Grand Case and Pinel Island

We were in St. Maarten last week.

Grand Case: There is a great deal of destruction on Grand Case. There was one restaurant open for business--The Rainbow. The food was great and so was my frozen Guavaberry drink! There were tables, loungers, and umbrellas for use on the beach. It was not at all crowded.

Pinel Island: It's open for business! There is a gift stand open. The restaurant is currently serving drinks only, but it looks close to being open. There is an primitive but functional bathroom to use. It's up a rather rocky incline, so if you have mobility issues it may be difficult for you. There are loungers and umbrellas to rent. It was not all crowded. And the iguanas are there and ready to be fed!

The first picture is Grand Case. The white and red building to the far right is The Rainbow.

What was the name of the excursion that you took?:)

We went with Billy Bones charters on the full day excursion. Here's the link: http://www.boatchartersxm.com/Cruise-Ship-Passengers

We went with Billy Bones charters on the full day excursion. Here's the link: http://www.boatchartersxm.com/Cruise-Ship-Passengers

Thanks. Would you recommend it?

We will be with Billy bones on April 23. Thx for the pics and update

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How was the snorkeling?

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Thanks. Would you recommend it?

Before we got on the boat, the woman at the dock told us because of the cold front there were lots of swells and the snorkeling might not be that good. She was right. It's a pretty long ride to the first stop for snorkeling-Tintamarre Island, and our ride was a bit bumpy. We saw nothing in the water, but as we were heading to the next stop we saw one turtle swimming on the top of the water. Our next stop was Pinel Island which was absolutely beautiful. We didn't snorkel there. Instead we fed the iguanas and some even let us pet them. If we ever go to St. Maarten again, we're spending the full day there. Next stop was Grand Case for lunch. Again, we didn't snorkel but just enjoyed the beach. The ride into the next beach was going to be too rough, so we just spent some extra time at Grand Case. We swung by Maho and go to see a plane take off. The ride back to the marina was super rough--it was just a windy day.

Despite the wild ride and poor snorkeling conditions, our group of 7 had a great time. The captain and his mate were super friendly and did everything they could to make sure we were having fun. The boat was clean, there was plenty of gear on board it you needed it, they helped everyone on and off the boat, and they provided soda, water, and rum punch. They even helped serve lunch at the restaurant.

I don't know if I'd book this excursion again, mostly because our family has finally figured out we're more beach people than snorkel people. But it was a great way to sample the different beaches and swimming spots the island has to offer.

Hope this helps!