St-Martin/ Sint Maarten – Christopher Columbus' Treasure
None other than Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493, on the day of Saint Martin – that is where the island gets its name. Yacht charter Caribbean tourists will also find here a piece of paradise on the smallest island in the world to be divided between two nations.
Sea & Coast
This small tropical island in the Caribbean, approximately 300 km east of Puerto Rico is one of the most beautiful in the region and also the smallest island in the world to be divided by two nations. The French call it Saint Martin while the Dutch call it Sint Maarten. Regardless of its name, the island of St. Martin is undoubtedly very beautiful while borrowing a little bit of both the European countries’ charm. It’s like a Yacht Charter European resort, except in a tropical setting.
The name comes from the day that discovered the island, St. Martin’s day on November 11, 1493. Not only administratively but also geographically, the island is split into two parts, the Grand Terre and the Terres Basses (Lowlands) separated by a salt water pond. The coastline is made up of 37 beaches with perfectly white sand and lots of villages aligned along the coast in small bays, welcoming all Yacht Charter sailors.
The vegetation is heavily dependent on the weather, with the east coast is swept by warm trade winds which give way to mostly dry vegetation, sparsely wooden hills. But as soon as the winds cross the mountains, the condensation increases humidity and the result are heavy tropical forests that stretch out in lines towards the coast in rows of palms, shading the secluded beaches where you can find groups of Yacht Charter.
Being part of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, the weather in St. Martin is tropical, with lots of sunshine all year round. There is no rainy season like in other tropical islands, but there is a hurricane season, which is roughly outlines between July and November, with September having the highest likelihood of occurrence. This means that your Yacht Charter should be planned outside that interval.
Culture & History
Though divided between two countries, don’t expect St. Martin to be full of border crossings and wire fences. The border is almost invisible and people cross freely from one side to the other, both v tourists and locals. That doesn’t mean that there are no differences between the French side and the Dutch side, on the contrary.
After being discovered by Christopher Columbus, the French, English, Dutch, Danes and the Spanish all fought over control of the island. There is a legend among the locals that settling of the border was a peaceful event, wherein two walkers from both sides were chosen to start from different corners of the island and where they would meet that would be the border.
The Dutch side with its biggest town of Philipsburg is known for its nightlife, beaches, casinos and rum-based liquors, while the French side with its main town of Marigot is known for the shopping, the chic cafes and terraces, the cuisine and the nude beaches reminiscent of the Riviera. Yacht Charter visitors enjoy both the laidback atmosphere of the Dutch side and the fashionable style of the French.
Seamanship & Experience
The prevailing winds, like in most of the Lesser Antilles islands are the easterly trade winds. The wind speeds are a fairly regular 15 knots from November to April. During the summer season, Yacht Charter skippers can feel stronger drafts caused by the thermal effects.