To Colour1 ... there were some cruisers on Orient Beach that we saw, but not like in the past when you would see hoards on them filling up beach chairs or having lunch at Pedro's. I would guess that people getting beach chairs and an umbrella on Orient was down about 20 percent, but that's just a guess. It may simply look that way because more places are now open and visitors are spreading out among them. The clothing optional beach was fairly crowded, especially on that Friday.

Now , for part two of my report ....

DAYS FIVE THRU SEVEN -- DUTCH SINT MAARTEN

On the fifth day we spent the morning on Orient Beach, before packing up and taking a taxi to the Dutch side and our next hotel, Commodore Suites. This hotel has not been open that long (about 3 years, I believe), and we decided to give it a try because the price was good for a short stay. The hotel is located directly above the Double Dutch Market on Welfare Road, near the Atrium Hotel and almost right next door to Topper's. We were blown away by how friendly the desk staff was and because the Heineken Regatta was wrapping up they had beer left over, so part of the check-in process was receiving two ice cold bottles of Heineken on a hot day! The rooms are very nice, with a spacious bathroom and full kitchenette that featured a near full-size refrigerator. Kim Sha beach is right behind this place, so you simply walk past the Burger King and down the narrow road where the Greenhouse restaurant is located and within five minutes you reach the Buccaneer Beach Bar and the beach. Two chairs and an umbrella ran $20 which seems to be the going rate these days. Kim Sha was very calm this day, and good for swimming (a nice change from Saturday on Orient or the following day when it looked like a tsunami was about to overtake Mullet Bay).

We ordered lunch from the Buccaneer Beach Bar restaurant, and it was exceptionally good. Later in the day I took a stroll along the beach and found a crossover up to Roxxy Beach (which I was not familiar with). It definitely had younger vibe going on, with a DJ blasting music (for a fee?) and a fair number of younger women who were topless, something that is far less common on the Dutch beaches from my past experiences. It definitely had a different feel than Kim Sha which is typically more family-oriented and laid back. The weather was outstanding, but that was about to change the next day. Dinner that night was at Topper's, with their usual friendly service and diverse menu. I decided on the Prime Rib special for $35, but in hindsight should have just stayed with their legendary cheeseburger at a much lower cost. Prime Rib was just okay, IMO. As an FYI, Topper's did not add the 15% service charge to our bill. So, I tipped our lovely waitress Carol 20 percent in turn.

The following day we had a good breakfast at the St. Maarten Yacht Club, which is always a nice experience. But, it was almost a bit too cool sitting on their back patio with the wind whistling thru. Then it was off to Mullet Bay Beach and eventually a walk over to Maho to once again see the planes land over our heads. I never get tired of that. Arriving at Mullet, you could see the waves crashing high into the air as you entered from the parking lot. Swimming was not going to happen on this day, and only surfers were going to take on these 8 to 10 foot waves. This is where I met Ruralcarrier from this forum, and it was very nice meeting someone from TTOL and getting to know them better. After all, we all share one common thing -- our love and dedication to SXM. I grabbed a plate of ribs from Rosie's (always a good value at $7), but not sure why they weren't up to their usual high standard. Several were overcooked and the meat was dried out form this. A bit disappointing.

We then walked over to Maho where the waves were also quite strong, but not at the same intensity of Mullet. We ordered drinks at the Sunset Beach Bar before heading back and preparing for a night dining at Skipjacks. We heard and read that Skipjacks has been 'hot & cold' lately, but they were really 'on' this evening. First we watched some dude who was fly fishing bag an impressive tarpon out in the bay (catch & release) as the dinner crowd applauded him. Then, it was time for business. I ordered the SJ Seafood Platter ($30) and it was worth every cent. Shrimp, scallops, mahi mahi, and a crab cake back along with two sides did the trick and left no room for dessert. Skipjacks did include the 15 percent service charge so it's was smart to check for that before settling the bill. But, later dessert did enter my mind and a quick trip to the market below did the trick. How convenient!

On our final day a breakfast visit to Zee Best is a must. Oh that basket of baked goods and croissants they bring out when you get your menu! No, they're not free but I simply can't hold back and must have a few. Breakfast here is terrific. Huge portions and full size glasses of juice validate the slightly higher prices, but you won't be hungry for a long time after eating here to start off your day. My three egg ham & cheese omelette looked like a five-egg omelette, and tasted great. We didn't have to leave until later that afternoon, so we spent more time on Kim Sha before packing up one last time and heading to the airport. The airport is still coming along slowly, but our Gate 5 did not have a jetway and once again it was on a bus to the plane and boarding from the front and and the rear of the plane simultaneously. Flight to Ft. Lauderdale was bumpy (the dreaded "rough air"), but we got their safely and then faced the 90 minute adventure through Customs & Immigration. Maybe once the coronavirus pandemic is over we'll opt for global entry.

Another Jet Blue flight to Buffalo got us back at midnight and we wrapped up another fun St. Martin vacation. We are now just hoping and praying that St. Martin stays strong with all the coronavirus stuff going around. We had some minor concerns before taking this trip, but we're glad we didn't cancel. Until the next time ...