Renting a boat on St. Martin
St Martin marinasA motor boat or sail boat, with or without a skipper, remains the traditional way of discovering the island and the surrounding areas, day trips to neighbouring islands and sailing the turquoise waters in a warm and welcoming atmosphere are also quite interesting.

Whether you are an experienced sailor or you are looking to get away for a couple of days on a boat with a skipper; whether you like surfing the waves in a speed boat or you prefer to harness the power of the wind on a sailboat, there’s something for every boating enthusiast on St. Martin.

Regattas
St. Martin enjoys a solid reputation among sailing professionals.
Each year in March, the globe’s best sailors gather on St. Martin for the world-renowned Heineken Regatta and again in November for the Alliance Race.
Yachts in all categories also head to the island in May for Captain Olivers' Regatta.
And all year round, sail boat and motor boat enthusiasts alike can board racing boats from Bobby’s Marina.

Diving clubs on St. Martin

The turquoise waters off Saint Martin are teeming with hidden treasures such as multicolored fish, rays, turtles, seashells and crustaceans, coral, seaweed and marine plants.

Scuba diving is the best way to experience the rich life of the ocean depths, especially when visibility is still possible at 100 meters underwater.

There are over 45 listed diving sites on St. Martin and the island’s diving clubs offer first-timers and experienced divers the chance to come and enjoy this huge underwater playground. With guaranteed new discoveries around the coral reefs and sea grass, diving here will appeal to the old and young alike.
Very experienced divers will enjoy exploring the cannon and anchors of HMS Proselyte, a Navy frigate that was wrecked in 1801.

The underwater fairyland is accessible from any of the island’s beaches with a snorkel and mask, including the sandy sea floor of the Nature Reserve (Tintamarre and Pinel Island). The best snorkeling spots are the coral reef at Dawn Beach, Friars Bay, Pelican Key and Pinel Island, where there is an underwater snorkeling trail. Snorkelers should take a boat trip to some of the fantastic snorkeling sites just off the coast, such as Creole Rock in Grand Case.

For children and adults, you can also discover the seabed without constraints with a diver !

Wind surfing on St. Martin
Of all the water-based board sports, wind surfing, which harnesses the power of the wind to push you across the water, is surely one of the most exhilarating and most physically demanding. From first-timers to experienced funboarders, the eastern coast of the island, which is exposed to the trade winds, offers year-round fun in relatively sheltered surroundings.
Average winds are between force 3 and force 4.

windsurfing spots
• Orient Bay
Orient Bay Beach is over 3km long and is one of the most versatile sites in the Caribbean, and is adequate for many different activities.
• Le Galion
A favorite surf spot, Le Galion is also popular with wind surfers.
• Nettle Bay
Baie Nettlé or Nettle Bay is a long bay on the Caribbean coast.

Surfing on St. Martin
Of all the board sports, surfing demands a special effort from Mother Nature herself. This interaction with the immense power of the waves gives surfers a “philosophy” that is entirely unique to them. These spots are also suitable for body boarders and fearless wind surfers.
St. Martin has a number of well-known surf spots. When the swell picks up, the surfers gather around these spots, awaiting the right conditions to ride the waves.

Deep-sea fishing on St. Martin
St. Martin is an exceptional extreme fishing destination.

st martin deep sea fishingThe waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean that surround Saint Martin are extremely fish-rich and specially renowned for being home to the largest blue marlin on the planet. There is even a Marlin Boulevard, a famous spot for these beautiful specimens. The entire zone is incredibly fish-rich and many species can be found here, including barracuda, mahi-mahi, black fin and yellow fin tuna and wahoo.

October marks the start of the mahi mahi and wahoo fishing season, and June and July are the best months to try your luck at catching marlin.
Several operators run day and half-day fishing trips from the French and Dutch marinas, giving you the chance to try the sport and enjoy a pleasant trip out on the seas at the same time.

Each year, the island holds two deep-sea fishing contests, attracting participants from all over the world: The Marlin Cup (May) and The BillFish Tournament (June) which leaves from Marigot waterfront and is renowned throughout the Caribbean (see www.billfish-tournament.com).