The "SXM: Part II - Orient Village/Club O, The Past" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Walking the nude beach at Club Orient (Club O) on the island of St. Martin taking photos of the devastation that you just can't visualize unless you see it with your own eyes.  A bit of information about Club O may help you understand my story a bit better if you have never made a visit to this piece of paradise on the French side of the island which is half Dutch and half French.  Club O was comprised of 137 chalets, studios and one villa laid out on the south side of 2.5 mile Orient Beach. Most resort activities center around those who are residents of the resort plus those who visit the beach along the water in front of the resort during the day.  The resort has a full service restaurant and bar on the beach, known as Papagao's, with live entertainment, happy hours, cocktail parties, water sports, spa and fitness center, tennis courts and a library.  The resort is non all-inclusive since no food or drink is included in your room rate.  Club Orient produces its own power and water.  The chalets include a living area, kitchen, sleeping area, private bath and dining area with air conditioning and fan.  Two years ago TVs were added to the chalets.  Prices start at about $200/night.  And the reason people visit the Club O resort is so they can vacation without clothes.  There are a few other nude beaches on the island, but none offer lodging except Club O.  Now, everything I offered to you so far was true, but not anymore.  

Hurricane Irma, a truly massive storm.

On September 6, 2017, Hurricane Irma, an extremely powerful and catastrophic Cape Verde hurricane, the strongest storm on record to exist in the Atlantic region and was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, struck Club O head-on.  To make matters worse, two weeks later Hurricane Maria struck with just about the same voracity.  Major damage occurred all over the island, but at Club O nothing looked the same.  I have selected a few photos of the before and after to show you the destruction.  I have also added a few photos from Carol and my recent vacation to the island and visit to Club O.  To tell you the truth, even photographs can't describe the shock and horror that we saw one year after the storm struck. 

This photo shows the lodging, beautiful Orient Beach and Papagao's restaurant in bottom right.  The iconic yellow umbrellas and orange beach loungers can also be seen lining the beach on the ocean front.

Sitting on a chair, looking toward the ocean is our idea of vacation.

Some of the chalets

Another view of the property and chalets.

Now, some of the photographs that show the devastation from the storm that still exist today.  Tomorrow my story will end with what is expected to happen and a few more photos from our recent vacation.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The water and wind extracted most of what was in this bathroom.

Papagao's Restaurant and Bar.

A barren landscape where chalets once stood.  The restaurant is in the background.

Part of a concrete chalet

Another scene of the devastation.

Unit #66...at one time.

Sand covers much of the chalets along the waterfront.  Looters arrived shortly after the storm stopped and cleaned out anything that was still usable.