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Although
this island is barely 7 miles in each direction, it is perhaps
the best known holiday destination in the Leewards. It is
blessed with a multitude of superb white sand beaches, backed
by pleasantly scenic hills. Its fame has come from the way it
has embraced tourism wholeheartedly with casinos,
condominiums, and scores of hotels. The whole island is one
duty-free shopping plaza. Shopping is not restricted to cruise
ship passengers. Two of the Caribbean's biggest chandleries
are based here: Budget Marine and Island Water World. With the
help of their customers, they have generated enough buying
power to be able to offer excellent prices to yachts. Their
catalogue prices are a little higher than some US discount
prices, but in duty-free St. Martin a further ten percent
discount for cash in normal, and you can often negotiate more
substantial discounts, depending on the items ordered and how
much you are spending.
St.
Martin is divided across the middle. The northern part is
French; the southern part Dutch. There is a charming story,
completely unsupported by historical fact, that the French and
Dutch were so civilized that, rather than fight over the
island, they had a Frenchman armed with a bottle of wine walk
in one direction and a Dutchman equipped with a flask of gin
take the other. Where they met became the boundary, and the
French ended up with a bit more because the gin was stronger
than the wine.
In
the early days the island was important to the Dutch because
of the salt ponds in the southern part, which is why they
settled that half. St. Martin was successful for a time as a
producer of tobacco, and then of sugar. With the collapse of
the sugar market, it started a long decline. In 1939 an
attempt was made to halt this downward trend by making the
island completely duty-free.
The
strategy worked, and St. Martin slowly became the
Caribbean's number one shopping mall. Today it thrives, with
about a million visitors annually. Hotels are everywhere,
cruise ships call daily, and there are many hundreds of
duty-free shops and restaurants, as well as over a dozen
casinos. The current boom has created so much work that many
cruising yachtspeople have found temporary jobs here.
In
recent times, this island has become the Caribbean's major
destinations for power superyachts. They make a magnificent show in the winter season,
especially at bridge opening time, when they follow one
another into the lagoon in majestic line.
There
are excellent facilities for most kinds of yacht work, and
since the island is small, it doesn't really matter where
you are. Technicians are used to visiting by car.
The
Dutch side has the excellent Sint Maarten Yacht Club,
which organizes many races, which can help the cruising sailor
get to know the local yachting community. They are right next
to the bridge with a good dinghy dock. Wander in ask Petra
Gilders for the racing and social program. They also have a
very active youth sailing program. If you are staying a while,
join the club; your kids can enjoy the youth fun.
The
Heineken Regatta is on the first full weekend in March, a
world-famous international event that draws many famous
yachts. Perhaps the best cruising regatta is the Course D’Alliance,
a three-day race in November from St. Martin to St. Barts,
then Anguilla. Or maybe it is the Offshore Regatta which goes
to Statia and Nevis in June. If you have a cat you can join in
the multihull regatta in March. There are many events,
including informal races year round, so wander in and ask. You
can also look at their website: www.smyc.com.
Marine
parks exist on both
sides. Yachts can anchor or pick up a mooring in all their
usual haunts. Fishing, including spearfishing, is not allowed
near any of the popular dive sites, including most of the
offshore islands and rocks. Moorings for divers and snorkelers
have been laid on many of the sites. These are not for yachts,
though yacht moorings are planned. The French marine park goes
from Oyster Pond to Roche Creole, but excludes much of Orient
Bay. Fishing, taking of anything, polluting, jet skiing, and
water-skiing are all banned within this area.
St.
Martin has good medical and
dental facilities. A good clinic, easily accessible to the
yachts, is in the complex by Simpson Bay Marina. Check with
Dr. Datema or Dr. Ubbo Tjaden. You will also find a modern
dental clinic with dentists, hygienists, and an orthodontist.
Both
the French and the Dutch have emergency lifeboats, from a
rigid inflatable to an ocean-going rescue vessel. Call VHF: 16
or dial 911.
click
map
to enlarge
since July 05
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09/25/2011
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St.
Martin - Sint
Maarten
