St Martin Yacht Charters

The average temperature is 26°C and rainfall totals an average of 1143 mm yearly. Visibility is generally excellent and on very clear days you can see the islands of Saba, St Eustatius (Statia), St Christopher (St Kitts) and even Nevis, some 60 miles to the southeast. Fog is unheard of but occasionally haze, especially from August to October, can reduce visibility to 15 miles or so. The winter months offer exciting and challenging sailing, the summer is more laid-back. The tidal range is approximately 45 cm and there are westerly directional currents. This is a destination for confident sailors with a reasonable level of experience.

How to Get There
There are three ways to get to St.Martin:
1. Fly to Princess Juliana International Airport – 40 minutes from Captain Oliver’s Marina.
2. Fly to Regional Esperance Airport (in Grand Case, French side) – 15 minutes from Captain Oliver’s Marina.
3. Take a ferry from Anguilla to Marigot Port, capitol of the French side of St. Martin. (Every 30 mins) or from St.Barths to Marigot daily 7:30am, 11:30am and 5:00pm (Except Wednesday and Sunday arriving in Oyster Pond same hours).

Taxis are not metered; the government sets rates. Authorized taxis display stickers of the St. Maarten Taxi Association.
Fixed fares apply from Juliana International Airport and the Marigot ferry to the various hotels and around the island.

Sailing Area Restrictions
Several zones in The Caribbean have been restricted for the client’s security. These are reviewed in the briefing and include:
*The dock in Gustavia or Philipsburg, except briefly for water only
*Saba and Barbuda without checking with Customer Service
*East coast of Antigua; parts of St. Barts; Anguilla (limited number of anchorages; areas on East coast of St. Martin
*Northwest coast of Nevis
*Montserrat Island

7 Day

Day 1: Marigot Bay (11nm)
Grand Case Bay is known for its wide selection of good restuarants and lively bars. It’s also home to Creole Rock where the snorkelling is superb.

Day 2: Road Bay (12nm)
The main port of entry to the British island of Anguilla, Road Bay, is one of the nicest anchorages in the northern Leewards. A beautiful white sandy beach runs along the shore, where you’ll find numerous casual restaurants and bars. Laid-back and unpretentious is the rule on Anguilla, one of the chief appeals of Road Bay yachting.

Day 3: Crocus Bay (10nm)
The colourful 70-foot cliffs are truly splendid and the birds (including lots of pelicans) are plentiful and fun to watch. Admire the paintings at the Savannah Art Gallery in The Valley, the main settlement on Anguilla. Next to the gallery is Koal Keel, an upmarket restaurant and a good choice for dining ashore.

Day 4: Orient Bay (21nm)
Aside from its beautiful white sandy beach and the plethora of watersports, kite surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and the many restaurants and boutiques, the bay has a quieter side as well. If you want nude beaches and lively nightlife, it is available, however, a relaxing evening aboard in a scenic anchorage, is also a favourite. The only caveat is that Orient Bay can be difficult to enter in certain conditions. At all times, careful attention is warranted.

Day 5: Gustavia (15nm)
he main port of entry on St. Barts is the scenic and chic harbour of Gustavia, situated on the south side of the island near its western end. Boutiques featuring world famous designer wear and jewellery vie for space with superb restaurants specialising in French cuisine.

Day 6: Anse de Colombier (5nm)
Picture-perfect Anse de Colombier sits at the tip of St Barts where steep hills overlook the blue waters of the bay. On the southern hill is a house built by the Rockefeller family, who once owned Anse de Colombier. South of Ile de la Pointe is an islet where you might spot a seas turtle or seas ray.

Day 7: Great Bay (9mn)
Arrive back in St. Martin. Philipsburg, the Dutch capital, is a thriving waterfront port with lively nightlife, many interesting shops, excellent restaurants, and bustling casinos. There is also a beach boardwalk worth a stroll.

14 Day

Day 1: Oyster Pond
Oyster Pond is a protected lagoon surrounded by hills and the gorgeous Dawn beach. Oyster Bay is within easy reach of all the highlights of the island – Philipsburg, the Dutch capital of the island, is only ten minutes away and Marigot, the French capital, is twenty five minutes away.

Day 2: Grande Case (8nm)
Grand Case is known as the gourmet capital of the Caribbean, so you can’t go wrong when picking where to dine. The town has a lively bars where you can party into the wee hours if you choose.

Day 3: Free Sailing

Day 4: Gustavia, St. Barts (20nm)
St Barts has a distinctly French ambience and is home to a fine coterie of elegant boutiques stocking clothes and jewellery by international designers as well as hosting some interesting vintage markets.

Day 5: Basseterre, St. Kitts (42nm)
Basseterre is one of the oldest towns in the eastern Caribbean and has been a busy port since the mid-seventeenth century. Get a sense of the island’s history in the National Museum, Independence Square – the location for slave auctions in the past, the fort at Brimstone Hill and the numerous quiet plazas and churches of the town. The energetic will want to hike up Mount Liamuiga (3,800 feet/1150 metres) and may meet some African vervet monkeys along the way.

Day 6: Charlestown, Nevis (10nm)
Charlestown is the only settlement on Nevis. Fort Charles is worth exploring and visitors can also try horse-back riding or guided hiking through the interior of the island. The Golden Rock Estate is a beautifully restored eighteenth century sugar plantation that now operates as a hotel and you can take a walk through its one hundred acre grounds and enjoy a traditional Caribbean meal at one of the hotel’s two restaurants.

Day 7: Free sailing

Day 8: Whitehouse Bay, St. Kitts (8nm)
Whitehouse Bay is provides a unique snorkelling experience; the beach is rocky, so it is not frequented by swimmers. The natural reefs, a sunken tugboat and an 18th century British troop ship sunk in the Battle of Frigate Bay are all home to an incredible variety of tropical fish and other marine life.

Day 9: Oranjestaad, Statia (20nm)
Oranjestaad is the capital of the small island of St. Eustatius – more commonly known as Statia – in the Netherland Antilles. Among the historical sites of Oranjestaad are the 17th Century waterfront Fort Oranje, a synagogue that is the second oldest in the western hemisphere and a Dutch reformed church dating from 1755.

Day 10: Free Sailing

Day 11: Anse de Columbier, St. Barts (30nm)
Sailing south from Anguilla down to the westernmost tip of St. Barts, stop at the cactus-covered island of Ile Fourche, home to herds of wild mountain goats, for lunch, snorkelling and diving on the way. Then head on to Anse de Colombier, considered one of the finest anchorages in the Caribbean.

Day 12: Prickly Pear, Crocus Bay (8nm)
The protected marine reserve at Sandy Bay is hard to beat as a place to stop for a lazy afternoon of swimming and snorkelling and the coral reefs of Prickly Pear Cays and the waters of Little Bay teem with enough sea-life to occupy dedicated divers and snorkelers for days if not weeks!

Day 13: Oyster Pond (3nm)

Day 14: Return to Base

11 Day

St. Martin / Tortola: 11 days

Day 1: Anse Marcel ( St. Martin )
Welcome in the Marina of Anse Marcel in the North of St. Martin and boarding for the night.

Day 2: Anse Marcel / Anse Colombier ( St. Barth ): 12 NM
Anse Colombier is a part of the Marine Reserve and a great spot for snorkelling: get out the flippers, diving masks and snorkels !

Day 3: Anse Colombier / Gustavia ( St. Barth ): 4 NM
A stopover in Gustavia is a good opportunity to taste the cosmopolitan animation in tax free shops and restaurants lining this charming harbor.

Day 4: Gustavia / Grand Case ( St. Martin )
Very pleasant anchorage close to the beach. Little village with its typical small colorful houses ringed by a salt pond Great choice of restaurants with a good price-quality relation.

Day 5: Grand Case / Virgin Gorda: 90 NM. Sailing during the night.
Take a relaxing swim at the world famous Baths with its impressing rocks. Don’t miss the Punch at Bitter End Yacht Club at the sunset.

Day 6: Virgin Gorda Sound / Marina Cay
Paradise ilet: Outstanding beach encircled by the coral reef dominated by a restaurant offering seafood and BBQ for dinner.

Day 7: Marina Cay / Jost Van Dyke
First stopover at Sandy Cay, an unavoidable snorkelling spot. Further to Great Harbor, the only village of Jost Van Dyke. Great atmosphere at night in Foxy’s Bar.

Day 8: Jost Van Dyke / Cane Garden Bay
Excellent anchorage close to a nice beach framed by coconut trees. Visit the rum distillery.

Day 9: Cane Garden Bay / Norman Island
Stopover at The Bight. Follow the steep path to pour discover at the top a breathtaking panoramic view. Further to the National Parc of Private Bay to explore the caves by dinghy.

Day 10: Norman Island / Peter Island
Swimming, relaxing and snorkelling and as well nice hikes inside the island to find great panoramas.

Day 11: Peter Island / Road Town ( Tortola )
After a last bath heading for Road Town, the capital of the British Virgin Islands to check out. Rent a car and discover the National Park of Mount Sage and its rain forest.