Anyone in St. Martin?

[DefinitelyMe]

Hey there. Anyone in St. Martin and fancy a beer? I just got in from Bermuda yesterday night. Currently in Marigot Bay. White hull, blue trim, blue dodger, solar panels on lifelines by the cockpit. Big french courtesy flag and bermuda flag off the stern. Come by if you're around. Cheers.

[Zanshin]

I'm not sure if you know St. Martin; so at the risk of repeating things you already know:

La Sucriere has a great breakfast deal, 5.50 for the Formule petit dejeuner. It is located along the main road about 200m from the dinghy dock - go right when facing the shore, just past Sarafina's.
Most of the cruiser's action is on the Dutch side. Happy hour drinks at the Dutch Bridge are a good meeting point, as is Lagoonie's and I always like Barnacle's (mainly for their ribs). The morning VHF network run by Shrimpy's is 07:30 on VHF CH10 and in Marigot you can hear him quite clearly although some of the other transmissions might be weak (Shrimpy's is located on your left as you dinghy into the lagoon, just before the French Bridge.
I don't like being charged to anchor in Marigot, so I tend to spend my time on the French side in Grand Case. While it is far from the cruisers in Simpson's Bay, it is a wonderful anchorage and the food ashore is nonpareil.

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

I'm not sure if you know St. Martin; so at the risk of repeating things you already know:

La Sucriere has a great breakfast deal, 5.50 for the Formule petit dejeuner. It is located along the main road about 200m from the dinghy dock - go right when facing the shore, just past Sarafina's.
Most of the cruiser's action is on the Dutch side. Happy hour drinks at the Dutch Bridge are a good meeting point, as is Lagoonie's and I always like Barnacle's (mainly for their ribs). The morning VHF network run by Shrimpy's is 07:30 on VHF CH10 and in Marigot you can hear him quite clearly although some of the other transmissions might be weak (Shrimpy's is located on your left as you dinghy into the lagoon, just before the French Bridge.
I don't like being charged to anchor in Marigot, so I tend to spend my time on the French side in Grand Case. While it is far from the cruisers in Simpson's Bay, it is a wonderful anchorage and the food ashore is nonpareil.

Thanks Zanshin. Thanks a lot that's great info. I listened to the net this morning and am sitting in La Sucriere as i write this. I wasn't aware that there actually was a fee for anchoring in Marigot. Is there in the lagoon? I'll be here for a few weeks so things like anchoring fees build up if you let them. Cheers!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

Thanks Zanshin. Thanks a lot that's great info. I listened to the net this morning and am sitting in La Sucriere as i write this. I wasn't aware that there actually was a fee for anchoring in Marigot. Is there in the lagoon? I'll be here for a few weeks so things like anchoring fees build up if you let them. Cheers!

Did they not inform you of it when you cleared in..?
If you've not cleared in.. expect a visit in the next couple of days..😃

[Symphony]

we enjoyed anchoring in Grand Case, too. the town is VERY French and very pleasant, meals were super but pricey. easy dinghy landing at the dock.

Simpson Bay YC bar is the hopping place for the afternoon bridge openings. easy dinghy dock there too.

the Dutch bridge schedule is very reliable, while the French bridge is not.
all in all a wonderful place and great for resupply (Cost U Less) at good prices.

[Zanshin]

I've always assumed the Marigot fee was a scam, and only cleared into St. Martin via the office at the ferry dock in Marigot where they charged this so-called "Park fee". Since then I cleared in at the marina office inside the lagoon for 5€ and when the semi-official looking tender came by I'd tell them that I'd tell the skipper about the fee when he came back

There's no fee for anchoring inside the lagoon on the French side.

I now only anchor in Marigot to go ashore there, and then head back to Grand Case fo the evening. I also clear in to French St. Martin at the Capitainerie in Anse Marcel now.

Unfortunately the French Bridge, as mentioned by Symphony, isn't always working - this sign can frequently be seen on it:

[MarkJ]

The French side fees thing has changed this year.
Now unless you anchor right next to Marina Royal you MUST clear in at the ferry wharf at Marigot. They have dropped their 25€ clearing in fee because it's ridiculous and its now 7€ but they enforce the marigot anchoring fee but don't tell you what the fee is until you leave.
Clear insanity from fools with power and most surprising from a French port.
Much better to use the Dutch side this year till the morons on the French side stop their lies and the Police go arrest the people stealing outboards.

Cest la vie!

By the way, Zanshin, Barnacles has closed and the people from the Dinghy Dock bar at Oyster Pond are rebuilding a new bar o Barnacles location (you will remember our last beer at Oyster Pond!). It has not opened yet... downstairs meant to open before Christmas and upstairs before New Year...but no one meantioned which year. Typical Caribbean.

I am in St Barts

[Zanshin]

I do remember those beers at Oyster pond, where we were calming our nerves after the ordeal of entering the calm waters inside from the rough ones out there, the Caribbean equivalent of Scylla and Charybdis Too bad about Barnacles, though; although I think we all knew that the end was inevitable.
Do you know what their anchoring fees are in Marigot? Have they got a new tender and do they circulate this season? Although I think I'll stick to Grand Case and perhaps try my luck in finding an anchoring spot inside the lagoon on the Dutch side - perhaps you'll be around and can be a guide dinghy/tug again.

[Highland Fling]

Clear in and out at Anse Marcel.....problem solved

[DefinitelyMe]

Cheers guys. Mark, i cleared in this morning (couldn't do it yesterday because it was a sunday so they were closed) and the guy charged me 25 euro. I asked about the anchoring fee for Marigot Bay and he just said 'ýes there is a fee. It depends on the size of your boat', but didn't say what the fee was and i didn't ask because he was unusually unfriendly for a french customs guy so i just told him i was leaving and he said ok, as long as i left straight away he wouldn't charge me. I'll leave tomorrow........ and head into the lagoon. I dinghied over there today. It's changed a lot since i was last here. There's a great big bridge going right across the lagoon! And only two marks marking the channel from the French bridge through that shallow area. I'm still not sure what time the openings are and i've asked around a bit. Everyone gives a different answer. Ah well, the French do make excellent coffee and croissants so that kind of makes up for it.

Cheers for all the info and advice. I'd really like to visit Grande Case but i need to stick closeish to the Dutch side for now to sort out some stuff. I'll be here for at least 3 weeks i think before heading West so if anyone pops by let me know and the first beer is on me.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Do you know what their anchoring fees are in Marigot?


perhaps try my luck in finding an anchoring spot inside the lagoon on the Dutch side - perhaps you'll be around and can be a guide dinghy/tug again.

I don't know the fees but I *think* they have made them the same as the Ditch side. David might know.


Yes, I am always ready to guide you onto the mud!


Mark

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by DefinitelyMe

And only two marks marking the channel from the French bridge through that shallow area. I'm still not sure what time the openings are.

25€! That just stupid! And not telling u the daily fee.


French bridge opening times are 9:00am and 5:30 pm.
the 2:30pm bridge has been stopped.

Watch the channel to the Dutch side. Badly marked.

[Zanshin]

DefinitelyMe - that gent in the office is a civilian, his uniform is not that of any government agency. Assuming it is still this gent

[Symphony]

the "new" dutch bridge crossing the center of the Simpson Bay lagoon made a great improvement in the traffic of the island. a massive improvement in fact! also, this bridge has sidewalks and is a wonderful place to walk and take in sunsets. I've been through the this bridge twice and it was exactly on-time opening.

after the dutch bridge you rush to the French bridge ready to swirl around its small channel, in the breeze, with a pile of other boats hoping the french bridge operator will show up to work. you need to get in line and keep your place while watching the charter people who are just learning to control their boat. last time I went through the french bridge the operator was only 15 minutes late showing up to his booth; 2 more minutes to pull up the "en panne" sign and we were out.

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

DefinitelyMe - that gent in the office is a civilian, his uniform is not that of any government agency. Assuming it is still this gent

Yup, that's the guy! Ha ha ha! So it's all a scam?! He's got keys to the office and stuff so i presume someone knows what he's doing. I guess he just pockets the other 18 euro then? Reminds me of a guy that set up a car park outside a zoo in the UK one day He just put on a high-vis vest, set up a sign and started charging people 3 pounds each to park. Eventually he built himself a little hut and everything. He did this for 30 years and made millions. One day he just upped and left. The zoo called the local council and asked where the car park attendant had gone......... 'we don't have a car park attendant at that car park'. :-)

In the lagoon now. Yea the causeway bridge is very nice and shiny-looking. The channel over there from the French bridge is a bit of a nightmare now. I wouldn't want to draw any more than 6 feet and i had to do it when the sun was out so i could see the shallow patches and skirt around them. There was also a submerged wreck that i had to avoid when i strayed a little out of the 'channel' and some derelict boats that will presumably become wrecks at some point in the near future. Still hasn't lost it's charm though :-)