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Heavy swells belt island, damage hotel and road on French side
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Oct 17, 2005 16:25 UTC
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PHILIPSBURG - Heavy swells over the weekend pounded the island’s coastline and caused some damage, especially on the French side.
Reports from Marigot said the Northeasterly swells had caused significant overtopping of the recently built seawall in the vicinity of Fort de Marigot and dumped a lot of sand and other debris on the road running parallel to the wall.
The road was also reportedly damaged, with sections of the asphalt surface being ripped up.
Also badly affected by the swells was Hotel Beach Plaza in the Sandy Ground/Baie de Marigot area. The swells dumped a large quantity of sand inside the Hotel property and flooded several ground-floor rooms.
Also, residents passing through the area reported experiencing waves washing through the hotel property and flowing across the roadway.
Other reports from the French side said tons of algae had been were washed ashore at Le Galion Beach by the heavy swells.
On the Dutch side, where one Pointe Blanche resident reported that the sea had seemed angry all Saturday night and early Sunday, the swells dumped a large amount of sand and seaweed on the Great Bay beach promenade. Up to Sunday night, about one in every five waves that came ashore managed to wash over the deck of Captain Hodge Wharf.
However, notwithstanding the dangers that could be posed by such heavy swells, scores of residents and visitors took to the sea for a fun-filled day. This was very evident at Mullet Bay where an estimated 150 people were seen “bodysurfing” and “spinning in the washing machine” as the waves, sometimes six to seven feet high, rolled ashore.
According to Weather Forecaster A.R. Capello of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Met Service, the “long period Northeasterly swells generated recently by a strong gale over the north Atlantic should continue to cause large breakers over especially our north- and east-facing shores through at least early Monday (today). “
He advised both swimmers and boaters to take this into account.
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