Canadian Yachting October 2016 - 34

FAST FACTS Sunsail Yacht Charters www.sunsail.com/yacht-charter/destinations/ caribbean/st-martin/st-martin Horizon Yacht Charters http://horizonyachtcharters.com/stmaarten St. Martin Yacht Charters http://stmartin-yachtcharters.com Dream Yacht Charters http://www.dreamyachtcharter.com/english/ destinations/caribbean/st-martin St. Maarten Yacht Club - Home of Heineken Regatta www.yachtclubsxm.com St. Martin - Paul with a dinghy-load of provisions Even if your boat is at anchor it is easy to stock up in St. Martin/St. Maarten. anchorage of Baie Grand Case can be a little rolly so plan your visit accordingly. Carrying on around the French side of St. Martin you reach Anse Marcel on the north end where you can anchor and enjoy the beach or opt for a peaceful night in the Anse Marcel Marina. Continue your cruise with a daysail to the small offshore islet of Tintamarre where you can pick up a marine park mooring. Tintamarre is about 120 feet high and just over a mile long. It has a fabulous beach along it's western shore and many walking trails. Make your final stops at Orient Bay (we like to anchor behind Green Cay if conditions allow) where you'll find another remarkable beach and Oyster Pond (watch the reefs and follow the channel markers going into the harbour here). Oyster Pond is a completely protected lagoon where you'll find the Sunsail Charter base and enjoy the amenities of Captain Oliver's Marina. ST. BARTHELEMY St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) lies to the east-southeast of St. Martin so is an easy offshore daysail. It's just a 12-mile sail to windward from Philipsburg or a fast 15-mile tack from the north end of St. Martin. Clear into St. Barthelemy at the port of Gustavia. There is an anchorage which can be a little rolly but if you are fortunate to find room in the inner harbour tied into the "trots" where you tie to a mooring at both bow and stern you will be very comfortable. This island is the playground of the rich and famous so shopping is fun. A popular and quiet natural anchorage can be found on the northwest corner at Anse de Colombier. SABA The small steepsided Dutch island of Saba lying to the southwest of St. Martin is a real treasure and one of our favourite Caribbean islands although it is somewhat challenging to visit. The anchorages are open roadsteds, deep and usually rolly in light conditions and treacherous in strong wind and swell conditions. Chose your weather carefully. The marine park here has 10 well maintained moorings on the west coast available on a first-come-first-serviced basis as well as four moorings in the commercial harbour at Fort 34 Canadian Yachting Princess Juliana International Airport www.sxmairport.com Cruising Guide Publications "The Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands - Northern Edition Anguilla through Montserrat" by Chris Doyle www.cruisingguides.com St. Martin Tourist Office www.stmartinisland.org St. Maarten Tourism Bureau www.vacationstmaarten.com St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) Tourism Office www.saintbarth-tourisme.com/en Saba Tourist Bureau www.sabatourism.com Anguilla Tourist Board www.ivisitanguilla.com Bay on the south coast. Hiking in the rain forest is the main attraction here along with the friendly people who live in small charming villages at "the top of the rock". ANGUILLA We recently re-discovered Anguilla, the British island lying to the north-west of St. Martin. Our first visit was in 1992 and after that many restrictions were brought in involving expensive cruising permits to sail around the island and out to its outer islands. All this is for good reason since it is a small island with fragile reef systems but we hesitated to go back. However, this year we returned and were delighted that we did. The port of call for recreational boats visiting the island is Road Bay on the north coast where there is a lovely beach with many great beach bars and restaurants. There is no charge to stay here and you need go no further if you are on a schedule. To go anywhere else with your boat you must purchase a cruising permit. Day permits expire at midnight. It was $50 US per day for our Southerly 49 sailboat. Best option seems to be to rent a car or take a taxi tour to see the island from Road Bay. It's known for it's beautiful pristine beaches and luxurious resorts and they exceeded our expectations. Whether you are looking for an easy relaxing place to charter with some international flair or wanting to extend yourself with some safe offshore sailing to different islands, St. Martin as a base offers it all. * OCTOBER 2016 http://www.sunsail.com/yacht-charter/destinations/caribbean/st-martin/st-martin http://www.horizonyachtcharters.com/stmaarten http://www.stmartin-yachtcharters.com http://www.dreamyachtcharter.com/english/destinations/caribbean/st-martin http://www.yachtclubsxm.com http://www.sxmairport.com http://www.cruisingguides.com http://www.stmartinisland.org http://www.vacationstmaarten.com http://www.saintbarth-tourisme.com/en http://www.sabatourism.com http://www.ivisitanguilla.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Yachting October 2016