Wednesday, January 19th was our first full day in this island paradise of Sint Maarten. We went to breakfast without fear of trying to communicate in Dutch as everyone speaks English as their first language with Dutch (official language) being taught in the schools. Our server loved my hair even though it was a wild sight. She told us after we had eaten that we were the nicest people she had served in a long time. Glen says that's because she liked her tip. I'm not so sure.
We met others from the meeting to take buses to the harbour in Philipsburg, the capital of the country. This city was founded by a Scot, John Philips, a captain in the Dutch navy in 1763. It became important when they began extracting of salt from ponds around the settlement. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493 on St. Martin of Tours day (November 11) and claimed it for Spain but they ignored it. Both the French and Dutch settled the island and after years of shifting borders finally established their modern boundaries in 1816. The island became famous for its sugar, tobacco, cotton, and salt. With the end of the slavery, the economy floundered until 1939 when it became a free port (no import or export taxes). In 1943, the Princess Juliana Airport opened and with the first hotel, began the successful tourist industry of today.
As we drove to the harbour, I was struck by the lack of poverty one often sees in warm tourist destinations. Here the houses are well-constructed and maintained. The people seem prosperous with nice clothes and new cars. The roads are narrow and harrowing to drive but the drivers are skillful and polite.
Our Wednesday tour was to include snorkelling so we came laden with our gear and cameras. The group divided in half and ours chose the green 'pirate' cigarette boat. They looked fast and were. Two 250HP motors drove their light fibreglass hulls and we soon discovered why such power was needed.
We left the harbour to follow the coast, heading for Simpson Bay. Our captain, Joey, warned there would be some bumping but it wasn't bad. He let me sit in the co-pilot's seat under an awning which was good as I had to remove my hat otherwise, I'd have lost it in the wind. We came upon a boat in distress and helped the guy by towing it to Simpson Bay harbour. Turns out he was a mechanic and felt the engines could get him to where he could work on them. Trouble was when they died, he was close to some nasty rocks and the sea was pushing him aggressively toward them. We all agreed that the few minutes it took to save the man was worth it.
The luxury cabin cruisers in Simpson Bay were breathtaking in the beauty of their lines and their opulence. One, owned by Victoria's Secret, was sleek and black. Prices ranged in the $150 to $200 million dollar range and all required crews of at least 15 to function. It was nice to dream of travelling in one, though.
We then headed into the French side of the island and headed up the coast passing many 'clothing optional' beaches. When we hit the Atlantic, the waves grew to about 7 feet high. We slammed through them or skipped across depending on the skill of our captain. As we came to the strait between Pinel Island and Saint Martin (French side), the waves broke upon coral reefs. With incredibly timing, Joey eased us between two cresting waves and powered us into the harbour. I was impressed with his skill.
We moored just off shore and swam to the beach. Lunch was served in a rustic restaurant where the chef worked at a barbecue in the rear. He fed the local iguanas so they scurried about his backyard domain. We had great ribs and chicken before heading back to the boats. Getting on board meant throwing pride to the wind and scrambling on, grabbing whatever hand-hold offered itself.
Our next stop was the snorkelling reef so we headed back down the coast. We moored in deep water and Glen impressed Joey by entering in true diver fashion--backwards. He thought Glen had done scuba diving before. We saw about 3 or 4 species of fish and two types of sea urchins so the experience was not something to rave about but it was fun to do.
We headed back to the Dutch side arriving at the end of the airport runway at a time when most planes land. Locals hold onto the fence and let the wind from the jets lift them off their feet so they can feel they are flying. Of course, the sand blasts you as well so I guess they must have smooth skin. I thought the plane's wheels were going to touch the roof of the boat, it seemed that close.
That evening the meeting started with a reception on the beach. It was good to see old friends and meet new ones. We had a delicious buffet with mostly chinese food and pasta. Wine and beer flowed and so did the laughter. We sat with our friend, Tim, and enjoyed catching up on his news.
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