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Wednesday, 12/8/04 - Philipsburg, St. Maarten - 10:00am-6:00pm
Wednesday morning found us arriving at our next port, the island of St. Maarten. The ship was too large to dock at the pier so we had to be tendered in to shore. We marveled at the gorgeous turquiose color and clarity of the water as we made our way to the pier.
The orange tenders (also the lifeboats) appear tiny, compared to the size of the ship, but each one is large enough to ferry 150 passengers.
Once we reached the dock, we had a magnificent view of the coastline in either direction. Yes, the water really is that clear, the beaches that white. It is paradise personified.
Bob and I spent some time wandering through downtown Philipsburg, checking out the local architecture and shops (you couldn't miss the golden arches!). All of the local merchants from the open marketplace was very friendly and helpful. She's not just smiling because we bought something from her!
The town of Philipsburg
There are many varities of architecture in Philipsburg - from the shingles of the Episcopalian church; the plank-style of the courthouse; to the stucco of the Catholic church.
The cotton-candy colored building is a local schoolhouse. And finally, a resort along the beach.
Kayaking in Simpson Bay Lagoon
With the shopping done, we met with our tour guide, Anka, of the Rendezvous Tour Company. We boarded a bus to go to Simpson Bay Lagoon for an afternoon of kayaking. We knew that the average age group on the ship would limit the number of pasengers going on this tour, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that there were only 8 or 9 of us total - out of 1800!
Bob and I usually paddle alone, but it was slightly windy and the water was choppy so we agreed to a double-kayak. It was a lot of work but well worth it (I hope Bob agrees - he definitely pulled his share, and more, of the weight). The saltwater lagoon is landlocked and bordered by the Dutch and French sides of St. Maarten. St. Maarten is split in 'half' and its halves are governed by the two countries. The trip took us over the aquatic border of St. Maarten, from the Dutch to the French side where we stopped at Explorer Island for a quick dip in the lagoon before continuing our kayaking journey.
On the paddle back, we made our way past another small island in the lagoon, home to some wild pigs. We finished by kayaking up the shoreline of mangroves and observing sea cucumbers and 'upside-down' jellyfish of the most brilliant blues and purples. Around the marina, temporary home of many multi-million dollar yachts, and back to land for a cool drink. Unfortunately, due to the type of excursion, we were unable to take along the camera and only have a few shots. I have to plug this excursion - if you're in St. Maartenand want a way a fun and scenic way to work off some of the wonderful cruise food, book this tour!
We returned to the ship, tired after our exercise. Bob and spent some time before dinner relaxing in our cabin and watching the lights come on over the island as dusk approached until the sun set. Tomorrow would bring our next stop, Road Town, Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands.
