A road sign of good times: Sint Maarten/Saint Martin

American Visions, Dec-Jan, 1996 by Henry Chase

The museum in Marigot is notably better (though still far from impressive) in representing the diaspora's experience on St. Martin. Here, you will find Amerindian artifacts and interpretation, wall panels explaining the European rivalries that swirled around the island, an outline of agricultural development (especially tobacco and sugar production, the latter of which led to the large-scale importation of abducted Africans), one panel on slavery, one drawing of the Middle Passage, and photographs of salt and wharf workers (circa 1900-1940) and of domestic scenes in the black communities. Upstairs, art is for sale.

For another taste of the island's black heritage, visitors should note the Seaview Hotel in Philipsburg. This, the island's oldest modern hotel, was founded by a prominent Garveyite, Melford Hazel, whose family still runs it. Look also for the nearby Oranje School, the island's first public school. Here, Carlos Cooks -- the well-known Harlernite street speaker and nationalist of Garveyite leanings (see The Autobiography of Malcolm X) -- spent much of his youth.

RECOMMENDED

The Butterfly Farm, located on the French side adjacent to Orient Beach, is the most unique attraction on St. Martin. You'll be surprised how enjoyable it is to learn the differences between moths and butterflies. the evolutionary strategies of food consumption, and the warning signs that butterflies or their chrysalides) employ to convince predators to eat something else. it may sound like school, but the talk is informative and humorous and the butterflies are quite beautiful. As you turn off the main road toward Orient Beach, continue past the marked left turn for the beach. Twenty yards further on, on your right, is La Ferme des Papillons. Enjoy.

The other unique island experience is the St. Maarten 12-Metre Challenge. This is an opportunity to sail competitively one of several of the multimillion-dollar yachts that competed for the 1987 America's Cup race (including Stars and Stripes '87 which won the cup).

Groups of up to 30 people are divided into teams and placed aboard two boats. Contestants take part in a brief training session; are offered crew positions (such as main grinder or mainsail winch); sail to the race course, practicing maneuvers as they go; jockey for position with the competing boat so as to cross the start line first; and then race a shortened three-leg version of the America's Cup course, tacking, grinding, jibing along the way, dueling for the fractional advantage of wind and speed that will bring their boat home first.

No previous sailing experience is necessary (there are a professional skipper and three crew members aboard each boat). Sixty dollars buys you 2 1/2 hours of real excitement. A word of advice; Although it is not absolutely necessary, take your gym gloves (and if you man the mainsail winch, you'd better hope that you haven't cut the fingertips off the gloves).

TIPS

The French side of the island is a joy -- where else can you experience a slice of the French Caribbean while speaking English? Marigot is lovely; be sure to climb the hill leading to Fort Louis, from which you'll see the town and bay spread out beneath you. Grand Case, the closest thing to an unspoiled large village on the island, is renowned for the breadth of its restaurants -- Why wouldn't you take advantage of reasonably priced, great French cooking?