French Polynesia and the Society Islands
07 April 2025
Saint Martin is a small island that is divided between a French part, Saint-Martin, and a Dutch part, Sint Maarten. The French half is part of the EU while the Dutch is not. We dropped anchor at Marigot Bay on the French side and had a very easy clearance at the local ship chandler where the paperwork could be done free of charge.
We stayed there for about a week and felt the atmosphere as relatively European. Just like other islands in the Caribbean, the Spanish were the first to colonize the island in the 15th century. After a lot of fighting, both the Netherlands and France finally claimed the island after Spain got "tired" of it. To avoid further fighting, the Netherlands and France decided to divide the island and a treaty was signed in 1648. Although the island officially consists of two countries, the inhabitants can travel freely between them and the children on both sides of the border learn French and Dutch along with English at school.
The differences that are usually highlighted are that the French side is more bureaucratic and rule-governed when it comes to running businesses, but also more correct and you can feel sure of getting the service that is promised. The Dutch part is known for a more "lessair fare" mentality and the companies experience less restrictions, which gives the visitor the impression of more activity and swiftness than on the French side. The population on both sides seems to have a love-hate relationship where the disadvantages of the other side are highlighted, albeit in a friendly and slightly humorous way. The island was hit hard by Hurricane Irma in 2017, which destroyed many homes on both sides. On the French side, the government wanted long-term solution and reconstruction to be done with more hurricane-proof methods to better withstand the next big hurricane. They were not as careful about that in the Dutch part, which allowed people to rebuild their houses, without major restrictions. On the French side, people are unhappy that reconstruction is slow and some still have no home after their old one was destroyed. On the Dutch side, most people have had their houses rebuilt, but there they are instead afraid of what will happen during the next big hurricane. So, no one seems to be really happy đ
We did not visit many other parts of the island. The time was spent on further boat fixes. Among other things, the outboard engine of the dinghy had started to cough badly and needed care. We therefore slowly brought the dinghy into the small lagoon that lies between the peninsulas and had the engine serviced in the best of ways at a Yamaha workshop on the Dutch side. Our inverter that converts 12V to 220V had just gone off with a bang and with a distinct smell of burnt electronics which afterwards spread throughout the boat. We also had to change it to a new, and hopefully more durable, one. The zipper to the lazy bag and a few other things on the sprayhood had come loose in a few places as the old seams had literally been dissolved by the sun. We had to sew it back on and hope it lasts a while longer.
On Sint Maarten there was a good ship chandler where we took the opportunity to buy new anodes and antifouling paint for Anastacia for later use when weâll have to prepare her for sailing in the Pacific. The shop also organized an event concerning safety and Atlantic sailing which we attended, together with several other crews from our "buddy" boats. We have probably never seen so many wiseacres in one place! The old men on site competed to give tips and tell the audience how to behave on the Atlantic in rough weather, as they had done it themselves many times. Among other things, some thought that some of the safety equipment that many sailors have in their boats, are unnecessary. We listened but also gave a thought of gratitude to our navigation teacher, Stig, from when we took our navigation and seamanship courses before we set off on our sailing. Calm, sensible and the advices he gave were grounded in international law and proven experience. We felt that we have a good grasp of things, after all. The beer that was offered at the event, however, tasted good and it was interesting to be shown what a life raft looks like when it has been regularly serviced and checked, respectively a raft that hasnât. Doubtful if we dared to sit in the latter at a possible shipwreck.
Before we left Saint Martin, we said goodbye to Robin and Camilla on Alba, who have now started sailing home via Bermuda and the Azores. Saint Martin is one of the places where many boats gather for the Atlantic crossing to the east before the summer, when the hurricane season starts. We will also not sail further north now but will stop here and sail back along the Caribbean islands, visiting some of the islands we previously skipped. In June we will be back in Grenada where our sons are coming to visit! There we will also be better protected for possible Hurricanes. Some parts of the continued journey weâll do together with the Australian catamaran Kwilena with Caroline and Sven who have similar plans as we have.
~~~~~~~~~~
Saint Martin Àr en liten ö som Àr delad mellan en fransk del, Saint-Martin och en nederlÀndsk del, Sint Maarten. Den franska halvan Àr en del av EU medan den nederlÀndska inte Àr det. Vi slÀppte ner ankaret vid Marigot Bay pÄ den franska sidan och hade en mycket enkel inklarering pÄ den lokala bÄttillbehörsaffÀren dÀr man kunde lösa det administrativa utan kostnad.
Vi stannade dĂ€r i ca en vecka och upplevde atmosfĂ€ren som relativt europeisk. Precis som övriga öar i Karibien sĂ„ var spanjorerna först med att kolonisera ön pĂ„ 1400-talet. Efter en hel del stridande gjorde slutligen bĂ„de NederlĂ€nderna och Frankrike ansprĂ„k pĂ„ ön efter att Spanien âtröttnatâ pĂ„ den. För att slippa strida ytterligare beslöt man sig för att istĂ€llet dela upp ön mellan sig och ett fredsavtal skrevs 1648. Ăven om ön officiellt bestĂ„r av tvĂ„ lĂ€nder sĂ„ kan invĂ„narna resa fritt mellan dem och barnen pĂ„ bĂ€gge sidor om grĂ€nsen fĂ„r lĂ€ra sig franska och hollĂ€ndska jĂ€mte engelska i skolan.
De skillnader som brukar framhĂ€vas Ă€r att den franska sidan Ă€r mycket mer byrĂ„kratisk och regelstyrd nĂ€r det bl a kommer till att driva verksamheter men ocksĂ„ mer ordentlig och man kan kĂ€nna sig sĂ€ker pĂ„ att fĂ„ den service som utlovas. Den nederlĂ€ndska delen Ă€r kĂ€nd för en mer âlessair fareâ mentalitet och företagen upplever mindre restriktioner vilket ger besökaren intrycket av mer verksamhet och âfartâ Ă€n pĂ„ den franska sidan. Befolkningen pĂ„ bĂ€gge sidor verkar kĂ€nna hatkĂ€rlek till varandra dĂ€r den andra sidans nackdelar framhĂ€vs, fast pĂ„ ett vĂ€nligt och lite humoristiskt sĂ€tt. Ăn drabbades stort av orkanen Irma 2017 som ödelade mĂ„ngas hem pĂ„ bĂ€gge sidor. PĂ„ den franska sidan ville regeringen att man skulle tĂ€nka lĂ„ngsiktigt och att Ă„teruppbyggnaden skulle ske med mer orkansĂ€kra metoder för att bĂ€ttre kunna stĂ„ emot nĂ€sta stora ovĂ€der. Det var man inte lika noga med pĂ„ den nederlĂ€ndska delen som lĂ€t mĂ€nniskor bygga upp sina hus igen, utan större restriktioner. PĂ„ franska sidan Ă€r invĂ„nare missnöjda med att Ă„teruppbyggnaden Ă€r lĂ„ngsam och vissa har fortfarande inget hem efter att deras gamla förstörts. PĂ„ den nederlĂ€ndska sidan har de flesta fĂ„tt sina hus Ă„teruppbyggda men dĂ€r Ă€r man istĂ€llet rĂ€dd för vad som skall hĂ€nda vid nĂ€sta stora orkan. Ingen verkar alltsĂ„ vara riktigt nöjd đ
Vi besökte inte sĂ„ mĂ„nga andra delar av ön. Tiden spenderades istĂ€llet pĂ„ ytterligare bĂ„tfix. Bl a hade utombordsmotorn till dingen börjat hosta mĂ€rkligt illa och den behövde omvĂ„rdnad. Vi puttrade dĂ€rför sakta in med dingen i den lilla lagunen som ligger mellan öhalvorna och fick motorn servad pĂ„ bĂ€sta vis pĂ„ en Yamahaverkstad pĂ„ den nederlĂ€ndska sidan. VĂ„r inverter som konverterar 12V till 220V hade precis lagt av med en knall och med en distinkt doft av brĂ€nd elektronik som efterĂ„t spred sig i bĂ„ten. Ăven den fick vi byta till en ny, och förhoppningsvis mer hĂ„llbar, ersĂ€ttare. Dragkedjan till lazybagen och lite annat pĂ„ sprayhooden hade lossnat pĂ„ nĂ„gra stĂ€llen dĂ„ de gamla sömmarna formligen lösts upp av solen. Det blev till att sy fast igen och hoppas att det hĂ„ller ett tag till.
PĂ„ Sint Maarten fanns en bra bĂ„ttillbehörsbutik dĂ€r vi passade pĂ„ att köpa nya anoder och bottenfĂ€rg till Anastacia för senare anvĂ€ndning nĂ€r vi skall förbereda henne för segling i Stilla havet. Butiken ordnade ocksĂ„ med ett event rörande sĂ€kerhet och Atlantsegling som vi besökte, tillsammans med flera andra besĂ€ttningar frĂ„n vĂ„ra âkompisâbĂ„tar. Vi har nog aldrig sett sĂ„ mĂ„nga proffstyckare pĂ„ en och samma plats! Gubbarna pĂ„ plats tĂ€vlade om att ge tips och berĂ€tta om hur man minsann skall bete sig pĂ„ atlanten vid hĂ„rt vĂ€der, för sĂ„ hade de sjĂ€lva gjort mĂ„nga gĂ„nger. Bl a tyckte vissa att en del sĂ€kerhetsutrustning mĂ„nga seglare har med ombord, Ă€r onödig. Vi lyssnade men skĂ€nkte ocksĂ„ en tacksamhetens tanke till vĂ„r navigationslĂ€rare, Stig, som ledde kurserna vi gick nĂ€r vi tog vĂ„ra olika intyg innan vi gav oss ivĂ€g pĂ„ vĂ„r seglats. Lugn, vettig och de rĂ„d han gav var grundade i internationella lagar och beprövad erfarenhet. Vi kĂ€nde att vi trots allt har bra koll. Ălen som bjöds pĂ„, vid eventet, smakade dock bra och det var intressant att fĂ„ förevisat hur en livflotte ser ut nĂ€r den blivit regelbundet servad och kontrollerad respektive en flotte som inte varit det. Tveksamt om vi vĂ„gat sĂ€tta oss i den sistnĂ€mnda vid en ev. förlisning.
Innan vi lÀmnade Saint Martin tog vi farvÀl av Robin och Camilla pÄ Alba som nu pÄbörjat sin segling hem via Bermuda och Azorerna. Saint Martin Àr en av de platser dÀr mÄnga bÄtar samlas för atlantöverfarten österut innan sommaren dÄ orkansÀsongen börjar. Vi kommer inte heller att segla lÀngre norrut nu utan vÀnder hÀr och seglar tillbaka lÀngs de karibiska öarna och stannar pÄ nÄgra av dem vi tidigare hoppat över. I juni skall vi Äter vara pÄ Grenada dit vÄra söner kommer pÄ besök! DÀr Àr vi ocksÄ bÀttre skyddade för ev. orkaner. Vissa delar av den fortsatta resan gör vi tillsammans med den australiensiska katamaranen Kwilena med Caroline och Sven som har liknande planer som vi.
Saint Martin and the bay
1 Commentaire(s)
Tacksam för att er internet Àr igÄng igen! Ha en fortsatt fin resa.
04 May 2024 Answer