Jen and I visit St Martin about once a year as a couples vacation while our parents watch the kids.   We did the kids to SXM in 2006, and they had a lot of fun, but there was a lot they couldn't do because of their age.  They had been asking to go back, so this year we decided to take them over winter break.  They are now 15 and 12, so we decided to plan a lot more activities for them than we usually do. We usually spend all day every day on the beach, so we figured it would be a good opportunity for us to try some new things too.  We also usually go in May or June, so we thought it would be interesting to see what the island is like in high season.

We flew Delta through Atlanta on Saturday 2/18.  Just that morning, our son started to complain about an earache. His symptoms seemed to indicate an ear infection.  I posted on ttol from the ATL airport to see if anyone could give us a tip on where to go on the island to get it looked at. Thanks to everyone again for your help.  By the time we got in to SXM and got our car, all of the clinics and pharmacies we found we closed.  We ended up going to the St Maarten medical center where he's was seen by an MD and given a couple of prescriptions.  They sent us to the St Peters pharmacy just up the road towards St Peters from Grand Marche, which was open, got his scrips filled and we were on our way to our friends' villa in Guana Bay where we were staying.

We got settled in and went to dinner that night at Toppers.  It was our first visit there ever.  The food was good, but seemed a little pricy.  High season prices I guess.  The entertainment was Karaoke.  At least I hope it was karaoke...

Sunday was a beach day.  We went to Orient and had breakfast at Andy and Cheryls, then rented a group of chairs from one of the small beach bars - cant remember which one.  The kids played on the water trampoline while Jen and I lounged and did some people watching. Always a fun activity on OB!  We have always spent our beach days at Club O, so it was a very different OB experience for us, and one that I hope to never repeat...

Lunch at Orange Fever was great and reasonably priced.  After lunch we decided to take out a catamaran from Wind Adventures.  We got the boat out into the surf, got Jen and the kids onto it, and I was in the process of launching it when I heard a loud CRACK!  I looked up to see the mast falling backwards toward the trampoline.  It fell towards Jen, who dove out of its way, but it caught her across the shoulder in a glancing blow that left a nice bruise. She was ok, thank goodness. Turns out the bracket that holds the forestay to the lines that connect to the hulls broke in half, so no chance of going out that afternoon.  Such is life.

Dinner that night was at Greenhouse.  Great food, great atmosphere. Always a good place to go.

Monday we planned to do the 12 Metre challenge.  The kids were a little skeptical, but once we got on our boat (the Stars and Stripes!)  they were hooked.  We were all assigned  jobs.  Our son was a primary grinder (hard work), daughter was timer/drink server (light duty), Jen was a winch wench (no comment) and I was the main sail trimmer.  The wind was good, but not too strong.  The race was very close.  Canada 2 held a good lead for most of the race, but Stars and Stripes mounted a fierce comeback on the last leg to win by a nose.  Everyone had an absolute blast.  Highly recommended. Just don't take the job of primary grinder if you are prone to seasickness, as one of our other crew mates found out the hard way. 

Next we headed over to Maho to watch some planes land.  The kids got sandblasted by a couple of departing planes as well.  We knew the kids would enjoy that.  Dinner was pizza at Rancho del Sol.

On Tuesday morning we drove to Loterie Farms to do the zipline course. The kids are too young to do the extreme course, but the regular one was challenging and fun for everyone. It's a great workout, too.  After the zipline we drove up the road to Pic Paradis. At the top of the road there is a short but steep hike up to the top where the views are breathtaking.  Then it was back to Orient for windsurfing lessons for the kids from Wind Adventures.  Their instructor was Antoine, a young French guy who was great with the kids.  By the end of the lesson they were up on the boards and could turn them through the wind.

Tuesday evening we went in to Grand Case for Harmony Nights.  What a scene! It was packed with people, vendors, music, and dancers. We bought a few souvenirs and took in all of the sights.  

On Wednesday, we drove to Oyster Pond and did Captain Alan's three island snorkeling tour. The ride out of Oyster Pond and up the east coast if the island was rough but exhilarating as we cut through the waves. The kids rode up in the bow and got sprayed the whole way and loved it.  We snorkeled at Caye Verte and Pinel, did a mud bath on Orient, and then cruised over to Tintamarre to relax for an hour or so. It was a good time.  After the snorkel tour, we headed in to Philipsburg to get out of the sun and do some shopping. For dinner we went back to Grand Case and ate at Skys the Limit. Our server, Elvis, was a wonderful host. It was by far the kids' favorite meal of the week.

Thursday was our last day on the island, so we decided to spend one more morning on Orient before getting all packed up and heading back home.

All in all, it was a great trip with lots of great experiences and memories for the kids.  Next time, it's back to Club O and some actual relaxation!