Does anyone have news of Club O?
I hope everyone is safe. Would love to know what we can do to help. If it is a rebuild then I would think those who love the Club would book now to get a revenue stream going and or prepay our stay.
Let's hope everyone at the club and all employees (friends ) are safe.
doctorj

I heard this morning on NPR that the French side was hit the hardest. "Devastation. Looks as though it has been hit by an atomic bomb." Well, that doesn't sound good at all, but the report was long on descriptive phrases and short on details. Let's hope the damage isn't that bad.

Yahoo news feed quoted the French government report as 95% of structures on the French side damaged or destroyed !

Awful news! Also posted on Club O Facebook page.

From: Robert Wilcox <bobcwilcox995@gmail.com>
Subject: Hurricane Update No. 11
Date: September 7, 2017

Dear Shareholders,

It's ugly!

Steve and Bert just returned to GCBC from a visit to Club Orient.
Their findings include the following:

All wood units are gone. Presumably the slabs are left, but the buildings are gone.
Gatehouse is gone. In its place is a huge pile of debris that landed there from the winds.
Pedro concrete wall ? gone
Concrete buildings survived. Roofs gone or damaged.
Except for the waterfront chalets 46-52 ? They are gone. No sign of where they went.
The new beach goes from the water's edge back to where the studios used to be. It's about 200 feet.
Hurricane shutters on units left are gone as well as the contents of all the houses ? presumably sucked out by the wind ? no sign of where the furniture, cabinets, appliances, etc., went.
The units' contents have been stripped by the hurricane.
The villa is standing ? no further detail.
Papagayo is standing but may not be sound structurally. All the contents are gone.
The utility plant is covered with debris so Bert and Steve could not get a close look at the generators, switch panel, etc. It looks like there was about 5' of water in that area, which means salvaging the electric plant is in doubt.
The reception building is still standing. The front desk and other furnishings are gone.
The tennis courts are gone.
Steve and Bert drove through Orient Village where most of the buildings are standing but the contents of the first floors that they could see into are gone.
Looters beat Steve and Bert to the resort. They were clearing out the Boutique. We let them take the contents because presumably they need the stuff worse than we do!

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:

We have never been able to secure legal rights for nudism on our beach. We will need to continue a security presence to keep our de facto rights alive. The same goes for the property itself. We don't want squatters to take over, similar to what happened at the Galion and others.

I will continue to keep you updated as new information comes in.
Steve took about 100 pictures but has no way to transmit them until Internet service is restored.
According to Fr?d?ric Lecomte, our Paris attorney, the French media are reporting that 95% of the island is destroyed.

We have a huge job in front of us. We will need a lot of out-of-the-box thinking to reinvent Club Orient ? better than ever.

Sincerely,

Bob Wilcox, President
Orient Beach Club

So sad. I hope the staff are all safe and accounted for.
Club O Strong,
doctorj

Sucks so much, but It will be back.
I've heard all staff and friends are accounted for.

"I gotta fly to St. Somewhere"

Thanks John!
See you on the beach.
Carib cheers
doctorj

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2iad3b8.jpg

Kentucky Couple

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2iad3b8.jpg

Kentucky Couple

http://oi64.tinypic.com/2qxyzhh.jpg

http://oi64.tinypic.com/111o85e.jpg

http://oi64.tinypic.com/2reldog.jpg

http://oi63.tinypic.com/2v3ipmp.jpg

Don't think Im supposed to post links but maybe mod will let this one slide

Kentucky Couple

http://oi67.tinypic.com/2lo28oh.jpg

Last one.. sorry about double post earlier. Site is actind up

Kentucky Couple

The above pics and also some more here. If the moderator will let it slide.

http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1743541&page=0&fpart=all&vc=1

Kentucky Couple

Relax your good.
We need to see what our beloved island looks like after this devistating storm.
Thank you for your efforts finding these links

I don't see the remains of the Tico Tico in any of the photos, was it off some place safe?

I just got this from Club O:
CLUB O STAFF - SAFETY CHECK-IN
==========

First of all, we sincerely apologize for the delay in updating you on the impacts of Hurricane Irma, as our communications team in Florida was also impacted by the storm and has had no means of communication due to lack of power, phones and internet. We would first like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your many messages of concern, prayers for our safety and offers of help and assistance! We have been deeply touched and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from all of you! I know that many of you are very anxious for news of our beloved resort and, most importantly, confirmation of the safety and wellbeing of our many staff members that you have also grown to know and love over the years. As we were all scattered to the winds to seek safe haven with our families during the storm and left with no cell service, internet or other means of communication afterwards (not to mention the bare necessities like food, water and shelter), our first priority has obviously been in locating and ensuring the safety of all our Club O staff and their family members. We are happy to announce that we have now been in touch with most of them, and a full list of those confirmed safe is below. Please note that we are continuing these efforts and will update the list as we locate others. Just because someone is not on the list does not mean they are not safe – just that they have not yet been evacuated or they may not have found a means of communication to contact us yet. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as the recovery will take some time and it is difficult to determine just how much time at this point. We will update you on all the other issues raised on this page and in emails to us in subsequent posts or direct communication, just as soon as possible. Please bear in mind, however, that evacuations are still underway and we have not yet been able to connect with critical resources, such as banks, insurance companies, emergency funds, etc. because many of these were also located on the island and our contacts are just not available to us. Please rest assured that all issues will be addressed in the coming days. Meanwhile, these, our people, take top priority at this time. **We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding!**

STAFF MEMBERS CONFIRMED SAFE:
==========

**Ana** - Massage

**Anne** - Accounting

**Annette** - Reservations

**Benjamin** - Watersports

**Bert** - Maintenance

**Carlos** - Restaurant

**Catherine** - Housekeeping

**Chi-Chi** - Maintenance

**Christina** - Accounting

**Christine** - Restaurant

**Erikson** - Maintenance

**Fernand** - Security

**Florence** - Office

**Francisco** - Maintenance

**Gaelle** - HR

**Gloreen** - Housekeeping

**Ivon** - Security

**Jocelyn** - Accounting

**Junior** - Front desk

**Karima** - Reception

**Kenny** - Restaurant

**Leila** - Housekeeping

**Linda** - Office

**Manu** - Watersports

**Mimi** - Boutique

**Moby** - Maintenance

**Nathalie** - Reception

**Nathalie** - Massage

**Naty** - Restaurant

**Niel** - Maintenance

**Patou** - Restaurant

**Patsy** - Housekeeping

**Randy** - Restaurant

**Ruby** - Reception

**Ruddy** - Security

**Sabrina** - Housekeeping

**Shane** - Maintenance

**Stephen P.** - Office

**Stephen S**. - Night audit

**Valerie** - Office

**Vanessa** - Boutique

**Willie** - Perch

**Zoe** - Boutique

**Follow us on Facebook for additional updates**
==========

Web Version
https://sable.godaddy.com/c/60975?id=20320.571-51.1.a52e7c623a98ab2792ac6ce9c0af3925&p=eyIlN0IlN0JtaW1pLXNpZ25hdHVyZSU3RCU3RCI6IjE0MTQ0Nzc5Mi04NzM1NjM0MzI3LWQ5MDZkZmIyNWRkZTIzYzFmOWM1MWIzNmEwNTc0MTBhMzI2YmU0YzgiLCIlN0IlN0JlbWFpbElkJTdEJTdEIjoiMjAzMjAifQ==

We visited Club O the first time in '94. After that, Hurricane Luis pretty much leveled everything. In some ways, these photos don't seem as bad as it looked after Luis. My wife and I visited the following year, stayed at Esmerelda, and travelled to the Club O beach every day. They got the umbrella and chair concession set up first. Part of Papagayo's was still standing, with no roof, and had a bathroom. They also cooked burgers on a small barbecue grill and sold drinks. It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing. The beach was still the beach. By the year after that, Club O reopened. The new chalets they built then are the ones that are still standing. It seemed Luis hit Club O the worst, and most of the other hotels on the French side opened relatively soon. I don't know if that's the case here, or how much damage the Club O infrastructure (generator, desalination plant) suffered.