TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin French side damage

I came across this video from Barbara. It's in French. Taken from a drone, it shows the heavy damage throughout the french side.
https://www.facebook.com/272078260881/videos/10154734771120882/

Pauline

Comprehensive collection video from before, during and after the storm.

Must have been horriffic literally to live through.

Reminds me the biggest job May not be reconstruction itself, but the cleanup, so much everywhere. Without help that could be demoralizing.

"without help"?? The French government is helping now. The issues are to do with the Dutch side only. Hopefully with the forced resignation of Marlin, the Dutch side will get some more help soon.

Thank you so much for posting this. I had NOT seen it before. It brought tears to my eyes and pain in my heart for the good people on both sides of our beloved Island. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Oooh, wasnt meaning that kind of reference to help or not.

Didnt say they (the french govt) weren’t helping .....

I was just saying how “not much fun” and demoralizing it would be to pick up all the refuse big and small on ones property just to get to the savageable remnants on which to begin repairs.

My mention of “needing helpl” meaning anybody more than ones self: families, neighbors, a team, and yes the govt just to lift and haul away.

Those dutch siders are sensitive <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/hammer.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duel.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Tonguea.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Doh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/pirate.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/pirate.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/pirate.gif" alt="" />

Smart people know the devastation this storm brought to both sides of Island. and smart people also know it will take time to repair... No not a few months but probably a few years... Lets not rush a disaster this huge... Small Island huge disaster... St.M. will come back, but not on our time, on there time.

I am praying we can return April 2019...realistically..it might be April 2020 or 2021...we go to club orient...and we will not go back until club orient is ready. When and IF it is ready we WILL be back.

We're returning this coming February. The studio on Orient where we stay at was not damaged badly. We know it won't be the same but we hope we can help contribute to the rebuilding of the island through tourism dollars and possibly by volunteering as well.

Thanks for the very kind words.

I hope it is good for you in Feb.

we want to get back asap.

We wanted to do the same in Febrary with strongly calibrated expectations. A studio at mt vernon is available and we figured wed be carrying chairs/umbrella and cooler to CO if Perch/chairs not avail every day.

But, We have a cruise booked (prior to Irma)and put cabin for sale on the web and had a buyer at afew hundred dollars loss.

But the last pics, videos we saw of SXM last week said stay with the cruise.......if we didnt have the cruise booked and money to lose wed be with you at Orient.....

maybe June which we have done last two years in a row.

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

Is anyone on St Martin(particularly the French side)asking us to stay away until they are "ready"?

Not the people we know. They are saying come and we stay french side. We are going january & they are happy. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

It now seems that every week another business has reopened in Grand Case or Orient. There is progress being made and St Martiners are working hard to be in business for the traditional busy season.

No. They are saying to come with appropriate expectations. Look, if folks only go to, say, Club O and feel like they can't bear to stay any place else, then obviously, those folks aren't going to come and shouldn't. But if you love all of SXM and are ABLE to put aside the need to stay where you always stay, eat where you always eat, and vacation the way you used to, then by all means PLEASE COME ON DOWN. There are places open to stay, places open to eat and the beaches may not have your favorite bars on it, but they are there and beautiful. If you can handle that AND handle seeing the devastation from Irma still, please come down.

Everyone is different, so I'm trying not to judge anyone. But what's not needed is the constant negativity. This isn't directed towards anyone in particular. Just the thoughts of someone whose family is on island and dealing with this!

Exactly right!

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

Yes we are booked in June for the same reason! Not perfect but we can still be supportive!!

According to Bruno, he told me that he will have O Paradis bungalows ready this spring. http://www.oparadis-sxm.com/gb/

This one has been up for 2 weeks but I haven't seen it posted here. It is a drone giving footage from the middle of November of the beachside Grand Case (the GCBC to almost Lolo area):
https://www.sxmstrong.com/2017/11/17/wat...almos-cafe-zen/

We are staying in Bruno's bungalow mid-February 2018. http://www.oparadis-sxm.com/gb/

Are all of his units rentable now, do you know? Good to hear at least he is starting back on the road to recovery. Any word on any of Bruno's other businesses?

I don't have any news on his other businesses, sorry. I wish I knew!