Sint Maarten/St. Martin

We had a wonderful sail to Sint Maarten, arriving off the island long before we meant to, and in the dark. Generally we avoid entering a new harbour at night, so we hove to off the coast - and thereby hangs a tale. Running lights and instruments consume power. Our batteries were running low, so Richard started the engine to charge them. As he turned the engine off, he accidentally hit a nearby button which turned off our running lights. Our navigation lights flashed off and back on - and that flash caught the attention of the coast guard, who decided they needed to investigate. So Margaret, off-watch and sleeping, woke to find that we had been boarded by three men with guns from a boat which approached from behind with no lights... Thankfully, the crew which came aboard was professional and businesslike and quickly concluded that we were not carrying anything but ourselves and our provisions. But the incident reminded us that there is an ongoing problem with the traffic of illegal immigrants and goods between the islands. And we also learned that thanks to the mix of cultures here and the importance of the tourist trade you are more likely to hear English in Sint Maarten than any other language.

Our visitors left and we continued to wait. Come daylight we sailed in and dropped anchor in Groot Baai, and Richard went ashore to complete the usual formalities. There was only one hitch: no-one he talked to seemed to know where he was supposed to go - just that it was not wherever he was. In the end it was easier to pull up anchor and make the short sail to Simpson Baai to check in there before heading back to Groot Baai for some well-earned rest. Explorations waited for the next day.

Groot Baai turned out to be an interesting place. With nothing quite as described in the pilot, we resorted to the usual technique when we needed information - ask another cruiser. We soon moved close to where the long-term/local boats were anchored to escape the rather rolly conditions further out. The dinghy dock when we found it on our third trip to shore turned out to be a rather dilapidated structure close to one of the water taxi docks; unappealing, but conveniently close to stores and the complex of booths, restaurants and stores along the waterfront boardwalk. At least it was there when we first arrived - after we spent a week in Simpson Baai visiting with one of our daughters and her fiancé we returned to Groot Baai to find the dinghy dock gone, construction all around it, and cruisers docking their dinghies wherever they could. At that point we opted for pulling up on the fishermen’s beach, after making sure that we would not be in anyone’s way.

The town of Philipsburg lies around Groot Baai. From the water it seems built around the tourist trade from the cruise ships that visit daily, sometimes five or six at a time while we were there, and the waterfront hotels and resorts. When the cruise ships arrive the harbour starts to hum with activity. Water taxis run between the cruise ship dock and the town pier, large catamarans and smaller dive boats line up to take passengers for excursions, the resident 12 metres take groups out to sail and “race”. On shore, chairs and umbrellas are set up and personal water craft are wheeled out for rental. In front of stores and restaurants staff stand encouraging passers-by to come in. Competition is fierce, everything has a price and everyone expects a tip. The “hat and bag” ladies move along the beach and board walk, trying to sell their towels that turn into bags and the hats they wear stacked on their heads - a hard job, since they are often ignored, and even those who respond are not always friendly. The only service we found that was free we found by chance - wi-fi, if you accessed the right service from the right place along the beach.

Moving away from the main tourist area takes you into a different world, where the rhythms are quieter and the influence of the many groups which live here more obvious - Dutch school, Haitian eateries, Afro-Caribbean galleries, houses and stores and businesses side by side, a mixture of languages. On one of our walks along Front Street, the main road which runs behind the boardwalk we came upon one of those happy finds - the relatively new Le Saint-Geran Art Gallery. It sits in a small plaza, across from the Oranje School, its bright exterior promising visitors a chance to enjoy the works of local artists and crafters. Our first glance showed that the pictures in the window included more than the usual tourist fare; inside we were drawn first to the inlaid wood pictures of Jean-Pierre Straub, beautifully and subtly executed using a very wide variety of woods in a myriad of shades and grains, so well done that first you notice beauty of the pictures and only afterward recognise the knowledge, art and craftsmanship behind their production. Other pictures drew our attention, work by a range of artists working in different styles and on a variety of themes but united by the common focus on their links to and work in Sint Maarten and the Caribbean. Patricia and Dany Ramsami are the hearts and minds behind the gallery. Dany was there when we visited, friendly and knowledgeable and happy to share with us and other visitors what he knew about the art and artists we looked at. We quickly found out that he had been involved the art world for years; he was passionate about art in general and as well as about art in Sint Maarten/St. Martin in particular, supportive of artists and understanding of their work, and quick to share information that was useful to a visiting artist. The gallery reflects that passion for art, and we enjoyed our visits there so much we decided to put a link to the gallery in the side bar so that you can enjoy it too.

The week we spent in Simpson Baai showed us a different side of Sint Maarten. We were among those who anchored in the bay itself, including some of the megayachts - many more boats of all sizes and types were anchored in the lagoon. The whole area is full of cruisers and the atmosphere is very cruiser friendly. Many boats anchor inside the lagoon, where there are many businesses easily accessed from the water, and many dinghy docks are filled by visiting cruisers taking advantage of being able to find all kinds of services and buy boat parts at reasonable prices. One of the fullest dinghy docks was in front of Shrimpy’s, the restaurant from which the morning cruiser’s net originates. There area cruisers find internet access along with food, drink, laundry facilities and friendly help and advice. We had the pleasure of a small QCYC reunion at Shrimpy’s - Kim and David on Amanzi and Ann and Steve on Recetta happened to be in Simpson Baai lagoon while we were anchored outside. Shortly afterward everyone took off in different directions.

The trip between Groot Baai and Simpson Baai was enlivened by a close look at ABN AMRO, the sailboat that can do 42 knots. She was certainly roaring along at high speed when we saw her. We made the trip between the bays in brisk winds at about 7 knots under a reefed main; they were moving much faster under spinnaker, racing in the Big Boat Races in the Heineken Regatta. Winner of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, her brightly coloured paint job and speed certainly made her stand out here. Statistics for those interested: 70.5 feet long, 18 feet wide, her mast is 103.3 feet above the water and her keel 15 feet below it. On the move she is a very impressive sight.

We had originally planned to anchor in Marigot Bay, on the French side of the island, but north swells coming into the anchorage encouraged us to make our base on the Dutch side instead. In the end we visited St. Martin briefly by car, spending an afternoon in the town of Marigot and an evening in Grand Case. Our time there was agreeable, a quick round of small galleries and boutique shops in Marigot and a walk and a visit to an excellent restaurant in Grand Case where a look at the anchorage and beach convinced us that this would be a very nice place to stop for a while when next we visit the island. Because we certainly will be back.