THE LEEWARD SIDE OF ST. MARTIN

0945 February 19, 2015, Simpson Lagoon, St. Martin: We cast off the dock at Simpson Bay Marina in preparation for the 1030 hours out going bridge opening. As we were side tied on the port side we could not lift the dingy at the dock. Allen drove the dingy out into the main channel where we worked against a 25 nmph ENE wind to hoist our 1200 lb dingy to the fly bridge level,  and stay in the relatively narrow channel. By the time we got close to the 1030 opening there were two super yachts and a dozen others along with us, maneuvering in tight quarters while being blown by the steady 25 nmph wind. To the extent we could we stayed back and let others jockey for place in the line. 

The north swell that had been running since we had arrived at St. Martin had finally subsisted and the wind and swell were aligned from the ENE returning the leeward side of the Island. We headed west to around Pointe Canonnier and then planned to proceed north along the west (leeward) side of the Island. Although our chart showed a reef extending well beyond the point, the water on the chart 100 meters off shore, was over 35 feet and continued to get deeper further off shore. As we were heading west, and it was now around 1100 hours, the sun was above and behind us providing ideal conditions to read the depth of the water by its color. Notwithstanding ideal conditions, I can say from personal experience this is not an exact science. Turquoise colored water means a sand bottom. I have seen turquoise water from 3 feet to 40 plus feet, depending on the angle. Sand colored water usually means water 5 feet or less but I have seen sand colored water at ten feet or more where a strong current has mixed the sand in the water turning turquoise water to sand colored.

As we reached Pointe Canonnier 100 meters off shore the turquoise water heading further west in front of us, was turning gradually more sand colored although the depth sounder was giving us readings consistent with the chart. As we looked further west, beyond the point, the water looked more and more sand colored. We had purchased the latest Navionics charts before leaving for this trip to give us confidence we had the latest information available. The water was more turquoise to our starboard closer to shore so we turned before we had planned to, rounding the point about 50 meters off shore where the water was shallower. During this entire time we didn't receive any depth readings that varied from our chart. 

Having rounded the point we headed for Anse Marcel with the thought of anchoring there and using the beach facilities of the new up scaled beach bar and restaurant at the west end of the cove. We entered the cove twice to try to find a place to anchor with some protection from the swell wrapping around the north entrance to the Cove. Water depths were 30 feet. With a 10 ft bow it's 40 ft above the bottom, and with a 5 to 1 ratio for a chain rode it's 200 ft. With a 64 ft boat that's a diameter of 528 feet.  On second look, with the other boats in the Cove there was not this amount of room. With hills that surrounded the cove and the land effect causing back winding we could expect at night, we could not rely on the predicted relatively constant ENE wind to keep us swing on one side of the anchor circle. We decided to head back south, around  Bell Point to Grand Case Bay where we found calm conditions and lots of room. 

Allen and I spent part of the afternoon snorkeling around Creole Rock, a popular snorkeling and diving spot just west of Bell Point. Although the water was still murky from a week of the north swell, the fish and coral were beautiful.