Beach in downtown Philipsburg

[dixieva]

Last year we took the water taxi over to downtown and saw a really nice beach where you could rent chairs and umbrellas and get a bucket of beer cheap. We'll be going back in a couple of weeks and thought we would spend some time there but someone told me that there is quite a drop off when walking out into the water. She said it was pretty bad. I am not a very good swimmer so now I'm afraid that's not going to be a good beach for me.

 

Any thoughts?

[Miss Vickie]

Last year we took the water taxi over to downtown and saw a really nice beach where you could rent chairs and umbrellas and get a bucket of beer cheap. We'll be going back in a couple of weeks and thought we would spend some time there but someone told me that there is quite a drop off when walking out into the water. She said it was pretty bad. I am not a very good swimmer so now I'm afraid that's not going to be a good beach for me.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Great bay is lovely for relaxing, people watching, stuff like that, but there is a pollution issue; I wouldn't swim there.

[dixieva]

Really? Thanks for that information.

[CanadaDeb]

That beach is also a bit hard on the feet. There are lots of broken up sea shells and it's best to have shoes or flips flops on your feet.

[OCruisers]

We especially enjoy the Beach Bars overly looking Great Bay Beach. It's right there and a good thing to do before or after an excursion. :)

 

LuLu

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[Spurs Fans]

There are several threads here regarding the pollution of the water in Great Bay. As stated earlier, it is pretty to look at and the beach is nice, but don't go in the water. (BTW, the water looks nice as well, thus giving some the false impression that there is no pollution, but microbes do not discolor the water.)

[carbon]

Are there showers to wash off at the beach? Plus do not drink the water.

[the_journeyman]

There is a wonderful little pirate bar with bar stools looking out an opening the view great bay. We're re-shooting few "4 years later" shots from when we stopped in there on our honeymoon and set up a couple neat shots.

 

JM

[tocruzagain]

So, I've seen several different threads over the past few years about the pollution in the water at Great Bay as well as read that the if Great Bay is polluted then so are the other beaches there due to the ebb and flow of the tidal currents. Every time we have been to St. Maarten there have been lots of people swimming there at the beach, and I have not ever read any threads about people getting sick after swimming there. Has anyone heard that people are getting sick after swimming in Great Bay???

[OCruisers]

No, we have never heard of anyone getting sick from swimming there! :)

 

Back when EVERYTING COOL was open, we got in the water many times. Never a problem!

 

LuLu

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[Karysa]

So, I've seen several different threads over the past few years about the pollution in the water at Great Bay as well as read that the if Great Bay is polluted then so are the other beaches there due to the ebb and flow of the tidal currents. Every time we have been to St. Maarten there have been lots of people swimming there at the beach, and I have not ever read any threads about people getting sick after swimming there. Has anyone heard that people are getting sick after swimming in Great Bay???

 

People who believe it to be polluted won't swim there and people who have been on this board saying that it's not polluted and go anyway would not come on here and tell us that they got sick despite the warnings and people who don't know about the pollution issues probably would think that it was something they ate and not figure that it was the water that they swam in that made them sick. I wouldn't put too much faith in the no news is goods news thing on this one.

 

 

If you go when the ships are not in even though lots of people live around this area you will not see many people at all in the water at Great Bay other than the odd tourist. This says a lot to me.

[Davey-D-99]

Well I didnt know anything about pollution. Had an awesome beach day there.

40 bucks for 4 chairs, umbrellas, noodles, water trampoline for kids...and an ice cold bucket of beer. Beach was full...we all spent hours in the water. No problems.

 

So close to the ships...it was just a perfect day.

[wallie5446]

No, we have never heard of anyone getting sick from swimming there! :)

 

Back when EVERYTING COOL was open, we got in the water many times. Never a problem!

 

LuLu

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Oh how we miss Everytin Cool!

[OCruisers]

Oh how we miss Everytin Cool!

 

Us too! Glad I still have my T-Shirt!

 

LuLu

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