We've Switched To A New St. Maarten / St. Martin Blog
This is actually the JMB Communications blog which was usurped by everythingstmaarten.com. Since JMB is going to start using this for their businesses, "Everything St. Maarten" now has its own blog: http://stmaartenstmartin-jeff.blogspot.com/
Please visit that new blog for the latest St. Maarten info.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Swells Lash St. Maarten & St. Martin
This photo, from Sunset Beach Bar's webcam, was taken before the road between Maho and SSBB was closed.
15-foot swells from a big North Atlantic storm some 2500 km from the island brought in the swells, which caused Orient Beach to be closed for a time and beachfront restaurants to be deserted. Little damage of significance and no injuries have (yet) been reported. Things are expected to return to normal Friday (today).
St. Maarten Weekly News has a lead story on the storm Monday.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Best Places to Watch Moon Rises
It's easy to notice the moon once it's in the sky, but did you ever watch it rise? It's amazing how billions of people gather to watch sunsets, but few actually watch the moon rise. Here are a couple of great locations to do that:
First: Westin Hotel Dawn beach. Go onto the beach and you'll be able to see the moon rise to the left of St. Barts, right out of the ocean. If you have a sensitive camera, and something to hold it steady, you can get some great photos here.
Second: the pool terrace at the Kissing Fish bar, Summit Resort hotel, Dutch Side. The visibility from the cliff-top bar and pool terrace is phenomenal. As we've mentioned before, during the day you can see all the way to Creole rock north of Happy Bay on the French Side.
The moon rises over the mountains here, casting its beautiful reflection on the northern part of Simpson Bay lagoon.
It's another great place to shoot pictures.
It's easy to notice the moon once it's in the sky, but did you ever watch it rise? It's amazing how billions of people gather to watch sunsets, but few actually watch the moon rise. Here are a couple of great locations to do that:
First: Westin Hotel Dawn beach. Go onto the beach and you'll be able to see the moon rise to the left of St. Barts, right out of the ocean. If you have a sensitive camera, and something to hold it steady, you can get some great photos here.
Second: the pool terrace at the Kissing Fish bar, Summit Resort hotel, Dutch Side. The visibility from the cliff-top bar and pool terrace is phenomenal. As we've mentioned before, during the day you can see all the way to Creole rock north of Happy Bay on the French Side.
The moon rises over the mountains here, casting its beautiful reflection on the northern part of Simpson Bay lagoon.
It's another great place to shoot pictures.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
"St. Maarten and St. Martin Weekly News" and "Timesharing in St. Maarten Email Forum" Move To RSS Feeds
Our two weekly St. Maarten newsletters, both free, are now read by over 130,00 people worldwide. We had also published them here for a while but will now publish them as RSS News feeds instead. You can check (and subscribe, if you like) to those feeds through the RSS link just below the masthead at www.everythingstmaarten.com. You can also receive either or both newsletters by email -- the way most folks get them. A "subscribe" link is just above the masthead on every page of www.everythingstmaarten.com.
We'll still publish assorted St. Maarten news, features, and meanderings on our blog, but we'll no longer load it up with the newsletter every week.
***
Our two weekly St. Maarten newsletters, both free, are now read by over 130,00 people worldwide. We had also published them here for a while but will now publish them as RSS News feeds instead. You can check (and subscribe, if you like) to those feeds through the RSS link just below the masthead at www.everythingstmaarten.com. You can also receive either or both newsletters by email -- the way most folks get them. A "subscribe" link is just above the masthead on every page of www.everythingstmaarten.com.
We'll still publish assorted St. Maarten news, features, and meanderings on our blog, but we'll no longer load it up with the newsletter every week.
***
Monday, March 10, 2008
Low Round-Trip Airfares To St. Maarten
These fares are currenly avaiilable:
Northeast: $348
MidAtlantic: $293 (not a typo)
Southeast: $264 (a big airline but not who you think)
Midwest: $293 (not a typo)
Rockies: $434
Southwest: $303
Far West: $434
Fares include all taxes and fees. For all the details, see www.everythingstmaarten.com .
These fares are currenly avaiilable:
Northeast: $348
MidAtlantic: $293 (not a typo)
Southeast: $264 (a big airline but not who you think)
Midwest: $293 (not a typo)
Rockies: $434
Southwest: $303
Far West: $434
Fares include all taxes and fees. For all the details, see www.everythingstmaarten.com .
Thursday, March 06, 2008
St. Maarten's New "Stone" Restaurant's Website Now Live
Lots of desserts I never heard of before. Great little restaurant. Super appetizers & dinners. Get hungry at www.thestonerestaurant.com :)))
It's run by Johann Roebert, son of Celine captain Neil Roebert....
Lots of desserts I never heard of before. Great little restaurant. Super appetizers & dinners. Get hungry at www.thestonerestaurant.com :)))
It's run by Johann Roebert, son of Celine captain Neil Roebert....
Monday, March 03, 2008
When To Buy Air Tickets To St. Maarten
Start looking now even if you're not flying to St. Maarten until next January. Waiting loses good seats.
If you have FF miles, use them; there are fewer and fewer FF seats and they go quickly, especially if you're flying weekends as a plurality of passengers do. We often go with one "free" seat and the other paid.
If you belong to JMB Website Supporters (see www.everythingstmaarten.com) you will get Airfare Bulletins soon for dates as late as December... when you see good fares, pounce, since they don't last long and when they're gone, they're gone.
Our free St. Maarten Weekly News talks about this subject often. :)
Start looking now even if you're not flying to St. Maarten until next January. Waiting loses good seats.
If you have FF miles, use them; there are fewer and fewer FF seats and they go quickly, especially if you're flying weekends as a plurality of passengers do. We often go with one "free" seat and the other paid.
If you belong to JMB Website Supporters (see www.everythingstmaarten.com) you will get Airfare Bulletins soon for dates as late as December... when you see good fares, pounce, since they don't last long and when they're gone, they're gone.
Our free St. Maarten Weekly News talks about this subject often. :)
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Might American Airlines Be Going on Strike?
The Allied Pilots Association, APA, www.alliedpilots.org, representing all 12,000 American Airlines pilots, has pledged "unequivocal support" for British Airways pilots who are protesting BA's plan to launch a low-fare cross-Atlantic airline, OpenSkies.
American already has labor trouble with both its pilots and its flight attendants, but APA's support for BA pilots could mean a strike soon by AA pilots. BA pilots already have voted overwhelmingly to strike that airline and if they do, APA is expected to tell its pilots to walk off the job on AA.
Talks to avert a strike by BA pilots begin on Monday. We'll keep you posted.
Buying Gasoline in St. Maarten and St. Martin (Very Tricky)
Buying gas in "SXM" is tricky.
First, Dutch side gas pumps pump in liters and charge by Antillean guilders (one dollar equals 1.80 guilders).
Second, by accident or otherwise, Dutch side pump jockeys often miscalculate what you owe in dollars after buying gas. Usually they miscalculate in their own favor. I've seen it at Shell on several occasions and a long-time member, Jim H, who is on the island now, had it happen to him two consecutive times at Texaco last week.
Solution. Right now it is much cheaper to buy gas on the French side...upwards of 20 cents per liter cheaper. The station we usually go to is Cadisco on the main drag north of Orient Beach, which has been accepting dollars 1:1 with Euros, though we don't know how long that will continue. You pay what you see on the pump.
You can also:
a) Pay in guilders on the Dutch side. Scotia Bank gives you the option of withdrawing guilders from your US bank account. Bank of America account holders do not currently pay any service fees for Scotia Bank withdrawals. There's a Scotia Bank in Simpson Bay and a Scotia Bank ATM at Westin Dawn Beach, among other places. I usually get 200 guilders...filling a tank is usually 50 guilders. (See next item).
b) Pay specific amounts. For example, if you have a 1/4 tank of gas left, your compact will likely be almost full if you add 36 guilders to it, or $20 USD ($10 = 18 guilders). You can also specify $20 and know it is 36 guilders in case they "miscalculate."
Our solution was to buy on the French Side at Cadisco. Much better...
Buying gas in "SXM" is tricky.
First, Dutch side gas pumps pump in liters and charge by Antillean guilders (one dollar equals 1.80 guilders).
Second, by accident or otherwise, Dutch side pump jockeys often miscalculate what you owe in dollars after buying gas. Usually they miscalculate in their own favor. I've seen it at Shell on several occasions and a long-time member, Jim H, who is on the island now, had it happen to him two consecutive times at Texaco last week.
Solution. Right now it is much cheaper to buy gas on the French side...upwards of 20 cents per liter cheaper. The station we usually go to is Cadisco on the main drag north of Orient Beach, which has been accepting dollars 1:1 with Euros, though we don't know how long that will continue. You pay what you see on the pump.
You can also:
a) Pay in guilders on the Dutch side. Scotia Bank gives you the option of withdrawing guilders from your US bank account. Bank of America account holders do not currently pay any service fees for Scotia Bank withdrawals. There's a Scotia Bank in Simpson Bay and a Scotia Bank ATM at Westin Dawn Beach, among other places. I usually get 200 guilders...filling a tank is usually 50 guilders. (See next item).
b) Pay specific amounts. For example, if you have a 1/4 tank of gas left, your compact will likely be almost full if you add 36 guilders to it, or $20 USD ($10 = 18 guilders). You can also specify $20 and know it is 36 guilders in case they "miscalculate."
Our solution was to buy on the French Side at Cadisco. Much better...
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