Club Med Sonora Bay

I've been meaning to ask this for awhile.

Back in August of 1990 I went to Sonora Bay for my first and only time.
Early in the week I was there, a big storm passed through.
I thought it was reported to be the tail end of a hurricane but have found no reference to this on the web.

It washed out the road to the Club.
One person in town was reported to have died.
The club was without electricity for a day, and water for 3 days(?) until water trucks were able to make it in.
Many "Americans" were freaked out by this and demanded their government do something (one night of free drinks in the bar didn't cut it I guess) Some wished to be evacuated immediately, but weren't willing to hike to town.
The club managed to still operate although we ate on plastic plates for a few days until water service was restored.

I still managed to have a good CM experience, including the excursion to "feed" the mosquitos out by the Catch 22 landing strip.
In the end the CM provided one week land credit at another club.
I found it to be an interesting CM experience that I'll always remember.

Are there any other GM's or GO's that were there at the time???
How about other(good) CM Hurricane experiences?


-- Joel

Hi Joel,

Unlucky you ! I have been 3 x to Sonora and never had any bad weather, only sunshine. I was there twice in July and once in May. I loved this place and, even if it is a long journey from Europe, regret that it is no longer Club Med.

Having had mother nature's experience, you got at least another free stay... where did you go with that coupon ?

Being from Europe, I have been to many CM in Europe, North Africa, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Thailand and of course, Sandpiper (3x) and Buccaneer's Creek, but never got offered a free stay.

I hope to convince my husband to take me to Columbus Isle this year. The CdV there is a friend of ours.

So far been lucky since 99. I usually take one of my trips in mid September. In Sept 2001 a friend of mine dislocated his shoulder in the surf. Got to check out the fun Guaymas emergency clinic. $2700 peso's later we were back at the club. All in all the Doc was great and the clinic was not so bad. Plus $270 US compared to the $2200 US it cost last time in the states, cheap! There were 7 to 8 foot waves crashing on the south beach. It was just the surge of the storm, no wind or rain yet. We left 2 days later and the storm hit on the 3rd day. We spoke to our friends and GO's when they got back and said the same thing. Roads were washed out, scuba shack and disco were completely flooded, all the palapas were torn down. Quit a mess. I think they only loss power for a day or so. My friends only got a credit for the days they were affected not the whole week. Fortunately I got to go to Sonora 6 times, I miss you my old friend!

Wonderful Day

R

The weather wasn't all bad. There were a few days of sun.
(I think I used my credit the following spring to return to Turks)

A few Views from back then.

The very welcome Water Truck


The Club and mountains from across the lagoon


The "Other" more famous Mountain


-- Joel

Thanks for the photos...

Wonderful Day

R

Wow, I really miss Sonora Bay.

I was there once and it was amazing I had never been to the desert before. It was the year that Hutcalco obened/closed in the same week. I was there New Years week. On Dec 23 three days before I was leaving I got a call with the news and a choice of SB or Sand piper or stay home and get a free week land. I went to SB had a great time and went to PI the following June and had a blast

Punta Cana 1-27 - 2-3/ 2007
C'est Bon Pour Le Moral!

Ellen

What year did you go?? AS I worked there one ofthose few winters it was open.

Dee

"The other me is having more fun than I am"

Andrea Livingston was the CDV it might of been 87 maybe or 88

Punta Cana 1-27 - 2-3/ 2007
C'est Bon Pour Le Moral!

Ellen
I think we may have just missed each other I was there winter of 86-87 the CDV was . . . oh Crap Don't remember now damn! the Cheif of Sports was Kenton Smith though. Was a Interesting winter with the fireplace games and the disco in front of the main bar Fireplace.

In PLaya Blanca though we got hit with a Hurrican that sank all the boats we had to recruit the GMs to help tow them to shore we had a open bar for the rest of the week there were so many more stories with that village and Sonora Did you ever see the Ghost?

Dee

"The other me is having more fun than I am"

No he was not there that season I knew Kent when he was a GO in the mid 80's in Caravelle

Punta Cana 1-27 - 2-3/ 2007
C'est Bon Pour Le Moral!

Ok I just looked figured out it was New Years week 87 -- which means we did miss each other. I loved the club but it was cold in the am and p,

Punta Cana 1-27 - 2-3/ 2007
C'est Bon Pour Le Moral!

Ellen
Yep you were there the season after me Good lord it was cold though I remember one morning the pool actually being frozen. do you know the first season there were no windows in the bar/theater area they were added by the winter team of 86-87 and the revolving door would spin like crazy cause of the wind. it was also the only Village that we went on Picnics in Jeans and sweat shirts.
But god I loved that village the horse back riding was great. we also over the coarse of a year I worked there lost power several times and water.
Dee

"The other me is having more fun than I am"

NS,

I'm surprised at you! There are no such things as ghosts! And no, little kids who pull down their eyelids can't see them either!

Greg

PS Woohoo! Only 20 more posts to go!

I can recall sitting by the fire with sweats and my bathing suit on. I had to go out and shop on Christmas eve looking for cute but summery warm things to wear since I had planned on going to Hualtauco. I auctually had to lend my roommate my jacket when she went to seal island, she did not bring anything warm. I have such great memories of that trip, you could walk to town, San Carlos I think. I still have some Mexican tiles that I bought there. Our trip home was a nightmare. We were supposed to leave at 9PM and we ended up leaving at 2 AM, g-d bless my dad he was at the airport to pick me up, Trying to make a call home was a riot the phones barely worked and this was way before cell phones. All and all I do have great memories of the Senoran Desert

Punta Cana 1-27 - 2-3/ 2007
C'est Bon Pour Le Moral!

I remember that storm. I recall I was in the nightclub learning the foxtrot from a lovely woman from San Francisco when the storm blew in and shattered the front glass doors of the club. It was my first Club Med trip and was a great experience. i don't recall too many people freaked out. Just had to carry pool water up to your room with waste backets to refill the toilet everytime you used it. I recall everybody chipped in to help as needed. Even guests helped in the kitchen. I never did have the opportunity to use the land only coupon the next year.

I feel like I'm a curse to any CM resort though. Only two I've been to, Sonora Bay and Playa Blanca, were closed the following year after my visit.

If you think you feel like a curse, I've worked at Playa Blanca: it closed. Go to Sonora Bay: it closed. Go to Copper Mountain: it closed. Crested Butte: it closed a year later.

We had the end of a hurricane Juliette at Sonora, the place was flooded, but the Chef de village was getting married in five days so there was no down time! Then the mosquitoes. Then 911. Then 5 flights home in 24 hrs after diving.

But I loved every moment! The comraderie, the friendships, we were all in it together. I miss being able to go back and live those villages again.

I was there in 1988. Met a nice guy named Bob from San Bernandino, CA. Me and my girlfriends had fun. If anyone has digital pictures to share that would be great, i only got print outs.

Mary Ann

The latest US consulate report recommends that Americans stay out of that area entirely due to safety concerns. Sad, huh? Amazing how much can change in a few years.

Do NOT believe the US Consulate reports. I live in Phoenix, and cross over the border veryoften into the state of Sonora. Every year around this time the US Consulate and the media start their scare tactics. Are there some places in Sonora (and other parts of Mexico) you shouldn't go? Of course! But the average tourist is not going to be in those areas anyway.

Don't believe the hype!

I worked there From aug to dec 1989. There was a hurricane.
Maybe you had the year in correct?

August 27, 1989: Hurricane Kiko made landfall on the Gulf of California side of the peninsula.[37] It caused heavy damage but no deaths.[37][38] However, high winds, gusting over 109 mph (175 km/h), brought down numerous trees and power lines.[39]

October 5, 1989: Tropical Storm Raymond made landfall on the peninsula.[40] Since Raymond was moving rapidly, only minor impacts were recorded in Mexico.[41]