Orient Beach Torn-up?

Is it true that a section of Orient Beach will be under construction beginning April 1? (Oh, I hope this is an April Fools' joke.) What impact will it have on us, the tourists?

We have booked a Bernard Tour and thought of renting jet skis during the 90-minute beach break at Orient. Will this be possible?

Is it true that a section of Orient Beach will be under construction beginning April 1? (Oh, I hope this is an April Fools' joke.) What impact will it have on us, the tourists?

 

We have booked a Bernard Tour and thought of renting jet skis during the 90-minute beach break at Orient. Will this be possible?

It's a really long beach and jet skis are very portable. So if part of the beach is under construction there still should be plenty of beach, bars and restaurants and activities for visitors. The folks at Orient have had a rough year with the hurricane in the fall and then the seaweed issues earlier this Winter. I'm sure they appreciate Bernard and his passengers even more this year. Go and enjoy!

Orient Beach was in great shape in late January - the seaweed problem was abated, and there were virtually no signs of storm damage.

Lots of seaweed and a pretty deep step from the sand where the chairs are,to the beach. It is a beautiful beach with lots of parasailing and jet skis. Keep in mind part of it is clothing optional and you may see topless sunbathing and beach walkers. Just mentioning in case you need to explain to children! We used Bernard's Tours and I think he will make sure you go to a nice part of the beach where there is no construction. When you get there he will help you arrange for chairs and an umbrella...you will need the umbrella for shade!

After Gonzalo there was talk that the crowded ramshackle bar area of the beach was to be redone....with rumors of a plan to have some pre-fab type creole structures, each to house two restaurants. There will be a tourist market, walkway, parking for 80 cars and a proper access road, and public bathrooms! The plan would require closure of the businesses in June, rehab through the end of September and reopen around the beginning of October 2015.

Here's an article that eludes to them wanting to make some serious changes....

http://www.todaysxm.com/2014/10/31/territorial-council-to-regulate-concessions-are-orient-bay/

Like everything these days, this glorious plan may not have ever gotten beyond the planning stages, or is being delayed. There certainly is little to nothing written about it.

Is it true that a section of Orient Beach will be under construction beginning April 1? (Oh, I hope this is an April Fools' joke.) What impact will it have on us, the tourists?

 

We have booked a Bernard Tour and thought of renting jet skis during the 90-minute beach break at Orient. Will this be possible?

We're doing Bernard's on April 2 and as others have indicated no need to worry about Orient Beach. We were also there in January and Orient Beach had very little seaweed as a previous poster indicated. You can rent jet skis right next to where the tours drops you off, you'll have a wonderful time with Bernard's tour.

Enjoy your day there, we always do :)

Thanks for the reassurance. We Plan on having a Great Time!

We're doing Bernard's on April 2 and as others have indicated no need to worry about Orient Beach. We were also there in January and Orient Beach had very little seaweed as a previous poster indicated. You can rent jet skis right next to where the tours drops you off, you'll have a wonderful time with Bernard's tour.

 

Enjoy your day there, we always do :)

We were at Orient Beach with Bernard Tours last week on March 19th. There was a fair bit of seaweed in the water and on the beach. I am told it is a 1000% better than what it was last Nov/Dec, but was told that there was quite a bit more over the past couple of weeks.

There was a patch along most of the length of the beach that was about six feet wide and about six inches deep. There were pieces floating in the water and some patches were about 3 or 4 inches deep and about the size of a couch.

I did not think anything of it when I was there and did not bother avoiding it in the water, although I probably could have if I had tried. I felt nothing when I touched it, but the following day I woke up with large itchy welts all over my neck and all over my thighs under where my swim trunks were. I did not have any marks on my upper body, but I wore a full sleeve rash guard in the water, so that is probably why.

I suffered through about 5 days of large blistering bumps that were itchy beyond belief. They looked just like when I had been stung by jellyfish in the past. The itchiness lasted about 5 days and the blistering as well. I am still covered in red dots 8 days later, but the itchiness and welts are gone (about the same timeline as when I have been stung by jellyfish).

I am not saying don't go to Orient, but I am recommending avoiding all contact with the seaweed if you see it. There are beaches on the other side of the island that do not have this issue. Just ask your driver about it before heading to the beach on that particular day.

We were at Orient Beach with Bernard Tours last week on March 19th. There was a fair bit of seaweed in the water and on the beach. I am told it is a 1000% better than what it was last Nov/Dec, but was told that there was quite a bit more over the past couple of weeks.

 

There was a patch along most of the length of the beach that was about six feet wide and about six inches deep. There were pieces floating in the water and some patches were about 3 or 4 inches deep and about the size of a couch.

 

I did not think anything of it when I was there and did not bother avoiding it in the water, although I probably could have if I had tried. I felt nothing when I touched it, but the following day I woke up with large itchy welts all over my neck and all over my thighs under where my swim trunks were. I did not have any marks on my upper body, but I wore a full sleeve rash guard in the water, so that is probably why.

 

I suffered through about 5 days of large blistering bumps that were itchy beyond belief. They looked just like when I had been stung by jellyfish in the past. The itchiness lasted about 5 days and the blistering as well. I am still covered in red dots 8 days later, but the itchiness and welts are gone (about the same timeline as when I have been stung by jellyfish).

 

I am not saying don't go to Orient, but I am recommending avoiding all contact with the seaweed if you see it. There are beaches on the other side of the island that do not have this issue. Just ask your driver about it before heading to the beach on that particular day.

That does not sound nice at all! If the seaweed was to blame wouldn't your calves and hands be way more involved than your thighs under your swim trunk area, and your neck. You never mentioned that your lower legs had these blisters but you said that the seaweed was at the waters entrance. I don't see how you can put the two together at all to be honest with you. Did anyone else in your group swim at Orient and did they experience this? As a medical person this just does not add up to me.

Anyone else reading this experience something like this?

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad that you are feeling better. Hearing from others who have been to Orient in the past couple of weeks should help determine if this was related to the seaweed or water at Orient or not.

That does not sound nice at all! If the seaweed was to blame wouldn't your calves and hands be way more involved than your thighs under your swim trunk area, and your neck. You never mentioned that your lower legs had these blisters but you said that the seaweed was at the waters entrance. I don't see how you can put the two together at all to be honest with you. Did anyone else in your group swim at Orient and did they experience this? As a medical person this just does not add up to me.

 

Anyone else reading this experience something like this?

 

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad that you are feeling better. Hearing from others who have been to Orient in the past couple of weeks should help determine if this was related to the seaweed or water at Orient or not.

Has nothing to do with seaweed. What the other person encountered was Sea Lice. They are actually baby jellyfish and you can't see them in the water. Has nothing to do with Orient Beach in particular. They could be encountered at any Caribbean Beach. It was just bad luck they got in his swim trunks.

We were at Orient Beach with Bernard Tours last week on March 19th. There was a fair bit of seaweed in the water and on the beach. I am told it is a 1000% better than what it was last Nov/Dec, but was told that there was quite a bit more over the past couple of weeks.

 

There was a patch along most of the length of the beach that was about six feet wide and about six inches deep. There were pieces floating in the water and some patches were about 3 or 4 inches deep and about the size of a couch.

 

I did not think anything of it when I was there and did not bother avoiding it in the water, although I probably could have if I had tried. I felt nothing when I touched it, but the following day I woke up with large itchy welts all over my neck and all over my thighs under where my swim trunks were. I did not have any marks on my upper body, but I wore a full sleeve rash guard in the water, so that is probably why.

 

I suffered through about 5 days of large blistering bumps that were itchy beyond belief. They looked just like when I had been stung by jellyfish in the past. The itchiness lasted about 5 days and the blistering as well. I am still covered in red dots 8 days later, but the itchiness and welts are gone (about the same timeline as when I have been stung by jellyfish).

 

I am not saying don't go to Orient, but I am recommending avoiding all contact with the seaweed if you see it. There are beaches on the other side of the island that do not have this issue. Just ask your driver about it before heading to the beach on that particular day.

Thanks for the heads up, the best remedy then is to go to Club Orient.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98540

Has nothing to do with seaweed. What the other person encountered was Sea Lice. They are actually baby jellyfish and you can't see them in the water. Has nothing to do with Orient Beach in particular. They could be encountered at any Caribbean Beach. It was just bad luck they got in his swim trunks.

Now that makes sense to me. Thank you very much. Since there was so much talk about the seaweed in the post I was trying to put those two things together and I couldn't.

 

I suffered through about 5 days of large blistering bumps that were itchy beyond belief. They looked just like when I had been stung by jellyfish in the past. The itchiness lasted about 5 days and the blistering as well. I am still covered in red dots 8 days later, but the itchiness and welts are gone (about the same timeline as when I have been stung by jellyfish)

 

Sometimes called sea lice, your allergic reaction was mostly likely caused by contact with jellyfish larvae. When trapped under clothes, a toxin is released that produces the symptoms you described. Only soap and water can remove the larvae from both your skin and swimming clothes. Rubbing and wearing contaminating swimwear makes the larvae angry and the symptoms become worse.

 

I suffered through about 5 days of large blistering bumps that were itchy beyond belief. They looked just like when I had been stung by jellyfish in the past. The itchiness lasted about 5 days and the blistering as well. I am still covered in red dots 8 days later, but the itchiness and welts are gone (about the same timeline as when I have been stung by jellyfish)

 

Sometimes called sea lice, your allergic reaction was mostly likely caused by contact with jellyfish larvae. When trapped under clothes, a toxin is released that produces the symptoms you described. Only soap and water can remove the larvae from both your skin and swimming clothes. Rubbing and wearing contaminating swimwear makes the larvae angry and the symptoms become worse.

 

Has anyone heard of this occurring on any other beaches? We are on a cruise and had intended to do beach days on St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Barbados.

 

Has anyone heard of this occurring on any other beaches? We are on a cruise and had intended to do beach days on St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Barbados.

 

As has been explained it can happen and has happened to people on any warm water beach in the Caribbean, Florida, Gulf of Mexico etc. There are Jelly Fish in the oceans. Don't freak out about it though. It was just bad luck that it happened that they got into the other persons swim trunks on that day at Orient Beach. I have been swimming at warm water beaches several times every year for 40 years. I have been to Orient Beach at least a dozen times alway wearing swim trunks and it never happened to me or anyone I went to the beach with.

 

Has anyone heard of this occurring on any other beaches? We are on a cruise and had intended to do beach days on St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Barbados.

 

We've been cruising to the Caribbean (same islands you mentioned)quite often close to 30 years and I have never encounter sea lice. I am a beach lover and every port we go to a beach. Tomorrow we will be at Orient beach. If I hear anything about sea lice being in the water I will post back.

 

We've been cruising to the Caribbean (same islands you mentioned)quite often close to 30 years and I have never encounter sea lice. I am a beach lover and every port we go to a beach. Tomorrow we will be at Orient beach. If I hear anything about sea lice being in the water I will post back.

 

Thanks so much! Would hate for a cruise to be ruined by such an occurrence.

We will be doing Brrnards tour in June. My 19 and 17 year old boys want to jet ski. Any idea how much to rent jet ski at Orient?

Thanks,

Loralie

We were at Orient Beach with Bernard Tours last week on March 19th. There was a fair bit of seaweed in the water and on the beach. I am told it is a 1000% better than what it was last Nov/Dec, but was told that there was quite a bit more over the past couple of weeks.

 

There was a patch along most of the length of the beach that was about six feet wide and about six inches deep. There were pieces floating in the water and some patches were about 3 or 4 inches deep and about the size of a couch.

I'm at Orient Beach now and the only seaweed is at the north end of the beach where the businesses don't bother to clean it up. At the south end, at Club O, the water and beach are clear and beautiful. All the hurricane damage has been repaired and there is no current construction along the beach.

I'm at Orient Beach now and the only seaweed is at the north end of the beach where the businesses don't bother to clean it up. At the south end, at Club O, the water and beach are clear and beautiful. All the hurricane damage has been repaired and there is no current construction along the beach.

Thanks for the report! We were planning to ask the taxi driver to take us to the location called "Orange" something.... I think it is near the south end? I think that is where we have enjoyed renting a chair and umbrella and having a drink. Am I correct? I think Club O is the nudist section??? The area I am thinking of going to is about 1000 yards from there. It is the area where folks like me are wearing our bathing suits. This Italian girl from Brooklyn is keeping her suit on!

Or, Grand Case is always a great replacement for Orient. We prefer it over any other beach in St Martin!

Yes, Orange Fever is at the south end. Club O is clothing optional, you can leave your bathing suit on. :)

We will be doing Brrnards tour in June. My 19 and 17 year old boys want to jet ski. Any idea how much to rent jet ski at Orient?

 

Thanks,

 

Loralie

Approx. $100, you'll see them along the beach.

And no way is the Beach torn up, we was there last week with Bernard's tour and the beach had very little seaweed in the water and on the beach. Water conditions were ideal for swimming.

Bernard's Tours are no longer at the Info Booth. You still go to the Info Booth to meet up with thme and a tour guide from Bernard's will come and direct you their vans. Security guard will also confirm to take a seat and wait for them.

Enjoy your day in St. Maarten!

Yes, Orange Fever is at the south end. Club O is clothing optional, you can leave your bathing suit on. :)

Great! that is wonderful news. I love the vibe of Orient Beach. And knowing that I can leave my bathing suit on is great news to this nana of 5 grandchildren...:)