Calicoan Surf Camp, Guiuan Revisited
Does this scene/place look familiar to you? It may look like part of our previous story, but it is not!
I say 'generally untouched' because, although there are now 2 or 3 post-Yolanda resorts built along the strip, none of them made anything down by the water's edge - for they know, they'd be stupid to do so!
In fact, that's what I'm about to tell you, the Surf Camp that I visited back in 2010. That luxurous resort (I estimate) occupied about 200 to 300 meters of shoreline starting from that photo going to the right.
That sand down there continues all the way to the right too, and even beyond, but the then resort was nested atop rocks to avoid the battering waves during hightide. Yet all those were 'erased' by Yolanda.
I took this picture because I could sense, the remaining concrete at right seem to be the pool's ledge.
Try reading that article I wrote in 2010, to see, feel what I am lamenting about. This was such a loss.
Anyway, I want to dig up old pics other than those I already posted in 2010, so I can place them here.
Ah, here are some, for the nostalgia... All these should have been part of my 2010 story!
Na-curious ako sa name. Isn't he one of the rich bisdak kids and an airline pilot but also owns planes? I did hear the resort staff refer to a certain Atty. Go from Cebu, when they talk about resort ownership.
Teka bakit ko ba pinapakialaman ang pangalan na yan? Ah, to shed 'anything' on that rumor na kesyo ke "babaeng maliit" daw yan, nakita daw ang anak umalis dyan days before I came. Well, if so, merese!
Hahaha, why am I laughing! Baka naman nag-check-in lang as guest. Ayan tuloy na-Yolanda!
Some of the villas that were far apart from each other were Bali-inspired bungalows like this...
I thought though, that was a fair enough price for what I saw during that summertime...
Surroundings, amenities, service and location considered, this was almost like Sumilon to me!
There were other villas that were smaller and beside each other, but rooms were likewise superb.
Hey here's another trivia:
The Surf Camp resort (now in ruins) was/is located on ABCD Beach. You will see in websites or maps that it's called Calicoan ABCD Beach or Guiuan ABCD Beach or ABCD Surf Camp or just ABCD Beach.
Do you know why it is "ABCD"? Nope, Guiuananons did not make that 'alphabetic abbreviation' hehehe! ABCD actually means Advanced Base Construction Depot (or the US Naval Depo), constructed on this long strip of white sand beach in Calicoan, by the US NCBs or Naval Construction Battalions. Ganeern!
It was an enormous base, say my sources, that eventaully held as many as 32,000 soldiers, excluding pilots administrative and other personnel. No wonder the old concrete I saw at the surfing station. Da!
Anyway, enough of the nostalgia!
Most important are the first 4 photos above. That's the resort now. It's no more. Nothing na. Waray na!
Let's go elsewhere na!
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