Labadee in 1984 (Coco Beach)

[Raptor2010]

 

 

Here's another one from 1984. We're standing right on what is now known as Nellie's Beach.

 

I think this is the same spot but this picture was taken in 2011

 

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Very cool photo! I enjoy a stop at Labadee :)

 

I hope all those buildings were empty and RCI didn't make people vacate their homes for a tourist paradise!

[Toodang]

I would love to see a side by side before and after pic!

[reney313]

Very cool! I can't wait to hear more information!

[nanwel]

Looking forward to seeing the beach in march! I was there in 2008, and it was not a good beach day, drizzel most of the day- lunch was on board, too wet on the beach - water was all turned up because they were dredging for arrival of our new mega ships, it was not swimable. Ah progress!

[Capt_BJ]

visited there in the 84 time frame, as well

 

I visited Haiti regularly as part of my job

 

at that time there were many buildings as seen here, but not finished

 

story I heard was a cruise line ..Royal Viking .. had bought the property and begun to develop ... but remember this is when the AIDS scare was really exploding and Haiti was on the list of sources. No cruises wanted to visit Haiti anymore and this site went dormant.

 

I also visited on one of the few cruises still visiting Haiti - Commodore - who went to Cap Haitian. Got friendly with the Master of the cruise ship (cruising 6 times in 2 years, plus a 'cheat' .. I had a professional connection) and we went to this site by boat one day during a port visit, picking up lobster for a private party .... 'nother story ;-}

 

Many years later RCL, who was always the land owner despite numerous name changes, finally came back and resumed development.

[The Grumpus]

Very interesting pics and reminiscing in this thread. Thank you Todd and Capt_BJ for sharing a little bit of Labadee's history with us. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing more. I notice CC picked up on this interesting story too as they posted the first picture on their FB page.

[Toddcan]

Wow! Thank you!

 

Those must have been really high quality pictures from the time! I don't think digital cameras were widely used back then?

 

It's hard to imagine it's the same place. Those houses looked really nice and neat. Were they for locals? Must have been a highend area.

 

I took all my photos in Haiti with a slide film, which is higher quality. I scanned them all into digital a few years back.

[Toddcan]

visited there in the 84 time frame, as well

 

I visited Haiti regularly as part of my job

 

at that time there were many buildings as seen here, but not finished

 

story I heard was a cruise line ..Royal Viking .. had bought the property and begun to develop ... but remember this is when the AIDS scare was really exploding and Haiti was on the list of sources. No cruises wanted to visit Haiti anymore and this site went dormant.

 

I also visited on one of the few cruises still visiting Haiti - Commodore - who went to Cap Haitian. Got friendly with the Master of the cruise ship (cruising 6 times in 2 years, plus a 'cheat' .. I had a professional connection) and we went to this site by boat one day during a port visit, picking up lobster for a private party .... 'nother story ;-}

 

Many years later RCL, who was always the land owner despite numerous name changes, finally came back and resumed development.

 

Yes, I remember there being cruise ships visting Cap. And, yes, this was the AIDS scare time - no one wanted to be near Haiti. Even though I was a missionary, I could not donate blood back in Canada for close to 8 years because I lived in Haiti.

[Riggy84]

I would love to see a side by side before and after pic!

 

I second that!

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

visited there in the 84 time frame, as well

 

I visited Haiti regularly as part of my job

 

at that time there were many buildings as seen here, but not finished

 

story I heard was a cruise line ..Royal Viking .. had bought the property and begun to develop ... but remember this is when the AIDS scare was really exploding and Haiti was on the list of sources. No cruises wanted to visit Haiti anymore and this site went dormant.

 

I also visited on one of the few cruises still visiting Haiti - Commodore - who went to Cap Haitian. Got friendly with the Master of the cruise ship (cruising 6 times in 2 years, plus a 'cheat' .. I had a professional connection) and we went to this site by boat one day during a port visit, picking up lobster for a private party .... 'nother story ;-}

 

Many years later RCL, who was always the land owner despite numerous name changes, finally came back and resumed development.

 

That's so neat! Thanks for sharing Captain :)

[Karma5]

Very interesting....................

[leinhto]

Does anyone have a current picture from the same vantage point. It would be cool to see the before and after view.

[orville99]

This one's as close as I can find from my shots...

 

If you look all the way on the right side of the picture you can make out the shells of some of the old buildings.

Nellies Beach.pdf

Edited December 7, 2012 by orville99

[Toddcan]

This one's as close as I can find from my shots...

 

If you look all the way on the right side of the picture you can make out the shells of some of the old buildings.

 

Very interesting shot. I think it's taken within a few yards of where I was standing when I took my original picture too.

 

Im pretty psyched about goign back in March now.

[BillOh]

Very interesting shot. I think it's taken within a few yards of where I was standing when I took my original picture too.

 

Im pretty psyched about goign back in March now.

 

Assuming you do a review, I'll look forward to hearing about this part. As a totally unrelated FYI, I grew up close enough to you to be Diamond Plus on the Maid of the Mist ;)

[gambee]

Really cool pics, looks like a lot of people had to be relocated, I wonder how that went by :confused:. Hopefully the government did not take advantage of the situation at the time.

[Canadian Tyler]

Thanks for posting these pics, very interesting!

 

Found this article about Labadee from '87 which may be of interest as well.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Canadian Tyler

[Toddcan]

Thanks for posting these pics, very interesting!

 

Found this article about Labadee from '87 which may be of interest as well.

 

Wow, nice find! Thanks for sharing.

[Toddcan]

Assuming you do a review, I'll look forward to hearing about this part. As a totally unrelated FYI, I grew up close enough to you to be Diamond Plus on the Maid of the Mist ;)

 

As long as it wasn't Buffalo :cool::D

 

Funny, I have lived here all my life, except for 18 months when I lived in Haiti, and I have only gone on the Maid of the Mist perhaps 8-10 times - usually when distant-living relatives come to visit.

[kevinsgirl88]

wow that looks so diffrent from when i had visted the island in 09!

[seashinesunshine]

I'm going to be honest here: It's going to be tough for me not to get a little emotional sitting in my Over the Water Cabana in March knowing that this was the exact same location I was at almost 30 years earlier.

 

My connection to Haiti runs pretty deep, and I've not ever been back to Haiti due to the political unrest since I left in 1984 (except for Labadee)

 

Thanks for the great thread, very interesting! Thanks also for your service as a missionary there. My Compassion Child that I sponcered for over ten years was there and was killed in the Earthquake, part of my heart will always be there!

[nanner10]

What a great post, the most interesting I have seen in a long time! I have subscribed and can't wait for more info. Thanks!

[BillOh]

As long as it wasn't Buffalo :cool::D

 

Funny, I have lived here all my life, except for 18 months when I lived in Haiti, and I have only gone on the Maid of the Mist perhaps 8-10 times - usually when distant-living relatives come to visit.

 

80 miles west of Buffalo, and the same for us, whenever distant relatives came we were required to take them to the Falls, and in later years, the Anchor Bar.

[Toddcan]

80 miles west of Buffalo, and the same for us, whenever distant relatives came we were required to take them to the Falls, and in later years, the Anchor Bar.

 

The Anchor Bar!!!! Wings Wings Wings... great, now I'm hungry. :)

 

That 90 through Erie is not bad in the summer, but brutal in the winter, which of course, is not an issue since the Maid of the Mist doesn't sail in the winter. :)

 

I know that stretch of road well- Buffalo - Erie - Cleveland