Cruising
Notes St Martin / Sint Maarten
Cruising
Notes St Martin / Sint Maarten
St Martin/StMaarten, population 75,000 is booming since we left it last. They have widened the bridge into the Lagoon on the Dutch side - 56.5 ft wide and 20 ft deep - to accomodate mega yachts. Now the services and availability of parts, provisions and services are better than ever. If you need to work and earn a little money, you can get it here if you are sensible and low key about it.
The island consists of 2 territories - French and Dutch, and there is no border control. You can go freely from one side to the other. The French side uses Eros, and the Dutch side US$.
Be careful of the buoyage system here. The Dutch side uses the 'red-right-returning' American system, the French side uses the 'green-right-returning' European system.
The French side uses 220V/50 Hz and the Dutch side 110V/60 Hz for electricity.
The bridges - there is a cruising guide out there that says you need to fill out some kind of permission form to come through the bridge. Its not true. Just find out the opening times (they change depending on the time of year), monitor VHF 12 for the Dutch side, VHF 16 for the French side, and come on through. During the busy season there are separate openings for inbound and outbound, other times the outbound boats come through first then the inbound. There is no charge for coming through the bridges unless you are 90 ft or longer (then it's $100 US). In 2006, the opening times were as follows:
Dutch side - Dec to April - Outbound 9AM, 11AM, 4:30PM. Inbound 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 5:30PM. May to Nov - Out and inbound 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 5:30PM. Watch for the green light then you know to go. Same hours on Sundays.
French side - All year Mon-Sat - Out and inbound - 8:15AM, 2:30PM, 5:30PM, Sunday 8:15AM, 5:30PM
Customs/Immigration – You can clear in on the Dutch side at Philipsburg or Simpson Bay, but be aware they will charge you $10.00 a week (9m to 14 m length, $15 for 14m-20m length) for anchoring. Or clear in at Marigot on the French side and stay for free. Makes you wonder why anyone would clear in to the Dutch side, doesn’t it? Just come through the Dutch bridge into the lagoon and anchor on the French side of the lagoon. Then take the dinghy over to Marigot and check in.
You are supposed to leave the island every 3 months – the boat can stay. It is doubtful how seriously the French enforce this, but you can take the big boat away for a weekend to St Barts or Anguilla, or leave the boat and take a ferry trip for the day. Just make sure to get your passport stamped.
It
is very easy to get stuff shipped in for you or your boat – it is a duty free
island and no hassles receiving boat parts from the outside. There are DHL and
FedEx offices here, and Safe Cargo or CaribTrans for ocean freight.
Getting Around – For a dollar, local buses (vans with a little sign in the windshield stating their destination) go often between Philipsburg and Simpson Bay. It is very safe during the day – I go by myself all the time. There aren't many marked bus stops - just wait on the side of the road in a place where the guy can pull over, and wave him down to stop. You can get out anywhere you want - just call out "Stop, please!" Buses over to the French side and other destinations are possible too, but are more limited. Taxis will take you anywhere the bus or your feet can’t take you. There are private cars too, who will take you anywhere for less than taxi rate - negotiate first. Sunshine’s car rental, just west of the Dutch bridge on the south side of the road, is a pretty good deal for renting a car. Drive on the right (Dutch and French sides).
It's quickest to get from the Dutch side to Marigot by dinghy - leave it at the main dinghy dock in Marigot Bay, or inside the lagoon at Marina Royale. Lock it up tight - there is dinghy theft on the French side.
For picking up guests arriving at the main airport, you can take your dinghy right to the runway, inside the lagoon, to a little restaurant. But the robbers who own the dinghy dock want $3 per person and $2 per bag to tie up your dinghy! If your company is not scared, they can hop on a dollar bus from the airport, and meet you at the St Martin Yacht Club. Certainly, send them back to the airport by bus.
Chandlery – Dutch side - Budget Marine & Island Water World, both near each other in the lagoon. If staying awhile and/or spending significant amounts of dough, set up a ‘cash account’ which will give you 10-30% discount depending on commodity. French side - Madco, in Marigot has chandlery and lots of fishing gear but is expensive.
Provisioning – Dutch side - Just west of the Simpson Bay bridge (leave the dinghy at Shrimpy’s dock) on the main road are 2 little grocery stores, with a drugstore and ATM nearby, open Sundays too, and a bakery. Soon a Grand Marche supermarket is going to open right next to Shrimpy's. For bigger provisioning, go by bus towards Philipsburg and ask the driver to let you off at Cost U Less. When done at Cost U Less, across the road is a big supermarket, in the Grand Marche Plaza, for your fresh stuff and anything you didn’t find at Cost U Less.
In Cole Bay (where Budget & Island Water World are) there is a
big Lido’s within walking distance from
Island Water World, with an ATM - it is on Union Road - the main road that runs
from Cole Bay to Marigot. Also in Cole Bay, within a 5 minute walk from
Budget are 2 decent grocery stores – Daily Extra and Lido’s, with fresh produce.
Finally, for really big provisioning, food and grog, go to the case lot store in
Cole Bay, called Prime Warehouse - behind Budget. It’s hard to describe
where these places are – ask around. Be careful at Prime - prices are not
marked, since it is really geared for wholesalers, and the clerks make a lot of
mistakes. Check your bill.
There really is no good fresh market on the island. The one in Marigot has poor quality and sky high prices.
General Shopping – Philipsburg is a great place to shop. Front Street is full of jewelry stores and souvenir shops catering to the cruise ships. But Back Street has all kinds of shops containing clothing, household goods and cosmetic/personal care stores. Especially good deals on high quality sheets at “Penny’s”. Most if not all of the stuff sold on Back Street are factory seconds, so check them over for quality imperfections.
There are several hardware stores around. There is a big Ace hardware near Cost U Less on the way to Philipsburg. There are 2 or 3 within walking distance of Budget Marine in Cole Bay. A big Home n Tool on the French side on the south edge of town - across the street from there is a plaza with computer stores and a nice fabric store.
An interesting place to shop is the personal protection store on the French side in Marigot. Here you can get your guns, rubber-bullet pistols, tazers, pepper spray, even samurai swords and 'num-chucks'. Find someone to show you where it is. By the way, if you can't find it here, all the French islands have these kinds of stores - there's one in Ft de France in Martinique.
Laundry – do it yourself at the Travel Inn in Simpson Bay - across from Palapa. Go around to the back side, it is open 24 hours a day. $2 in US quarters gets you a wash or a dry. There is only one machine. In Cole Bay, right between Island Water World and Tropical Sail Loft is a 2-storey apartment building. There is a laundry room there which anyone can use - $3 wash and $3 dollars dry. Buy tokens a the office. Bobby's Marina in the lagoon charges $8 per load (wash & dry) and they do it. Or get Shrimpy’s to do it for you at $10 a load.
Water is available at the Island Water World dock and Simpson Bay Marina. You can bring the big boat into both places, or jerry jug. There is a small charge for water because it is all desalinated on the island.
Fuel - On the Dutch side, Island Water World and Simpson Bay Marina have dockside pumps. On the French side, inside the lagoon, fuel is available from the dock on the northeast corner of the lagoon near the bridge. In the French bridge channel itself, there is a fuel dock on the south side of the channel. Check prices - sometimes it it cheaper depending on the French side.
Boat
Stuff –
For haulout , there is Bobby’s Marina – in the Lagoon and one in Philipsburg, both have good reputations. There is also Time Out Boatyard on the French side, where you can do your own work or have them work on your boat. There is a good spray painter at Time Out. Time Out will also remove your mast and bury your boat’s keel in the ground for hurricane season. Bobby's at the lagoon has concrete surface and eyebolts sunk into the concrete for hurricane tie-downs.
In Cole Bay (near Island Water World) you have FKG, who does a good job of rigging but is not cheap. Maintec shipwrights, Electec for electrical, Simpson Bay Diesel for your engine.
In Simpson Bay, you have Necol for Electrical & Electronics, Permafrost for refrigeration, MSC shipwrights, Frostline refrigeration
For the best deal in the Caribbean in liferaft service, go to Sandy Ground – the little strip of land at the bridge on the French side – right on the water on the north side, west of the bridge is a little place called Egriteau that does a good job. There is a new place on Isle de Sol (formerly Snoopy island called Catis, who also service liferafts.
St Maarten Sails and Tropical Sail Loft both do good sail repair and upholstery and canvas work, but are not cheap either. You can buy Sunbrella and other materials and supplies at either place, but I think Tropical Sail Loft are more customer-friendly and willing to help you with your projects.
You can get a mattress made at Ayman’s Mattress Factory, on the same road as the Cash & Carry case lot store mentioned above. Solid foam, or 3 different qualities of inner-spring, custom made to your measurements. Bring dimensions or a template. He also does upholstery at quite reasonable prices. If you like kitchen stores, PDG, just behind Budget, has a fantastic selection of professional galley and restaurant supplies and worth a look for stainless bakeware and all kinds of galley equipment.
For some reason, Internet is expensive here. But wireless technology is beginning, and you can get set up for internet on the boat – ask another cruiser who has it for help. It is not reliable yet, but when it is working, it is great – and free!
Otherwise, you really can get everything fixed or replaced here – the above are just the places we have heard good reports about.
Medical – basics are available, but if you get real sick you will need to be airlifted to a real hospital. Eyeglasses are sky-high on the Dutch side. Medical services are reportedly excellent, and cheaper on the French side. There is a new hospital in Marigot, and they claim they have never 'lost one' (referring to heart attack)
Shrimpy's is a local Cruiser's bar which focuses on providing services for the liveaboard sailor. This includes Laundry, good food, cheap beer, entertainment and a "Boat Jumble" (Yard Sale) every Sunday on the dock.
