TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Boat Trip from Oyster Pond

Was wondering if someone can recommend a lunch or sunset sail or even a day cat sail to St. Bart's from Oyster Bay area? Don't want to drive very far to get it but would like some time on the water, not just on the beach!

Thanks, Sandy

Sandy,

Not a hundred percent certain but I seem to recall my daughter talking about catching a fast boat daytrip to STB from that area last year with a few of her girlfriends. She just arrived on island so I can't even get the info for you. Hoping someone else will know or perhaps she may see this later and comment?

Paul (of Captain Alan's Boat Charters) offers a c/o cruise over to St Bart's usually on Thursdays leaving from Oyster Pond. Not a cat however, but power boat. Here's the link: Capt Alan's Boat Charters
Click on the c/o link for info on the St Bart's charter.

Voyager ferry makes some of its departures to St Barth from Oyster Pond.

I don't know if there are any cats still making the trip. It's not like the old days when there were multiple cats sailing out of P'burg every day.

We used to enjoy the small sailcats from P'berg back in the day - the trips over weren't always (often?) smooth sailing but the sail back was always the best and lifetimes more fun than flying back.

I'm thinking that's probably the one I'm talking about. Don't think either my daughter or Sandy would be into the CO trip - but I guess I could be wrong? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Pat, my hubby can attest to your comment on the sailboat to STB. Back in 1980 he was so sick the captain offered money back and suggested he catch a plane.

Capt Alan's trips (power boats) leave from the dock right across from Mr Busbys! I am pretty sure they also do a picnic type trip to Tintemarre!

Just checked out his site...the 6 hr trip looks great with 3 stops for snorkelling and lunch!

We recently experienced the nightmare of our vacation lives in January from Sxm to st Bart's by popularly acclaimed powerboat. Check the weather waves and winds yourself before going. We were told we might get a little wet. Well, we got beat to death both ways for an hour with bruises to show for it. We could feel our spines compression when the water left beneath the boat and we hit the troughs of waves. We all got sick. We were bombarded by water so much we couldn't even communicate or wipe the water from our eyes before getting deluged over and over the entire hour. We forewent a stop at tintamare to just get back on land. We all feared for our lives as no way to get life preservers if capsized if we didn't get hit by the boat in process. When we got back, I checked the buoys for weather. 3.4 meter (11.2 ft) waves and 45 mph winds.

Recently I saw coast guard hearings on the El Faro accident where the CG Captain stated a severe weather rescue is 8 ft waves and 30 knot winds.

Again, check your weather yourself before making the crossing. They do sell good sea sickness stuff at the pharmacy in Gustavo's and 2 cheeseburgers and fries will cost you $50 bucks.

My recommendation, F L Y!

This sounds terrible. The captain was putting his passengers in danger and was not very responsible in my opinion. I hope he was not someone that we highly recommend here.