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Kayak to Pinel Island?

pjfnme

By pjfnme,
in St. Martin/St. Maarten

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pjfnme

pjfnme

Posted
Posted

I am considering renting kayaks through Caribbeanpaddling to go to Pinel Isand. We are all comfortable with the water and are good swimmers but none of us have any experience with kayaking. Can anyone advise how difficult this would be for newbies? Is Pinel Island very far by kayak and approximately how long would it take us to paddle there? Thanks for any and all information!!!

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  • 8 months later...
SonshineK23

SonshineK23

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We are going back to St. Maarten and looking for something different to do. Would love to hear more about your excursion/experience kayaking (we have kayaks of our own at home so are comfortable with it) and info to rent/book. Also info on Pinel Island/beaches/snorkeling, etc. Any input is appreciated! :)

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kilili

kilili

Posted
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I would do this if going to PineI island on

a cruise and not renting a car. I personally would not do Pinel Island via taxi, especially when on a cruise.

 

Hi. Can you explain why you would not do it via taxi?

 

Thank you

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Karysa

Karysa

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Hi. Can you explain why you would not do it via taxi?

 

Thank you

 

Taxis don't regularly go to the Cul de sac area and it's not near anywhere that they do frequent.

 

I have read of people being stuck out there and fearing that they wouldn't make it back to the ship on time.

 

All in all just too stressful for me.

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Karysa

Karysa

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We hired Speks transportation to take us back and forth. Also the company that rents the kayaks ( Carribean Paddling) arranges transportation.

 

That's exactly who I would go with to if I were to go on a cruise port day without a car. I was under the impression that the OP was doing this but perhaps they were only speaking about possibly renting kayaks. The information that you have provided is really helpful.

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shellster1

shellster1

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I'm surprised at the responses to this. I spent the summer in St. Martin and there was a MAJOR seaweed problem on the Atlantic side, especially at Cul De Sac. The ferry dock taking passengers to and from Pinel smelled (and looked) terrible. I wouldn't set foot in the water due to health concerns. Hopefully reading these posts means it's better??

Another concern would be the winds. I feel like I'm in somewhat decent shape, but to be honest, I wouldn't risk kayaking against the winds. If battling a head wind, I don't feel like inexperienced kayakers would enjoy the track to Pinel from the island. Sure, it's doable but wouldn't be fun or scenic. You're crossing the Atlantic with no pretty, narrow passages so not as scenic as one would imagine.

Pinel, however, was completely and totally amazing. NO SEAWEED ISSUES! You can easily do it on a shore excursion. Grab a cab from the port, and arrange with the driver a pickup time. In the unlikely event he doesn't show up for the return trip, just ask the ferry employees to call you a cab if there are no other cabs available... which I agree with previous posters...cabs are not readily available at that particular pier.

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Karysa

Karysa

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I'm surprised at the responses to this. I spent the summer in St. Martin and there was a MAJOR seaweed problem on the Atlantic side, especially at Cul De Sac. The ferry dock taking passengers to and from Pinel smelled (and looked) terrible. I wouldn't set foot in the water due to health concerns. Hopefully reading these posts means it's better??

Another concern would be the winds. I feel like I'm in somewhat decent shape, but to be honest, I wouldn't risk kayaking against the winds. If battling a head wind, I don't feel like inexperienced kayakers would enjoy the track to Pinel from the island. Sure, it's doable but wouldn't be fun or scenic. You're crossing the Atlantic with no pretty, narrow passages so not as scenic as one would imagine.

Pinel, however, was completely and totally amazing. NO SEAWEED ISSUES! You can easily do it on a shore excursion. Grab a cab from the port, and arrange with the driver a pickup time. In the unlikely event he doesn't show up for the return trip, just ask the ferry employees to call you a cab if there are no other cabs available... which I agree with previous posters...cabs are not readily available at that particular pier.

 

Was that the summer of 2016? In the summer of 2015 it was awful. I will vouch for that! I was under the impression that this was not an issue anymore. The issue was all along the east side beaches and was mentioned in a lot of posts and threads here on the St. Maarten board in 2015 but I have not read about it lately. We were last on the island in nov of '16 but I don't think in those 12 days ( I think) we ventured to that side of the island but my DS did go over to Orient and didn't complain of any such issues.

 

Staying on the island and being in port for the day and relying on a taxi to COME to the Cul de Sac are two very different things. Remember it's one thing to get someone to call you a taxi but it's another thing to GET a taxi.

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shellster1

shellster1

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Posted

YES!! I'm referring to the summer of 2015!

Wow, so it's better now?? I'm so happy and relieved to hear that!! It was just SO BAD that I haven't checked up on it too much. My hubby recently mentioned he might like to go back this summer. I'm starting to research it now, but you know, back then we had a condo across from Dawn Beach and I felt like we had to drive to the other side of the island to escape the seaweed!

Still, we loved it. Most the beaches we preferred were on the other side anyway so it didn't bother us too much. It's such an amazing place!! Can't wait to go back, if I'm so lucky!! :)

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