Hello all! Quick trip report from middle of July. I won’t repeat some things said many times but would like to call out what stood out some from our 9th trip down. Hope this helps some and is enjoyable to all.
FoodPretty good lunch from Sunset (zero sand at Maho), great Cowboy pizza (BBQ chicken) from Buccaneer’s. Got groceries from market just over big bridge and ate in room many times. Some things a lot higher and some very affordable compared to home. Ate lunch most days at Perch. At the Perch we found the food still great and very affordable. We often split something since portions were good. The servers there are super friendly and accommodating.
BSVMeet some of the new folks working there and every single one was super friendly and helpful. Less sand than I have ever seen – foundation showing and less than 10-12 feet from steps. Still beautiful. We had more rain that week than we ever had. Mostly night or early morning. But had a tremendous storm the first night and water came into room in several places. They cleaned it up and no further issue with other rains. The road into BSV was flooded the whole week – never had a chance to drain or evaporate off. Power was out every day for a while and one day twice.
Day Trip to SabaOur first time to Saba and we will be back. Absolutely beautiful and the road, fences, structures were in great condition and well-groomed and cared for. From talking to locals, they take great pride in their home, and it shows. I know less commercial, but big contrast from St. Martin.
We did hike up to top of Mt. Scenery. We are in decent shape, and they say 90-minutes to top. That is if you don’t stop and keep good pace. With 1000+ steps (all different spacing) it took us 2-hours. But less than one coming down. But I fell once or twice. It had rained and when they warn you that it is slippery (as they did many times to us), believe it! Huge tropical plants were gorgeous.
This did not allow us much time to do much else before we had to catch taxi back to ferry, but we did walk the town at the trailhead, and it was lovely. Some good shops and food. We want to go back and spend a night or two and go diving. The ferry was not bad, rougher on way back.
Orient BeachSpent most time at Club O end of Orient Beach. The numbers of occupied umbrellas seem at a more consistent and higher number than the other post-Irma years. Lots of folks and visiting going on.
Wife had to try the bathroom they have set up there for the first time and was very impressed with it and its cleanliness and set up.
One last thing, I have mentioned this before and ran into this guy in 2022. I confronted him and he left that time. There is a local there that many days sets up in an elevated chair of his own in the middle of the beach, no umbrella. But he will walk with his phone in hand (as several do listening to music). But if you watch carefully, when a new female (almost any age or type) comes, he continuously walks past until he gets a good shot then will hesitate, level out his phone, and click the button quickly with his thumb. He is taking pictures of folks and appears to want one of everyone. I mentioned to one of the chair guys, and they said they would talk to him, but they never got the chance that day. If you see him and you are much closer to Cedric as a friend, please let him know. (No one needs to respond that this wouldn’t happen if I wasn’t there. That is not the point or helpful.) BTW - if he says no he is not and you can check his phone, there are many apps that let you take pictures in private folders.
MiscWent to top of Pic Paradise for first time. Very beautiful but didn’t feel super comfortable place to be alone. But glad we did. Nothing happened, just way off the path. Driving still crazy with scooters, but traffic wasn’t terrible. Airport arrival still very primitive, but by coming in middle of week was still fast. Leaving of course very nice with all the new stuff open. Zee Best bakery by airport still wonderful. Had too much of that.
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