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Arrived yesterday after a red eye start from PDX through MIA to SXM, all went very smooth other than I did not get much sleep. Arrival we ended up with stairs to a bus, the one thing I would note as we after getting off the bus and entered the building we walked down a bit and then you turn left and have to climb a half flight of stairs. Something to keep in mind as you attach bags to make that walk and then have to carry them again. We then entering from that direction got put in a line to get to the kiosk which was short, a solid 20 plus minutes shorter than the line that was feeding from the flights that had jet bridges. Luck of the draw I guess, and while normally that would have saved us a bunch of time we had checked boxes of items for the island that we had to wait for.
From the airport we went directly to Dany's and had a rum punch, it has become our new "we are here" cocktail. From there tired but knowing it is best to rally and do your best that first night we ended up at La Rosa for dinner, excellent as usual although service was a bit slow but we are hearing that is an island issue presently. Oh well, no hurry here. When about to leave it started raining, as we walked to the car it started really raining. Very wet by time to car and while it calmed for a bit when we got back to BSV, but then rained most of the night, at least when we would wake up now and then. Thunder and lightning woke me up a couple times, but slept fairly well. This morning we had a bit of a break from the rain but then about 830am it started to dump again, very heavy rain. We went out in search of grocery noting it is 11/11 and most everything is closed. The roads are flooded like I have never seen before, to start it is flooded all the way from D's Beach Bar to Sunset to a point we were concerned about getting through. Maho Market was closed so we first thought Jordan Village but didn't figure we could get through Lake Mullet. Instead we headed for Simpson Bay and it was slow moving with most of the roads covered at least partially with standing water. Half the cars were driving with hazard lights on, it was slow moving and lane adjustments to avoid the largest of the puddles. Again, have never seen rain like this here or this much standing water. Most if not all the markets were closed but Garden Market was open so we picked up enough to get through some meals and cocktails here in case we are stuck. It was actually more difficult to get back through the water coming back, we were concerned in a few places but made it back at one point putting one set of wheels on a curb.
Notable flooding, Taps and Still has standing water completely covering the entrance area. We saw employees arriving but standing and looking at the place, guessing their floor inside the kitchen area is flooded at this time. Lake Atrium was all the way into the Burger King drive through, turning left from Garden Market to Billy Folly was another point of concern if we would make it through. We are in a Toyota Raize which has a bit more clearance than a Corolla but not a lot.
We would love to hear a Lake Mullet report if anybody knows, we would like to go for sunset, even if just for a cocktail and no sunset visible.
We get bits of clearing and then more rain, optimistic that most of the heavy rain has passed but would not bet on it.
Cheers from rainy wet St Maarten! Happy to be here, lucky to be here.
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