The first storm to hit Subic this year hasn’t caused much trouble so far. Here in Baloy Beach there is some minor damage, and the beach is eroding quickly.
According to PAGASA, the weather bureau here in the Philippines, this first storm does not yet signal the end of summer and the start of the rainy season for Central Luzon. They say the official rainy season will probably start in the last half of May.
Blue Rock Floating Bar was washed ashore, suffering what appears to be some minor damage. Several banca boats were swamped. Johan’s dive resort was able to move all but one of their dive boats to the harbor at the old Subic Bay Naval Station, leaving one swamped in front of the resort and dive center. It’s floating upside down about 20 yards offshore. A speedboat owned by Dryden Group was also swamped. Employees are trying to get it out of the water now.
What struck me as the worst part of the storm damage is the erosion of the beach here at Baloy. See the pictures below. In some spots, like down by Blue Rock Resort, the beach is roughly half the depth it was yesterday. Further up towards Treasure Island, where most of the Nipa Huts are located, right by the two lifeguard towers, the beach is nearly gone.
Here are some photos and videos I took this morning along Baloy Beach in Barrio Barretto, Olongapo:
A man tries to salvage whatever he can from his swamped banca boat, in front of Blue Rock Resort:
Blue Rock Floating Bar and Banca Boats Swamped:
Trying to recover a speedboat in front of Treasure Island Resort:
Beach Erosion:
Beach Erosion at Baloy near Blue Rock Resort
Blue Rock Floating Bar Washed Ashore:
Blue Rock Floating Bar Washed Ashore
Damage to the Comfort Room (CR) on the Blue Rock Floating Bar:
Damage to the Comfort Room (CR) on the Blue Rock Floating Bar
Recovering Dryden Group’s Speedboat in front of Treasure Island Resort:
Recovering Dryden Group's Speedboat
One of Johan’s Dive Resort’s Dive Boats is Swamped:
Dive Boat from Johan's Resort Swamped
Baloy Beach is eroded all the way up to the Nipa Huts just past Wild Orchid Resort’s Beach Rooms:
Beach eroded up to the Nipa Huts, just past Wild Orchid Resort
Unbelivable arrived home on the 3rd May after a fantasic holiday, spent every afternoon on bar and great times. Hope all the girls are ok!
Everyone is fine! The wind wasn’t so bad – just the wave action on the beach caused some erosion and some minor damage to boats, etc. No injuries were reported.
my favorite time of the year is may to jun begining of rainy season . the rain keeps the streets clean and the heat down. Loooking forward to my visit in august
By this time, i hope everything is doing ok now in baloy, my fave vacation place. looking forward to be there by October for the beerfest. I like Bluerock and Johanns. : )
hi robin i knbow u dont know me i hve a friend n bluerock his name was mickhey a boucher manager can u please tell him i saying hello am his friend long lost friend of richard james long am here at amman jordan ill be back in philippines by next uear a month of may thank u robin,,,sencerely maricel
Hi
Lived on Baloy beach, 2006 thru 2008, and have been back a couple of times since.
Resilient bunch the ‘Pinoys’, always getting a battering, be it typhoons, floods or earthquakes.
Maybe see you all soon
Pete
Nothing could be more true. The Filipino people face adversity with a smile and a calm demeanor.
That reminds me of a phrase I heard, Bahala Na: This attitude, loosely translated into English as ‘fatalistic passiveness’, actually describes the Filipino way of life, in which, he is determined to do his best, hence the term bahala na, which actually came from the phrase bathalan na, meaning ‘I will do all my best, let God take care of the rest’.
(from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_psychology)