St. Maarten/St. Martin
This dual nation island is part of the Leeward Islands. There are many close by islands that provide additional opportunities for exploration as well (Anguilla, St. Barths, Saba, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis).
The trade winds are well established in this area so you can expect 20 knot winds from the NE, E and SE with 6 foot seas as normal conditions.
Nearly all of the anchorages around the island are exposed to the prevailing swell conditions so they will constantly roll. However, St. Maarten/St. Martin also contains one of the most protected and calmest anchorages in the entire Caribbean: The Lagoon.
Customs/Immigration
Dutch Customs/Immigration is located at the Dutch side draw bridge. There is a fee for Immigration and for staying in Dutch St. Maarten. The fee is small for a cruising sailboat so it will not stress your budget at all. Mega Yachts are another story and they pay a hefty fee. Also, you do not have to clear in or pay your fee before entering the Lagoon through the bridge. Clearing in or clearing out is painless and the personnel are courteous. There is no Customs duty since the entire island is duty free.
French Customs/Immigration is located near the waterfront in Marigot. If the officers are not in the office they may be at the Anguilla Ferry Dock, adjacent to the Customs office. Simply wait for their return and fill out the necessary documents. There is no charge for Customs/Immigration on the French side and there is also no fee to stay on the French side. The officers usually speak some English and they are very professional.
If you bring your vessel to the other side of the island, Dutch or French, you must clear in at the proper office. While a person can travel freely from one side of the island to another, even by dinghy, your large vessel cannot, without properly clearing in at the appropriate office and flying the correct courtesy flag.
On-going clearance is necessary when departing St. Maarten/St. Martin. You will only need 1 clearance, either from the Dutch side or the French side but not both.
Currency
The currency of choice is the US Dollar. Both sides of the island accept dollars. The Dutch side uses the Guilder for pricing items in the supermarkets. The current conversion rate is 1.8 Guilders for 1 US Dollar. When you check out at the cash register simply say that you want the price in Dollars and they press the button and convert the amount.
The French side uses Euros, in addition to dollars. Conversion is also very easy with the press of a key.
Dinghy Docks
Dinghy docks are found throughout the Lagoon area and are very cruiser friendly. Restaurants have them, the boat stores have them, and even the Shell gas station has one. Some are more crowded than others and sometimes the more popular ones are located against lee docks that resemble a washing machine when the wind is blowing hard (e.g. Shrimpy’s). The worst hazard at the dinghy docks are the Mega Yacht tenders. These tenders are huge, driven by unknowledgeable/uncaring crew from the Mega Yachts and the operators of these tenders have no regard for your little dinghy. Your dinghy will commonly be used as a fender for the Mega Yacht tenders. You have been warned.
Important dinghy items:
1. ALWAYS lock your dinghy when you leave it at a dock
2. ALWAYS use a light after sunset (even if it is only a flashlight)
3. Use plenty of length for your painter (and locking system) when securing your dinghy to the dock (never tie your dinghy tight against the dock)
4. Make sure your locking system also secures your engine and fuel tank to your dingy
5. Carry an anchor and oars in your dinghy at all times
Land Transportation
Public busses are numerous and cheap on St. Maarten/St. Martin. All Dutch busses have a license plate with the word BUS as the first 3 letters. The French side busses have a sign on the windshield saying where they are going. However, the Dutch side busses will also operate on the French side and vice versa.
A bus from Simpson Bay’s La Palapa to downtown Philipsburg will cost $1.00 US.
There are no bus stops. To stop a bus for a ride simply hold out your hand when you see one approach and it will stop and pick you up. The busses are mini-vans. The busses will run very late into the evening but not many busses operate late at night, compared with the abundance of busses operating during the day.
But, it is very difficult to get a bus that goes to Orient Beach or leaves Orient Beach, no matter the time of day. You can easily get a bus that goes to Grand Case from Marigot or to Orleans from Philipsburg but not between the two villages! So if you want to visit Orient Beach you must take a taxi or rent a car.
Renting a car is very easy. In Simpson Bay there are numerous rental car outlets lining the road. Simply visit one or pick up a free tourist book and call one to arrange for a car.
Air Transportation
The main airport is on the Dutch side. It is called Princess Juliana International Airport (PIJ). This is now a modern busy airport for international and local flights. This airport is the reason that St. Maarten/St. Martin is the best place to have people visit you while you are sailing – easy air connections. You can also pick up your guests by simply having them walk a short distance across the road to meet your dinghy. It helps if you are anchored in the Lagoon however!
There is also an airport on the French side near Grand Case. This airport has regional flights to Guadeloupe but few other places.
On Shore
Both the Dutch side and French side of the island cater to the tourist. Any activity you can think of or any service you require will be on one side of the island or the other. Provisioning is excellent and you can expect to find any American brand name food you wish. The Cost-U-Less near Philipsburg is the best place for quantity food purchases. The Grand Marche near Philipsburg and near Cost-U-Less is also excellent for groceries. The new Gourmet Marche near Shrimpy’s is smaller than the Grand Marche (owned by the same people) but has an excellent selection of groceries. Lining the road from the airport past the bridge you will find many grocery stores and restaurants to choose from.
On the French side just north of Marigot is the large Match supermarket. It is an excellent grocery store with a fantastic supply of French grocery items.
Cruiser’s Net
There is a Cruiser’s net on VHF channel 68 every day at 0730. Listen to this net to learn the latest security issues, items for sale or trade and general cruiser information. There is also a weather forecast given on the net.
Anchorages
1. Simpson Bay Lagoon – The primary entrance to the Lagoon is obtained by entering through the draw bridge on the Dutch side, at the head of Simpson Bay. There are 3 opening times for the bridge during the day. Presently the bridge allows vessels into the Lagoon at 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM. The bridge times vary so it is best to check with the bridge operator when you are in Simpson Bay. The marinas inside the Lagoon also will provide information on bridge opening times so you can also call one of them (Simpson Bay Marina, La Palapa or Port de Plaisance). There are separate bridge opening times for vessels exiting the Lagoon. Two way traffic is not allowed at the bridge – Never. You can also request a special opening of the bridge if you pay a special large fee but only the Mega Yachts can afford to do this. If you see the bridge opening for a Mega Yacht at an unscheduled time you cannot use the opening to enter or exit the lagoon with this special opening. The bridge tender will not allow you to even consider this tactic.
The bridge opening times for exiting the Lagoon are presently 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
You are welcome to announce your intentions to the bridge tender while waiting for an opening. However, this is usually not necessary since the bridge tender is only present immediately prior to opening the bridge and has little time to spend on the VHF.
When it is safe to enter through the bridge a green light will show at the entrance channel to the bridge. There is some current through the bridge opening but nothing excessive. Simply join the line of vessels entering the channel and proceed at slow speed. Hint: When approaching the bridge listen for a siren on the road. If you hear an approaching siren the bridge operator will close the bridge suddenly, even if you are close to the bridge. You must back down immediately, try to avoid colliding with anything, and once the vehicle passes the bridge will re-open. This scenario happens more often than you can imagine.
Once inside the bridge you have two choices. You may proceed straight ahead toward the extreme south side of Port de Plaisance, keeping the sometimes-present shoal marker on your port side or as a second option, once through the bridge, turn to port and proceed past Ric’s Place and La Palapa toward the airport runway. Beware that there is a shoal area between these two approaches and never attempt to short-cut your way into the anchorage. Many a vessel has found this hazard and gone hard aground. Study your chart and you will be fine.
There are two anchorages within the Lagoon. One is on the Dutch side and one is on the French side. The dividing line runs from the eastern shore of the Lagoon, on the north side of Port de Plaisance (where, if you squint, you can see the two flags on the highway on the eastern shore) to an area well north of the airport runway. Essentially, if you are anchored close to the Witch’s Tit you are on the French side. If you see only Dutch courtesy flags you are on the Dutch side!
The holding is good in sand and mud in about 7-12 feet of water, deeper when you are closer to the marinas, with no hazards within the main part of the Lagoon, except other boats of course. Use only 1 anchor and set it well. There is absolutely no need for 2 anchors. Grassy areas are present near the shallower eastern portions of the Lagoon and you will tend to drag more in these areas when the wind pipes up.
The Lagoon is a large area and it is not necessary to anchor on top of or close to another vessel. Give yourself some room and be courteous. When the wind increases over 30 knots (which it will nearly every week during the winter season) you will observe many boats drag or collide with another boat if anchored too close. Don’t let this happen to you! Use the proper scope and set your anchor before settling in for the night.
There are no swells in the Lagoon and the wave action will be minimal, except for the constantly speeding Mega Yacht tenders, daily tourist dinghy tours, Jet Ski tours and fellow cruiser’s dinghies. At night it is imperative to have a light on your dinghy. Do not operate after dark without one! The horror stories you may hear about people getting t-boned by another dinghy or Mega Yacht tender are real so keep safe.
The water quality in the Lagoon is not good. It is not even close to the poor quality of water in Luperon, DR but it is still not clean. Only the strongest bottom paints will deter bottom growth if you stay in the Lagoon for any length of time. The good news is that there are several bottom cleaning businesses located around the Lagoon that will clean your bottom for you. Of course you can always exit the lagoon for the day and do the cleaning yourself outside in Simpson Bay, if you can hang on to your vessel while it is rolling at anchor.
There is also a draw bridge on the French side of the island that vessels can use to gain the anchorage in the Lagoon. This French side draw bridge is in Marigot Bay and opens twice a day. However, the channel just past the bridge is fairly shallow and requires local knowledge before using it. It is advisable to use the Dutch bridge instead.
2. Simpson Bay (Dutch Side) – This is a leeward side anchorage that rolls constantly and is uncomfortable. In addition there is a lot of small boat traffic and Mega Yacht activity that generates considerable wake and makes this anchorage unpleasant. Many cruisers use this anchorage only as a day anchorage to wait for the bridge opening to the Lagoon, clean their bottom, make water or wait for their departure hour to sail to their next destination.
3. Great Bay (Dutch Side) – You will roll at anchor in this large bay that contains the Dutch capital, Philipsburg and the enormous Cruise Ship dock. The holding is good in sand. There is constant boat traffic from the cruise ship tenders, work boats and tourist boats. This is not a good place to anchor except if you want to shop for the day and leave before dark. It is better to find another anchorage and take a bus to shop in Philipsburg.
4. Long Baie (French Side) – This is day anchorage only.
5. Marigot Bay (French Side) – This is the main anchorage for the French side. The anchorage area is open to the north and lies adjacent to the Anguilla Channel. The anchorage will usually roll quite a bit. The closer you can get to the Ft. St. Louis Marina the more sheltered you will be. This is a large anchorage with plenty of room. You will even see the Windstar cruise ships anchored further out into the bay on many days.
The holding is good in sand and the water depth shallows gradually as you get closer to the shore. In periods of north swell, during the winter months, it is advisable to sail around to the Dutch side and use Simpson Bay for shelter.
Marigot has a dinghy dock adjacent to the market area and also a dinghy dock at Ft. St. Louis Marina. Customs/Immigration is located only a short walk from the docks.
There are many restaurants and shops throughout Marigot. You are now in France so you can expect everything that is available in France to be somewhere in Marigot, especially the French wine! The currency is the Euro but dollars are also accepted everywhere.
The French side draw bridge is further away from town (southwest) and the main anchorage area. The bridge opens twice a day to allow vessels into the Marigot Marina area and the Lagoon. However, the channel just past the bridge is fairly shallow and requires local knowledge before using it. It is advisable to use the Dutch bridge instead.
6. Happy Bay (French Side) – This is a day anchorage only.
7. Grand Case (French Side) – The anchorage is in front of the village of Grand Case, the gourmet capital of the Caribbean. The anchorage is large and open. Anchor anywhere off the concrete town dock with good holding in sand. The concrete pier can be used by your dinghy if going ashore or you can pull your dinghy up onto the beach.
The village contains the best restaurants in all of the Caribbean. You can find any type of food imaginable and many with significant prices to match the excellent fare. But there are also very reasonable places to eat as well. The outdoor BBQ places are called Lo Los and they are located adjacent to the main pier. Here you can get an entire meal for less than $10.00 US.
At the extreme northeastern end of the bay sits Creole Rock, a good snorkeling stop you can reach with a short dinghy ride.
8. Anse Marcel (French Side) – Watch your approach to this bay as there is a large reef on the south side of the entrance. Once in the bay anchor anywhere but avoid anchoring too close to the large catamaran that occupies its’ own mooring in the southern part of the bay and do not anchor too close to the buoys marking the swimming area for the resort. There will be some roll at this anchorage. A marked channel on the north side of this bay leads to the well protected marina (It is a 1-way channel in and out). If you need a slip for the night this can be arranged by simply calling the marina on the VHF. This marina is the home of the Swan fleet.
Tie your dinghy to one of the small buoys but do not haul it onto the beach. A resort employee with usually advise you which buoy to use.
9. Tintimarre – This is a day anchorage only, off a large deserted island with an incredible history. Pick up a tourist guide to read about this Kingdom. Anchor off the large beach in sand and dinghy ashore. You will probably have company with day trippers from the Celine or Tiko Tiko while you are there. The occasional Mega Yacht also visits here. Exploring the island on foot is fun as is lounging on the beach. Be sure to enjoy the mud baths! If the winds are up wait for another day to visit. Pull your dinghy up onto the beach if you intend to visit.
10. Orient Bay/Green Cay (French Side) – Enter this large bay only in relatively settled weather. This is a windward side anchorage. There are large dangerous reefs on both sides of the entrance: on the Ile Pinel side and on the Green Cay side. Make sure you are in the wide entrance channel with at least 20 feet of water under your keel or you are too close to the reefs! Do not alter your course until you are well past Green Cay. Once past Green Cay you can choose to anchor behind Green Cay or turn north and anchor behind Ile Pinel (see below).
The Green Cay anchorage will roll and bounce and be uncomfortable. The holding is good in sand. Do not proceed too far south past Green Cay toward the reef. This area is very shallow and dangerous. There will usually be two sailboats anchored in the area adjacent to Green Cay. Do not go south past them as they are local boats and mark the southern limit of safe water. Anchor anywhere you feel you can find protection behind Green Cay. The water will shallow rapidly as you proceed toward Orient Beach so beware.
The attraction of the Green Cay anchorage is that it is at Orient Beach, the most popular beach on the island and one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Beach bars, restaurants, night life and even a nude resort can be found along this popular 1.5 mile long beach. There will be Jet Skis, Hobie Cats, snorkelers, swimmers, banana boats, Kite Surfers, and every thing else you can imagine using the bay so be careful.
Pull your dinghy up onto the beach at Club Orient or anchor it in the shallow water adjacent to the resort (easily identified by the yellow umbrellas and the lack of clothing on the guests). This is the safest and most protected place to leave your dinghy. Remember, all beaches on St. Maarten/St. Martin are public so you can enjoy them.
11. Orient Bay/Ile Pinel (French Side) – Once you are deep inside Orient Bay you can head toward Ile Pinel Island. Avoid the rocks on the west side of the entrance to the anchorage and anchor as close to the island as your draft permits for the best protection from the wind and roll. The bottom is mainly sand. During the day this is a popular beach island with many visitors enjoying the sun and small beach bars.
Pull your dinghy onto the beach or anchor it north of the small pier. The pier is used for the Ile Pinel ferry from Cul-de-Sac so do not use the pier for your dinghy.
12. Oyster Pond (French Side) – This is home to the charter boat fleets. The Moorings and Sunsail are based out of Oyster Pond. The entrance is extremely tricky and dangerous. Charter boats are led in and out of this bay. There are a series of markers showing the reef on the north side of the entrance, along with an outer marker. If entering Oyster pond from the east keep these markers close to starboard and do not stray too far away as there is another dangerous reef on the south side (port side) of the channel. The safe channel curves to the starboard until the entrance to the harbor can be gained.
There is essentially no place to anchor in this bay. All the space is taken up by local boats or charter boats on moorings. The water, south of the main marina docks, is very shallow. You can call ahead to arrange for a berth at Captain Oliver’s Marina if there is room. The fuel dock is the first dock you will see and it is a good place to obtain clean fuel, if you survive the entrance channel!
ECaribbeanPlace.com
Handbook for Caribbean Cruising
Volume 1: Eastern Caribbean
St. Maarten/St. Martin