John, FS/K9EL will be active again from Saint Martin Island, IOTA NA - 105, 4 - 18 June 2025.
He will operate on 160 - 6m.
QSL via home call, LOTW, ClubLog OQRS.
St. Maarten is a true Caribbean treasure!
St. Maarten was inhabited by Arawaks (Amerindians) before Columbus' great discovery and was called the “Isle of Salt”. This name was given to the territory because of the large number of deposits of this mineral. As soon as the American continent was discovered in 1492, these lands were renamed Saint Martin, and on November 11 of the same year were put on the world map. A century and a half later, the first colonists - the Dutch and the French - settled on the island, and since then they have coexisted peacefully for more than 400 years. The treaty they signed in 1648 is one of the oldest treaties still in force.
Geographical location and politics of the island
St. Maarten is part of the Caribbean archipelago and sits atop an underwater volcano. The island is washed by the Caribbean Sea to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The entire length of the coastline is 58.9 kilometers, and it has almost 40 beaches. The coastline is framed by small coral reefs and small lagoons.
The uniqueness and a kind of record of St. Maarten is that it is the world's smallest inhabited island. Its area is only 87 km2. But that's not all! This territory has two capitals - Marigot and Flepsburg, which is due to the treaty between France and the Netherlands. Holland owns the southern part, while the north belongs to France and the European Union.
Climatic features and their influence on flora and fauna
Tropical dry climate prevails on the island. Temperatures do not fall below 24°C all year round, but on average remain between 27-32°C. Rains are more frequent in the fall, and their absence is observed from February to March. The most favorable time for tourists to visit is considered the period from December to April. Such a climate has led to the fact that St. Maarten can not boast a rich flora and fauna. Here you can see cacti and palm trees, hibiscus, and in the interior of the island there are several small forests. Animals include mainly tropical birds and lizards, as well as many feral pets.
Culinary treasures
A great attention on the island is paid to the culinary art. St. Maarten has its own gastronomic region, the Grand Caz, where you will be treated to the most original dishes and taught the culture of food. The recipes closely intertwine the traditions of Creole, Caribbean and Europe. The basis is made up of delicacies from the sea - seaweed, various shellfish and crustaceans. Among the most popular dishes are:
1. Seafood-based: lucian, coconut-fish soup, croqueshi, wine soup.
2. Meat-based: pasteshis (patties), ajakas roll, cabrito stoba lamb stew.
3. Desserts: kokada lollipops, johnny-cake cupcakes, caramel quesio, pan-bati scones, potato-based pudding pudin di patato.
Special attention is paid to alcoholic beverages prepared according to original recipes. Thus, locals make several varieties of beer, as well as the famous liqueur “Guavaberry”. It is based on Caribbean rum, sugars, but the most important ingredient is guava berries, which appear only one month a year (in August).
The most interesting sights and their features
The most unique place on the island is Maho Beach. Next to it is the Princess Juliana International Airport with a very short landing and take-off strip - 2180 meters. By the way, the planes fly right a few meters above the heads of holidaymakers and can even jet blow people into the water. For many extreme athletes, this is a kind of attraction. In addition, there are other attractions:
1. the Botanical Garden, which houses about 35 species of birds and reptiles, as well as rare St. Kitts monkeys.
2. Butterfly Farm, where you can find unique varieties of these winged insects.
3. Bay Hill Lookout Tower, the highest point on the island where you can see the entire coastline as if in the palm of your hand.
4 . St. Maarten Museum. It houses the island's ancient artifacts, and various items of history, such as elements of the sunken frigate Proselyte.
5. Monument to Queen Wilhelmina, who played an important role in the development of the island and led the resistance during World War II.
6. Fort Amsterdam, the first Dutch base in the Caribbean and Fort Willem, captured during the resistance with the British.
7. The Boundary Monument stands on Mount Concordia and commemorates the act of dividing the territory belonging to the two states, but the boundary is completely conventional.
The island of St. Maarten offers absolutely different types of entertainment. You can go on safari, windsurfing, sailing, kitesurfing, diving, kayaking. There is a duty-free zone on the whole territory, so there is a whole street with duty-free boutiques.
Holland also could not fail to make its contribution to the entertainment structure of the island and allowed gambling, thanks to which 12 modern casinos were built on St. Maarten.