Caribbean: St Martin - a dream island with two good sides

This island in the Leeward Islands is somewhat off the beaten track of the main destinations for German or European charter crews, with the British Virgin Islands and Martinique and the Grenadines usually at the top of the list. Yet St. Martin, which at 88 square kilometres is just half the size of Fehmarn, has a lot to offer: great bays, beautiful palm beaches, a sheltered lagoon in the interior, perfect infrastructure for yachts and a lot of Caribbean lifestyle paired with a European touch.

Known from the Heineken Regatta

The island, which is divided into a northern French and southern Dutch part, is probably best known as a stopover for the Caribbean regatta season: every year at the beginning of March, the racing scene from all over the world meets at the entrance to Simpson Bay Lagoon to sail in the Heineken Regatta. Around 1000 sailors on over 100 boats take to the starting line. There is hard sailing during the day and a lively party in the Race Village in the evening.

"For us, this is the highlight of the sailing season," the waitress at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club tells us, which is located directly on the bascule bridge that forms the eye of the needle into the huge lagoon in the centre of the island. "There are many sailors from all over the world, the boats all have to leave through the bridge in the morning and return in the evening. During the passage, they often wear colourful costumes, play their departure anthems and dance. The passage is very, very narrow, which is always a real spectacle for us here on land with a drink in our hands!" Afterwards, the yachts either race all the way around the island, around 30 to 40 nautical miles, or around course markers off the neighbouring islands.

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One story, two parts

Only a few crew members, who are sitting on the edge of their seats fighting for positions, realise what an unusual past the island has. For once, its division into two parts is not the bloody history of two colonial powers that fought each other for years, but an unusually peaceful one. When the Spanish, who had discovered the island in 1493, withdrew in 1648 because it was not in an ideal strategic location and the kingdom had spent years fighting wars, it was left with a power vacuum.

Dutch and French settlers immediately took advantage of this, set up farms, settled salt on the island's large salt lakes and began trading with the neighbouring islands. It was soon agreed that the island should be divided. But instead of rattling sabres, they sat down together and in the Treaty of Concordia that same year they decided on peaceful partition without war.

France and the Netherlands at the start

How the territory was divided up is a pretty legend that, depending on who you ask, everyone on the island will tell you something different: Allegedly, a Frenchman and a Dutchman set off on foot from the same point on the island along the shore in different directions to walk round it. The boundary line was to be drawn where they met. However, a glance at the nautical chart reveals that the French part is significantly larger than the Dutch part. Why is that?

With a broad grin, the Frenchman Pierre tells us the popular version of the French side in the bakery in the morning: "The Frenchman had a bottle of wine with him as refreshments, the Dutchman a bottle of gin. The Frenchman managed to cover more distance and the Dutchman fell asleep at some point ..." The French part is now 52 square kilometres in size, the Dutch only 31. The anecdote is probably not scientifically verifiable, but it is certainly a nice example of the relaxed Caribbean way of life.

Sint Maarten, the busy one

And it still reigns today: although there is a borderline, there are no walls, crossings or anything similar. Both parts and their inhabitants get on well together and have taken on different roles.

The Dutch part is considered the busiest. It operates the island airport, which is an important hub for aviation throughout the Caribbean. It is famous all over the world because its runway is right on the beach. There are countless YouTube videos of tourists whose hair seems to be shaved off by the Boeings. An Instagram photo spot of global fame - if you like that sort of thing.

Due to the attractive connections and the good harbours and service facilities, many yachts, including mega yachts, are on stand-by or crew change here. It has low tax rates, is more densely populated and many casinos attract a wealthy clientele.

Relaxed lifestyle: Saint-Martin

The French part is praised for its good cuisine, its relaxed lifestyle and has the more beautiful beaches. Like Grand Case. A long bay in the north of the island. Bars, restaurants and shops nestle close together along a white beach, where yachts bob around their anchors. Lobsters are served on the grills of the simpler barbecue shops, but there are also chic and good restaurants serving excellent Creole-French fusion cuisine.

Short sailing trips, watching turtles or rays while swimming and snorkelling, then to the beach for a sundowner. It's the sweet life of the Caribbean. Sounds like a good mix. And it is for sailors too.

Charter on St Martin

There are several charter bases in Marigot Bay, Anse Marcel or Simpson Bay Lagoon. Nevertheless, St Martin (or Sint Maarten) is rarely used as the sole cruising destination, unless the crew is sailing the week of the Heineken Regatta and wants to relax for a few days afterwards. Otherwise, it is advisable to include the neighbouring islands of Anguilla, the jet-set island of St. Barth or Antigua in the itinerary.

However, there is one small catch: although there are no hurdles on the land route, there are some on the sea route: If you want to go from the Dutch to the French part, you first have to clear out in one part and clear in in the other before you can go ashore. A strange relict that seems somehow anachronistic in view of the otherwise relaxed behaviour and relaxed border regulations.

Simply across the border

In practice, however, the change is not that difficult: In Marigot Bay, the capital of the French part, you can clear in and out yourself at the marina computer, the authorities are right in front of it. On the Dutch side, the whole process takes place in Simpson Bay or Philipsburg. If you want, you can also delegate the administration to an agent. Just ask at the marina.

Once again, the inhabitants of both parts are united when it comes to their recent history. Many islanders divide it into the time "before Irma" and after. In September 2017, the highest category 5 hurricane hit the island with full force. It raged at over 300 kilometres per hour and moved so slowly that the island was a field of rubble afterwards. Every resident can tell terrible stories about this storm.

Turning point: Hurricane Irma

For example, the marina in Marigot Bay, where dozens of yachts sank. Ten people lost their lives and 95 per cent of the buildings were damaged or completely destroyed afterwards. The infrastructure had to be rebuilt over many years - and then came 2020 Covid. The double perfect storm. As a result, much of the rebuilding work dragged on endlessly. The new airport terminal was not inaugurated until 2024. Hardly any other Caribbean island took so long to recover from a natural disaster.

As we cross with ferry captain Louis to the nature conservation island of Pinel, he also talks about the consequences at the wheel of his wooden barge: "You hardly recognised the island afterwards. All the trees, palm trees and many bushes had simply disappeared. The salt water in the air killed them, the island was brown and bare for months. Debris everywhere. Many of us were homeless for a long time and the jobs from tourism were gone from one day to the next when we needed them most."

But it was also a lesson in how such an event can bring people together. There were individual cases of theft and looting, but families, friends, everyone helped each other. France sent soldiers for security, heavy equipment and everyone pitched in. People are proud of this show of strength and now see themselves back on the right track.

Trade wind clouds in the blue sky

Anyone who sails in the Caribbean hears them again and again, stories of storms that became the turning point of time. In earlier centuries, they destroyed some islands, such as the beautiful neighbouring island of St. Barth, so permanently that they fell into a deep sleep for a decade. And again and again, among all the sometimes simple-looking houses with corrugated iron roofs, you come across massive churches or parish halls built from large chunks of natural stone - places of refuge from the wind, such as in Philipsburg or Marigot.

On the nature reserve island of Pinel, this seems far away after the crossing. It is a small beach jewel with palm trees, bars and a fantastic view of the lagoon and mountains in the background. There are a few improvised shops between the trees, and reggae sounds softly from the speakers of the waterfront bars. One of those Caribbean spots where you can easily while away a day. The iguanas flit around your feet, you watch the yachts coming and going.

While at home Germany is shivering in the grip of the coldest winter for 25 years, here the trade wind clouds gently drift past in the blue sky. This is when you realise that you could get used to it.

Precinct information: St Martin

Journey

Perfect flight connections, usually with Air France or KLM via a transfer in Paris (Charles de Gaulle) or Amsterdam. Depending on the season, flights cost between 900 and 1300 euros.

Charter

Starting bases are Marigot Bay or Anse Marcel in the French part, Simpson Bay in the Dutch part.

Wind & Weather

The trade wind here often blows from the south-east or north-east during the season. If you want to explore the island and its most beautiful spots, you need to keep an eye on it: If it gets too strong or turns to a very northerly or southerly direction, some anchor bays will be affected by swell.

Navigation & Seamanship

The waters around the island are relatively easy to navigate, with few shallows. There are only a few reef entrances in the north-east. Larger swells can also break on the reefs there. The nature reserves of the islands of Pinel and Tintamarre must be observed.

Literature & Charts

C. Doyle/L.Fisher: The Cruising Guide: Leeward Islands, 36.80 euros. NV Charts Leeward Islands 94.99 euros or in the NV app.