sand being shaped
The octupus was excellent among others
J&B

Any pics?

Remember Papagayo early 1980's

Our first time was 2008. Would love to see more old photos like these. Wish we would have discovered a couple decades earlier.

Yes, old pictures are great! My problem is that my old pictures are only film pictures and so really hard to post online now.

Can't you just scan them to insert them?

Yes, I suppose, just never done it, as I assumed it would be a very poor quality.

Another option is if you have a smartphone or even a tablet. Just take pictures of them - pay attention to light, but it works pretty good

you can take them to a drug store or camera store carol and they will scan them and save digitally. they usually come out with very good quality. If you have the negatives even better

Those were the days, my friend. They were great! I believe George is back in England according to one of the beach attendants we'd spoken with. Great sculptures.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

It was slightly better than a 'lean to '......it was the best!


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

I was wondering where George went after Cheryl's restaurant closed? ty

Here is an old pic of Orient Beach... 1982

Now that's the Orient we first knew. So beautiful and so remote. There were times we'd get so turned around with the great roads back then we'd be hard pressed to find the place.

Wow that was taken right where I'm staying now.

Yes I remember that Orient Beach but certainly not from that view.

First visit 20 years ago...how time flies, eh?

Those unmolested walks on the beach were times to remember as was the friendly atmosphere at all the vendors.

Yes, Pat, that's the Orient we first discovered on a walk down a cowpath from Le Galion Hotel on "Baby Beach".

Great photo. Never saw it then from that view. First time was 1985 - only Club O and Pedros. Just sea grapes bordering the rest of the beach - all clothing optional, no gendarmes, but bushwackers in the sea grape bushes. You had to watch your beach bags.

1985 the Marigot market was very different...

That's how the market was when we first went to the island.

Yes, I remember. many years before the added land was added for parking in Marigot.

SXM??? Wendell

Wasn't it post "Speed" Wendell. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Beautiful 1982 photo (3 years before our 1st visit). If only for a day, wouldn't we all love to go back to it?

Yeah, before it got "famous'

SXM??? Wendell

Famous? Marigot? And in the same sentence? I get famous re OB, though, because all you have to do is mention St. Martin, and the most customary response is usually, "Oh, yeah, the famous nude beach is there, right?!" <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Yes, and a few other places, too.......

How about Dawn Beach in '81?

WOW! Thank you very much for posting the pics of Dawn Beach!

OMG really awesome to view one of my favorite spots again. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

I remember the second floor bar that had a one man band sometimes. Monday night buffet around the pool. The pool had a waterfall into it.

SXM??? Wendell

Here is Scavengers after 1995...
Dawn Beach!

Scavenger's was a favorite place in 2005, looking toward Oyster Pond,



but in the other direction the end was beginning.

Thanks for the memories/pictures of Scavengers!!

I remember the airport when they had the blue and white building.....Not the yellow and white...A lot of years ago...Maybe I'm getting old.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Loved the photos of Dawn Beach. That's what it was like when we stayed there (maybe 1982?).

And the old airport---when you left the plane and the hot air caressed your face as you walked across the runway to the small building. That was so great!

Back in the early '80's flying AA, had a mandatory stop in San Juan for fuel. The plane couldn't be fully fueled in SXM because it would have been too heavy to make the accent over the mountain so they used just enough to get it to PR. The runway wasn't long enough.

Oh remember well that Dawn Beach. Here right now looking @ the Westin. But that picture was before the hurricane wiped out that little resort -- & it was a nice little one!

I think it was called Tradewinds. Never stayed there but walked through one day. A Lot nicer than the Westin.

The Dawn Beach pictures were from 1981. So far as I can remember, it was named Dawn Beach Hotel. Stayed there in '81 and (I think) '83. The road over the hill from Philipsburg at night was an interesting drive. It was built in the late 1970's I think, and wrecked in a hurricane and never rebuilt because, reportedly,the insurance agent had run off with the premiums. But it was a very pleasant, low-key hotel that fitted in well with its surroundings.

How about the sand crab races on the beach by the Flamingo??

Yes that was the name of it. In 1981 we booked a charter tour that offered a choice of Great Bay Hotel, Summit, Grand Case beach Club, some hotel in Marigot (can't remember name) and Dawn Beach Hotel.

Back then we felt so isolated staying there. Now we split time between Divi (formally, Little Bay Beach & Racket Club) and GCBC and there's hardly any inch of the island we'd call "Isolated" now.

On our honeymoon Oct. 1982 when we went to the Dawn Beach Hotel it was affiliated with what is now OBBR. If you took the meal plan at Dawn Beach you could also dine at OBBR. Back in 82 the meal plan was really the best bet since you didn't want to be driving on the road that came over the top of the mountain in the dark. There were very few if any other restaurants in that area. The other choice was a dirt road which is now paved, (don't know what it is now called) that was full of pot holes, water and during the day goats.
Stayed there 2 more times before Luis in 95 wiped it out.