Lagoon St Martin

[svadagio]

Hi
I am in Culebra and will be to St Martin soon. I just hear from a not to reliable source that the channel on the French side has silted in to 4 feet. Can anyone confirm this. Have they started dredging?
Please state how old your info is.
Thanks
Bob

[neilpride]

No dredging operations in the chanel so far , lots of works around the new bridge area. In doubt get around the corner and use the bridge in Simpson Bay. Cheers.

[Zanshin]

I agree with neilpride - just pop into the Dutch bridge and take the channel to the French side anchorage; I haven't heard of any dredging either, and that channel has always been problematic unless heading to port towards Cadisco and the marina.

[Teej]

Not sure if the French side is being dredged since my two stays in Simpson Lagoon last cruising season (late Janurary and then again in May, 2013). This past cruising season when I was there the French side was as crowded as usual and the new bridge over the Lagoon between the French and Dutch sides was nearing completion. What was being dredged, however, was along the entrance channel from the Dutch bridge to ensure adequate depth for the mega yachts that dock on that side. Over the last several years, I generally enter and leave the Lagoon from the Dutch side, even though I would not be concerned with depth on the French side given the comfort of minimal draw in my catamaran.

Unless someone has more recent knowledge, save any anxiety and enter from the Dutch side

Teej