2008 - New St. Maarten Fees

Since today is December 31st, 2007 I thought we should go and pay our port fee for last week before the rates go up tomorrow.

Last week for a 9-14 metre boat (we are documented as 33.5 feet) we paid $10.30

For the coming week, for an 8-13 metre boat it is twice that... $20.65

She told us that she didn't charge us for the bridge though. What? We are out in Simpson Bay and do not intend to come into the Lagoon. I asked her about bridge fees and she said for a boat our size, it would cost $10 each time we enter the Lagoon.

I went to their web site http://www.sxmlagoonauthority.com/ but they don't have the new fees posted.



So, it will be interesting to see what happens. Will we have more neighbors out here in Simpson Bay? Most people think it is too rolly. Or will they not want to pay twice as much and go over to the French side?

I'd like to check out the French side and see what is happening there. Last July, the French Port person told us that they have mooring fees in place but they haven't enforced them yet. He said that they probably would in the coming season.

So it goes :)

FRIDAY BOAT CAT BLOGGING - Buffy & Willow

The population on So It Goes has doubled this week... Meet Buffy and Willow.



We adopted the little girls last Thursday and brought them home Saturday. They are now 8 weeks old and are quite a pair! They have quickly adapted to the boat.

We adopted them from the animal shelter at our vet's (ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES) in St. Maarten. See a previous posting with a photo of how to get there... CLICK HERE

I think it is best to park the dinghy at the PdP (Port de Plaisance) Marina and walk up as shown on the photo but you can also get there easily from Island Water World but that road is not as good to walk on... not much of a shoulder when there is one and lot of cars. From the PdP marina you walk up through the parking lot of the casino/hotel to the main road where there is a sidewalk.

Lots more to come... Sorry for being so far behind with the blogs.

Happy holidays!

Gosh, it's almost Christmas

We have been so busy sailing to the various boat shows the past 6 weeks that Christmas has once again snuck up on us. I can't believe that it is almost the end of 2007. Time flies, even island time :)

So, what to do... I'm going to send some Amazon Gift Certificates. They can be sent via email, by "normal" mail, or along with an electronic greeting card. Not as personal as a specifically chosen gift, but I'm sure they will be very useful & appreciated.

Here's a link:
CLICK HERE for AMAZON GIFT CERTIFICATES

Happy Holidays!

Sorry for no posts, been busy

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but we've been busy with the two charter yacht shows in the Virgin Islands and also the Antigua charter yacht show.

We just arrived in St. Maarten yesterday (Monday) after an exhilarating sail from Antigua.

More soon come :)

St. Maarten fees going UP

Just saw in the paper (CLICK FOR ARTICLE) that the fees are going up.

The exchange rate for Dutch St. Maarten is One US Dollar = 1.80 NAF but what they call Guilders in St. Maarten (Netherland Antilles Florins)... go figure :)

The new departure fees, commonly called bridge fees, for cruise ships (megayachts) per one-week stay or part thereof will be NAf. 18 for vessels with a length of nine metres or more but fewer than 14 metres; NAf. 27 for vessels with a length of 14 metres or more but fewer than 20 metres; NAf. 45 for vessels with a length of 20 metres or more but fewer than 28 metres; NAf. 81 for vessels with a length of 28 metres or more but fewer than 36 metres; NAf. 153 for vessels with a length of 36 metres or more. For all other vessels the fee will be NAf. 18.

The new harbour fees that are due for passenger ships or yachts per one-week stay or part thereof will be NAf. 36 for vessels with a length of 8 metres or more but fewer than 13 metres; NAf. 72 for vessels with a length of 13 metres or more but fewer than 18 metres; NAf. 108 for vessels with a length of 18 metres or more but fewer than 23 metres; NAf. 162 for vessels with a length of 23 metres or more but fewer than 28 metres; NAf. 216 for vessels with a length of 28 metres or more but fewer than 33 metres; NAf. 270 for vessels with a length of 33 metres or more but fewer than 39 metres; NAf. 324 for vessels with a length of 38 metres or more but fewer than 43 metres.

We just did a week in Simpson Bay and it cost us $10.30 for 2 people aboard a Cal-34. Then when we checked out there was a $2.07 fee. Not bad... Antigua is costing us $44 for the week but that does include a months' cruising fee.

So it goes....