Sailing in St Martin
Sailing in St Martin is an unforgettable experience!
Day 1: A convenient place to join your yacht is Philipsburg the capital of Sint Maarten on the Dutch side. You may want to arrive a day early to partake in the unsurpassed duty-free shopping, nightclubs, and casinos. Once we settled onboard, we sailed away into the fresh warm breeze on our luxury catamaran, around the eastern coast of French West Indies, St. Martin. We took our first splash in the warm turquoise water at Ile Pinel, a dream world of its own. That’s where we relaxed with a tropical cocktail admiring the islands sunset. During the fabulous meal in the open air cockpit with 360 degree ocean views, I thought: “Yes, this is life!”
Day 2: The next morning we headed to the small island of Tintamarre, off the tip of French St. Martin. The protected marine preserve is full of sea life and heaven for snorkelers. We shared our underwater discoveries over lunch and organised an afternoon walk on the island to hang out with the goats. In the afternoon we sailed back to French St. Martin for a night on the town in Marigot, the capital of French St. Martin. We stopped for some fresh baked breads and pastries, some wine and cheese.
Day 3: Anguilla, here we come! This pristine island boasts charming villages, serene harbours and long stretches of white powdery beaches. We dropped anchor in Road Bay, the main port, where for centuries master craftsmen have built local skiffs and trading boats. These are some of the most finely built vessels in the West Indies. Our Skipper checked us in with customs while we enjoyed lunch aboard before moving to Crocus Bay and Little Bay. At sunset, after a afternoon spent snorkelling and chasing turtles, we watched the pelicans dive for a meal.
Day 4: Rise and shine… a short sail brings you to the Prickly Pear and Sandy Island. The two best wonderful scuba diving and snorkelling spots, with crystal clear water and vibrantly coloured living reefs.
Day 5: Early in the morning our skipper set sail for the French island of St. Barthelemy (St Barths). We anchored in Gustavia Harbor, the capital (remnant of the original Swedish colony). Here you can snorkel the wreck of the motor yacht, “Nonstop”, which sunk in a storm. Later during the day we stepped ashore, to browse the exclusive boutiques. We also rented a Moke and toured the isolated beaches, hoping we would bump into some celebrities. If you are a party person, you may want to mix in the night life of St Barths, the St. Tropez of the Caribbean.
Day 6: All good things come to an end and after having enjoyed the peace and tranquility of Anse de Colombier it was time to head back. We sailed to Grand case, French St. Martin, only two hours away, an historic fishing village, with lovely West Indian buildings, house art galleries and gourmet restaurants. A graceful mix of old world France and the new world West Indies.
I would certainly recommend sailing in Saint Martin during your visit.