Maho Beach, recent storms????

[dodger1964]

I just pulled up the sunset bar webcam and it looks like the beach between the bar and the runway is gone!

 

We have been there many times and a couple of those trips had similar "rock exposure" on that portion of the beach.

 

My question is, Is this caused by a major storm, or is it just the way mother nature works?

 

Does the sand just come and go naturally, or do they bring sand in?

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

[JohnnyCruiser]

I always assumed jet blast had a lot to do with removing the sand. We did the Captain Alan Around SXM tour this February and when we got to Maho it didn't look any better or worse than before, but we never got that close in to get a good look. We fly to SXM next month, so we will get a closer look then. We have a crazy friend who likes to do the fence riding there.

 

Orient Beach on the other side of the island definitely has the sand come and go over time, so I would think the same happens on this side of the island.

Edited May 2, 2015 by JohnnyCruiser

[Life is Good Cruising]

I just pulled up the sunset bar webcam and it looks like the beach between the bar and the runway is gone!

 

We have been there many times and a couple of those trips had similar "rock exposure" on that portion of the beach.

 

My question is, Is this caused by a major storm, or is it just the way mother nature works?

 

Does the sand just come and go naturally, or do they bring sand in?

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

There has been no major storms recently in St. Maarten. The sand does just come and go naturally with the tide. I am not aware of them bringing any sand onto the beach. The beach will return back to normal, maybe within a week. We were just at Maho Beach on April 17 and there was plenty of sand on the beach for chairs and umbrellas.

 

Just as an fyi, Orient Beach that same day had quite a bit of seaweed on the beach and not so much in the water. Both beaches were enjoyable for us that day.

[CruisinCrow]

We were in St Martin on April 23 and I was surprised how little beach there was at Maho. But we'd never been there before so I had nothing to compare it to. I assumed they lost a lot of sand during Hurricane Gonzalo last year.

 

Here are a couple of pics:

 

 

[dodger1964]

From looking at the current video from sunset bar the sand is gone from the whole area on your top photo where the temporary umbrellas and chairs are placed.

 

We were there in the past where the rocks were exposed like they are now...i was just curious if mother nature replaced the sand or if the replacing of sand was done by hauling it in.

[dodger1964]

I just pulled up webcam this morning and it looks like they did haul sand in..

 

 

there are large piles of sand between the rocks and the road. (5/13/15)

[TNDeb]

My 'gang' will be in St. Marteen next month and our plans are to hang out at Moho Beach/Sunset Bar. What are y'alls recommendations on how to get from the port to this location?

[Life is Good Cruising]

My 'gang' will be in St. Marteen next month and our plans are to hang out at Moho Beach/Sunset Bar. What are y'alls recommendations on how to get from the port to this location?

 

Take a taxi from the pier to Maho Beach. Total cost would be:

1-2 people =$20

3-5 people= $9 pp

6-14 people= $7 pp

 

They are plenty of taxis at Maho Beach/Sunset Bar and Grill to take you back to your ship.

 

If you are on a tight budget you can also walk into the town of Philipsburg, a 15-20 min walk and catch a bus on Back St. for a dollar to Maho Beach. The license plate will indicate "BUS" on the minivans and they'll have a sign in the window indicating Maho/Mullet.

 

The flight schedule below is only for a 24 hour period. When it get closer to your sail date, a week before, check the schedule below on the *day* you will arrive. So if you arrive on a Wednesday, check the Wednesday prior to arrival and you'll see all the arrivals and departures times for each airline.

 

http://sunsetsxm.com/index.php/about-us/flight-schedules

 

Enjoy!

[dodger1964]

Take a taxi from the pier to Maho Beach. Total cost would be:

1-2 people =$20

3-5 people= $9 pp

6-14 people= $7 pp

 

They are plenty of taxis at Maho Beach/Sunset Bar and Grill to take you back to your ship.

 

If you are on a tight budget you can also walk into the town of Philipsburg, a 15-20 min walk and catch a bus on Back St. for a dollar to Maho Beach. The license plate will indicate "BUS" on the minivans and they'll have a sign in the window indicating Maho/Mullet.

 

The flight schedule below is only for a 24 hour period. When it get closer to your sail date, a week before, check the schedule below on the *day* you will arrive. So if you arrive on a Wednesday, check the Wednesday prior to arrival and you'll see all the arrivals and departures times for each airline.

 

http://sunsetsxm.com/index.php/about-us/flight-schedules

 

Enjoy!

 

Great summary!

 

We have rented jeep and also taken taxi.

 

taxi is very easy!

 

I'm not sure they would take less than a full (or almost full) van in the morning from the pier...They just pile you in the van until it fills up (which is very fast)

 

And do NOT worry about getting a taxi back from the beach...there will be many taxi's trying to find passengers...every time you walk back from beach towards the bar you will hear, "taxi back to the ship?"...you don't need to arrange return in advance.

 

have a great trip!!

[gtaylor]

<snip>

 

If you are on a tight budget you can also walk into the town of Philipsburg, a 15-20 min walk and catch a bus on Back St. for a dollar to Maho Beach. The license plate will indicate "BUS" on the minivans and they'll have a sign in the window indicating Maho/Mullet.

 

<snip>

 

The bus from Philipsburg to Maho or Mullet (or Marigot) would cost $2.

 

gary

[gtaylor]

<snip>

 

I'm not sure they would take less than a full (or almost full) van in the morning from the pier...They just pile you in the van until it fills up (which is very fast)

 

<snip>

 

I had an e-mail discussion with the prior head of the St. Maarten Taxi Association about this subject, and he assured me that even if your group is less than a full van you go when you're ready. If you choose to wait to fill the van, you may do so.

 

gary

[gtaylor]

This is a quote from the e-mail with the Taxi Association:

 

We run an operation at the dispatch area on the port "as the guest ready, next taxi leaves" there could be slights delays i.e. If guest prefer to wait on a bigger group to get a better price

 

gary

[dodger1964]

The bus from Philipsburg to Maho or Mullet (or Marigot) would cost $2.

 

gary

 

True....just remember (unless you are tendering), you will dock about 1/2 hour walk from Plilipsburg.

 

The taxi stand is right where the majority of passengers disembark ship.

 

And to the other comment, they might say they will leave (and i'm sure they do at times)...but in reality, in the morning they tend to get taxis pretty full (and it really only takes minutes to get full).

 

The taxis are very large 12?? passenger extended vans.

Edited May 15, 2015 by dodger1964

[luvtheships]

Ok a bit of a dilemma that I know you can help me with....

 

In January my college kids and I did a great snorkel excursion on mirabella catamaran thru ncl ba which gave us only about 45 minutes at mullet bay to swim after our snorkel stop. We loved this excursion btw

 

We will be back in st Martin next jan and might want to to it again...8:30 to 12:30 with an all aboard about 4:30 or 5:00

 

So...if we get off the excursion at the dock before 1pm do you think we would be able to grab a cab and get to a French side beach to spend 2 hours plus maybe catch a little local flavor and a pastry and then get back by 4:30?

 

I'm not concerned about taxi fares but just want to get a flavor of the French side

 

We really don't even need to go to a beach on the French side we just want to visit it

 

We will beach day it in st Thomas as we weren't to thrilled with our snorkel excursion there last year but saw a great deal if fish on our st Martin one so that why we would like to repeat it

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

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[dodger1964]

Ok a bit of a dilemma that I know you can help me with....

We will be back in st Martin next jan and might want to to it again...8:30 to 12:30 with an all aboard about 4:30 or 5:00

 

So...if we get off the excursion at the dock before 1pm do you think we would be able to grab a cab and get to a French side beach to spend 2 hours plus maybe catch a little local flavor and a pastry and then get back by 4:30?

 

I'm not concerned about taxi fares but just want to get a flavor of the French side

 

We really don't even need to go to a beach on the French side we just want to visit it

 

We will beach day it in st Thomas as we weren't to thrilled with our snorkel excursion there last year but saw a great deal if fish on our st Martin one so that why we would like to repeat it

 

Thanks

 

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possible? yes...but not recommended.

 

i would say it would be at least 30 minute drive each way with ZERO traffic...and that is pushing it. I guess if your back on board time is 5, and you leave port by 1, you could spend an hour (maybe two...ish) there, but with the not so dependable traffic I wouldn't risk it (and I am usually the one that would say go for it on these boards...as opposed to some that won't do anything that has the slightest chance of having time issues)

 

you can check with the tour and see if they can drop you off somewhere else besides back at the dock to save some time.

 

have a great trip

[gtaylor]

Take a taxi from the pier to Maho Beach. Total cost would be:

1-2 people =$20

3-5 people= $9 pp

6-14 people= $7 pp

 

They are plenty of taxis at Maho Beach/Sunset Bar and Grill to take you back to your ship.

 

If you are on a tight budget you can also walk into the town of Philipsburg, a 15-20 min walk and catch a bus on Back St. for a dollar to Maho Beach. The license plate will indicate "BUS" on the minivans and they'll have a sign in the window indicating Maho/Mullet.

 

The flight schedule below is only for a 24 hour period. When it get closer to your sail date, a week before, check the schedule below on the *day* you will arrive. So if you arrive on a Wednesday, check the Wednesday prior to arrival and you'll see all the arrivals and departures times for each airline.

 

http://sunsetsxm.com/index.php/about-us/flight-schedules

 

Enjoy!

The bus from Philipsburg to Maho or Mullet (or Marigot) would cost $2.

 

gary

 

True....just remember (unless you are tendering), you will dock about 1/2 hour walk from Plilipsburg.

 

The taxi stand is right where the majority of passengers disembark ship.

 

And to the other comment, they might say they will leave (and i'm sure they do at times)...but in reality, in the morning they tend to get taxis pretty full (and it really only takes minutes to get full).

 

The taxis are very large 12?? passenger extended vans.

 

As you can see, I was responding to Life is Good and the comment about being on a tight budget.

 

You can check the taxi site to see that the taxi vans accommodate up to 14.

 

(click)

 

The head of the Taxi Association told me directly that "as the guest ready, next taxi leaves". Perhaps you can dispute that with the taxi association, but if I arrive, just two of us, and want to go then, I would expect them to go.

 

 

gary

[luvtheships]

possible? yes...but not recommended.

 

i would say it would be at least 30 minute drive each way with ZERO traffic...and that is pushing it. I guess if your back on board time is 5, and you leave port by 1, you could spend an hour (maybe two...ish) there, but with the not so dependable traffic I wouldn't risk it (and I am usually the one that would say go for it on these boards...as opposed to some that won't do anything that has the slightest chance of having time issues)

 

you can check with the tour and see if they can drop you off somewhere else besides back at the dock to save some time.

 

have a great trip

 

Thanks

 

While it is costly and we don't usually do it.... I was actually thinking if just booking the morning snorkel and the afternoon beach break thru ncl as it supposedly won't overlap

 

Will think it over of course and probably will pass but its just a thought at this point

 

Thanks we will have a great day. This I am sure of

 

 

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[dodger1964]

Anybody been there recently...I pulled up webcam today and the beach looks worse that it did when I first made this thread.

 

It looks like over half the beach in now rocks?

[cruisintwinsmom]

Anybody been there recently...I pulled up webcam today and the beach looks worse that it did when I first made this thread.

 

It looks like over half the beach in now rocks?

 

I was there last week and it was rocky, but we still had a great time.

[Karysa]

Anybody been there recently...I pulled up webcam today and the beach looks worse that it did when I first made this thread.

 

It looks like over half the beach in now rocks?

 

To be honest Maho did not look good Wednesday morning. There was only beach in the middle and it was not deep so there would not be much room if lots of people showed up at the same time. Also there was lots of used beer bottles at the top of the beach in that middle section by the road. Perhaps the trash looked worse to me than usual because there was very little beach. Sunset Bar and Grill had some beach chairs set up very close to the bar by the water.

[emmy]

Anybody been there recently...I pulled up webcam today and the beach looks worse that it did when I first made this thread.

 

It looks like over half the beach in now rocks?

 

I too am interested in why this happens. This year I have been to Maho in February and in April and nice beach both times. I have been in October in other years and very rocky.

 

I too keep checking the Sunset Beach bar webcam and also see how rocky it is right now. http://sunsetsxm.com/index.php/webcam

 

Personally would not go for a beach day if it is rocky but good to go and watch some planes and have a drink and/or food at Sunset.

 

Will go to Mullet Beach this time in St maarten in October and walk to Maho to catch a few planes.