TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Sailing vacation - clearing each country?

Looking into changing our BVI trip to St Martin for the first week of December. How does it compare to the BVI’s for those who’ve done both? We’ve done a few charters and enjoy the sailing aspect of the trip, but didn’t know how it was clearing customs at each county. Any changes with traveling between countries with Covid? We just want to get our sailing trip in this year...

As of NOW, local boat operators based on the Dutch side cannot make day trips to the French side, so not sure whether SXM is a good choice. And as of NOW, you can't go to Anguilla for sure, and pretty sure, not St. Barts either. Things may change before December 1, but I wouldn't personally count on it. My best guess is the USVI.

Is there enough to do on the French side? I'd be ok with just doing some day sails and anchoring in a different place each night vs staying in a hotel or resort. Not sure if some of the uninhabited islands are still an option as well? Unfortunately the USVI is a no-go. Nothing available at the moment for the dates we'd need.

But if we can explore the French side for the week, trying new anchorages every now and then we'd be good to go. Some good discounts available at the moment, we'd just have to make it a more relaxing trip and force ourselves to slow down some (not necessarily a bad thing!). Having never been to St Martin before I just don't have the perspective to really understand what's available. Appreciate any and all insight though!

As a fellow sailor, knowing both SXM and the BVI's, having sailed my own boat in both places, at this time with all the restrictions, it is simply not worth your while to try a sailing charter on SXM until things change with COVID. You would be better off land based or wait until you can do BVI again.

As of NOW, if you are American, which not sure if you are or not, you cannot stay in a HOTEL on the French side. Technically the border is open, but French side hotels cannot accept US residents. You could probably stay at a private type residence, but as of now, can't stay in a French side hotel.

Carol: so that means we can't go to La Samanna?

Apparently, as of now. For YOU, that is. Me, I can't afford it!

I'm pretty sure that St Barth is open to boats, as I know of one yacht which recently arrived and spent a week there. Marine Traffic and the harbor webcam both show another yacht (Helios 3) moored on the main quay, which wasn't there a week ago.

I'm puzzled about St Martin waters being closed to Sint Maarten boats, or to any other boats. I see it reported, but I'm puzzled why.

Unrelated, but still French-side, I'm not sure where the idea of a French-side hotel restriction is coming from.

Webcam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3V1muKmia0

Andiamo, if you're in the area, consider clearing in to St Barth. You'll have at least three choices for mooring. You can moor Med-style on the main quay or the adjacent quay, you can drop the hook in the anchorage, or you can drop the hook in the bay at Colombier. If at Colombier, and you take the dinghy into town, do not take the easy-looking channel between the rocks - stay outside, and your prop will thank you.

Not good current advice for a potential bareboat charterer regarding sailing to St. Barths from SXM.

You CANNOT go ashore until certain requirements are fulfilled, such as:
(for boats arriving from neighboring islands):

"everyone on board must arrive with a negative rt-PCR test done less than 72 hours prior to the vessel's arrival."

see biosecurity section of link:
https://www.noonsite.com/place/st-barts/formalities/#biosecurity-section

We disagree on what constitutes good advice, but I do agree that what you have posted is good information.

Anyone planning on sailing anywhere these days, more so than ever before, had best be checking the entry requirements closely. If they can't do that, or they can't meet them, then this isn't the right time to sail, and they should stay home.