Saint Martin or Sint Marteen?

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Happy to report that we had a fabulous trip down to St. Martin. The seas were as calm as we have ever seen and just a light breeze, under 5 knots most of the way. So we just motored along thru the night and arrived by the afternoon. We first anchored outside the lagoon, waiting for the bridge to open so we could go in and drop the hook in this huge, 360 degree protected anchorage (at least a couple miles across). But the bridge only opens 3 times a day and we had a while to wait, so decided to launch our dinghy and go clear customs and immigration in the meantime. Now this is where it gets interesting... do you check in on the Dutch Side or the French Side? Yep- the island is split into 2 different countries right across the middle, Saint Martin is French and Sint Marteen is Dutch. In fact, this island is the smallest area in the world that is divided into two separate countries- cool! The French side is the bigger of the two, land-wise. There is a myth that when the land was to be divided that 2 men, one French and the other Dutch, would leave from the same point and walk around the island until they met again on the far side, and thus create the boundary line. Well, the Frenchman left with a bottle of wine while the Dutchman left with a bottle of gin and in the end the Frenchman was able to walk farther than his Dutch friend, who stumbled along due to the effects of the more potent gin. Not quite a true story- but a great myth nonetheless.

So once the bridge opened and we settled into our spot on the Dutch side, it was time to explore the island. We were super exited to see St. Martin because it is a two-fer, you know… two cultures for the price of one. What can we say, we love a good bargain. And the good news is that you can explore the entire island freely, only having to check in and out of the country when you move your big boat across the boundary. We are allowed to dinghy, take a car, or walk between the French and Dutch side as often as we want, without the hassle of customs and immigration (quite civil- we think). In fact, there are no border controls and the only way you know that you have changed countries is that the people speak either English or French. That and the fact that the Dutch side is much more developed, with high-rises and casinos and a more touristy feel from the hustle and bustle of the cruise ships. While the French side still remains a bit quieter and more relaxed, where Paris meets a small seaside village, where you can not only spend a day at the café along the water’s edge but also go shopping at French boutiques like Hermes or Cartier or Dior. We have been having great fun spending time on both the French and the Dutch side. The question of the day is, “Do you want to go to France for dinner?” Yes, the French cuisine is a gastronomic delight. But the Dutch side is THE place to be for boat repairs, and unfortunately the Rum Runner is in much need of repairs at the moment. So we plan on being here for a while, dividing up our time between work and fun, between boat repairs and sight-seeing. As always, we will keep you posted.

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Photos

Sundowners
Jay enjoying one of our first sunsets in St. Martin.

Lagoon
The lagoon of St. Martin, can you spot out our boat? It is one of the little specks.

Bridge
Coming into St. Martin Lagoon, when the bridge finally oppenned.

Anchorage
The view from our anchorage in the lagoon.

Dutch Side
The Dutch side of St. Martin, developed but very picturesque.

Flight Path
We happenned to anchor near the big airport of St. Martin, and watched the planes take off in the afternoon.

Sunset
Another perfect end to a perfect day.