Island News
Oyster Pond Resort Reopens After Repairs, Remodelling
After nine months of reconstruction and remodeling due to Hurricane Irma, Oyster Bay Beach Resort officially reopened June 1 with close to half of its accommodations and all of the amenities online. The remainder of the resort is expected to be complete by year’s end. As rooms are completed, they will be available to the guests.
All the amenities of the resort have been re-constructed, including the resort’s signature ocean-front Infinity Pool. The pool has been upgraded with a new pool deck and water features. There are also a completely redesigned and refurbished lobby, gym, guest laundry, bodega and spa.
Multihull Challenge Sets Sail in February
The Caribbean Multihull Challenge/St. Maarten will set sail for the first time February 8 to 10. Organized by the St. Maarten Yacht Club, founders of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, The Challenge will be open only to multihull.
Back in the 1950’s St. Maarten was the birthplace of multihull sailing in the Caribbean with inspired designs from Peter Spronk who built boats here that are still sailing today. '
The Caribbean Multihull Challenge St. Maarten will embrace all that is great about multihull sailing. “This event will welcome every multihull type: Gunboats, Trimarans, Lagoons, Leopards, Fontaine Pajot and Sprong boats,” said Steering Committee Chairman, Petro Jonker.
He continued, “We will even throw in a Pirate Class so local charter boats with fun handicaps can also race. The whole idea is to offer creative races that will put a smile on every sailor’s face.
Survivors Troupe Sweeps Carnival Children's Parade
Jasmine Philips’ Survivors troupe won Best Troupe and Best Individual Piece in the 2018 Carnival Children’s parade on April 15, 2018. The parade started at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium and made its way through the street of Philipsburg before ending inside the Carnival Village.
Even though the parade was relatively small this year, Carnival Tropical troupe had a large group and was able to make the parade a bit longer. Mo Fantasy also contributed to the parade by having its children troupe take part. St. Marten Carnival Foundation Parade Coordinator Gina Illidge thanked the groups that participated and hopes to get more groups for next year’s 50th carnival.
SCDF has been looking to get the schools involved and hopes to work with Government to get public school groups to come out and make the parade a spectacular showcase.
Nature Foundation Relaunches Coral Restoration Program
Hundreds of children gathered at different locations around the island over the long holiday weekend to enjoy Nature Foundation which has started to populate its first coral nursery structures again after most of the previous coral nurseries were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irma and Maria.
The Foundation has slowly started to implement its “Fragments of Recovery” coral restoration projects with installing the first two coral reef nurseries in an attempt to repopulate hurricane damaged reefs around the island with rare coral species. The first Staghorn corals have been transplanted to the coral nursery station on the dive site Moonscape close to Simpson Bay. The two nursery ladders from the Nature Foundation are now populated with coral fragments in order to raise new coral colonies to repopulate the diamonds coral reefs.
In the coming month more nursery ladders will be places and populated with Staghorn and also Elkhorn fragments. The coral nursery will be checked and cleaned regularly to prevent algae growth and to secure optimal growth conditions for the corals.
News courtesy of Caribbean Gems
Roxxy Beach Restaurant to Bring French Savior-Faire to Kim Sha
Kim Sha Beach will soon be welcoming a new restaurant on this golden strip of sand in the heart of Simpson Bay by the name of Roxxy Beach, a restaurant that promises to add a touch of sophistication and French flair but tempered to meet the tastes of an international market. An unnamed American investor and frequent visitor to the island is behind Roxxy Beach which is due to open in November/December of this year.
“It’s a traditional beach restaurant concept of restaurant, bar, watersports, chairs and umbrellas and open for lunch and dinner,” Ravel owner of the restaurant revealed.
The sports concession will be run by Mark Sollinger who has a lot of experience and knowledge and that’s very important for us.
News courtesy Caribbean Gems
Ritz Carlton Yacht Inaugural Itineraries include St.Maarten
Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection, the newest entry into the world of luxury cruising, has released the itineraries for its first full season in 2020 and they include sailing to St. Maarten as well as to almost all corners of the world.
The line will open up its inaugural Caribbean season with five night round-trip sailing from Fort Lauderdale on February 1, 2020 a 10 night Fort Lauderdale to Barbados sailing February 5; a seven night Barbados to Cartagena sailing February 15 and a seven night Cartagena to Barbados sailing February 22. During the rest of the season, the line will journey to St. Lucia, San Juan, St. Maarten, Cozumel and more.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection chief executive officer Doug Prothro said he sees growth potential up to six yachts.
The vessel is designed to transit the canals that connect the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes, and he expects in the future itineraries will include places like Chicago and the various resort areas of the lakes.
News courtesy Caribbean Gems
Fewer Trucks, but more Fun for Jouvert Jump-Up 2018
The annual Jouvert Morning Jump-Up took place on Friday April 27, 2018 with thirteen musical trailers on the streets making sure that revelers kept fit with their musical selections. The event had fewer bands than last year’s 22, but Carnival lovers did not seem to mind as they went to jump behind the different trucks.
The Jump-Up began just minutes after 4:00am. Police and emergency officials were out in full force with every truck and hundreds started to gather alongside the streets in Philipsburg to start jamming. The Jump-UP ended at the Carnival Village just before 11:00am and revellers, as customary, flocked to the Carnival booths for coffee, bush tea or some good old fashioned Johnny cakes with chicken leg, not forgetting a variety of soups.
St. Maarten Carnival Foundation thanked all stakeholders for taking part in this year’s fete and looks forward to their participation in 2019 events, which will be the 50th anniversary of Carnival in St. Maarten.
News courtesy Caribbean Gems