As
those of us who live here know, St. Maarten/St. Martin is graced with thirty
six beaches. It’s hard not to know that, it’s mentioned in just about every
publication about this island! What few people know is that this little island
is a surfer’s secret. There are a few
places in St. Maarten/ St. Martin that rank as world class surf. When there’s a
storm nearby and the waves start building you begin spotting the surfers. You
see them loping along the roads, boards tucked under their arms, or strapped to
the back of a bicycle or to the roof of a car. And many of us ‘not in the know’
often find ourselves thinking: Where are they heading to?
There
are many, many places, but here are a few. Some places seem obvious and make
sense. Mullet Bay is one. This beach has surf that’s actually considered decent
surf for beginners. Now, I have seen Mullet Bay with waves well over ten feet
and can’t imagine a ‘beginner’ paddling out into that kind of surf. But maybe
that’s why I don’t surf! Mullet has been described as having a fun take off,
but a short wave. Another favorite feature of Mullet Bay is that the bottom is
mostly sand, making it a little easier on anyone who wipes out.
The
chilled out beach of Le Galion is surrounded by a coral reef that serves as a
protection, providing calm and shallow waters to Le Galion. It’s on the outside
of the reef where the surf really kicks up. Just be aware that paddling out to
the surf is a long way to go. If you’re lucky enough you can catch a ride out
to the reef and surf your little heart out. Otherwise you’re looking on a
twenty plus minute paddle, depending on what shape you’re in. The surf at Le
Galion has been ranked from intermediate to advanced. It’s tricky on big days
and the reef can be rather unforgiving for anyone unfortunate enough to wipe
out.
Then
there is Wilderness. We’ve all heard about it and some of us who don’t surf
have even been brave enough to venture out to Wilderness. It suits its name,
truly being out of the way and ‘in the wilderness’. The way to get to
Wilderness is a little tricky and you’d better be prepared to walk/hike a
little bit. This spot is on the French side, all the way to the north. The best
landmark, strangely enough, is the dump. Park your car at the dump and, as
always, lock it up tight and don’t leave anything in it. Travel light – it’s
the best way, and bring lots of water! Wilderness is just that – WILD. There is
nothing out there. Nothing will ruin a great day of surfing like dehydration
and/or hunger. There is a trail leading from the north side of the beach out
along a point and then west to the surf spot. Take the trail for about 15 to 20
minutes until you see the waves breaking to your right. There is a surf shack
on the beach made of driftwood and whatnot, that’s maintained by many of the
locals that surf there. As you you’re your way into the water be careful of the
sea urchins. Wilderness is a favorite of locals! Many local surfers recommend
the spot. The surf here would be best suited for intermediate and advanced.
Last
but not least is Guana Bay. This is another beach that gets great
recommendations, but it’s also known to be one of the more dangerous beaches.
Not for reefs, but for powerful rip currents. It’s generally a deserted beach.
If you see more than eight people on the beach, it’s considered a busy day! On
heavy days, which is almost always, this surf spot should be considered by
advanced surfers only.
As
in any situation when you are surfing, safety is something you have got to keep
in mind. The ocean is powerful and can be unforgiving. Several things that
surfers have to deal with are reef rash, Jellyfish and Sea Lice. None of these
things are very pleasant, but there are ways to treat each one, should you have
a nasty encounter.
Sea
Lice, or what’s some times called Seabather's eruption, is an itchy rash caused
by the larva of a jellyfish. The tiny larvae push their poisons into the skin,
causing rash that can pop up four to twenty four hours after you’ve come in
contact with it. The rash tends to show up where the larvae can become trapped
against the skin, such as under the bathing suit or under long hair. Symptoms
can be mild to sever and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aches, muscle
spasms, low-grade fever, and headaches can accompany the rash. A simple hydrocortisone cream and an
anti-histamine usually helps clear up the rash and take care of the discomfort.
The rash usually goes away in about a week.
Whether you are out in the deep blue depths or up near the shore
line, there is a very real chance a jellyfish will find you. Here are a couple
‘home remedies’ for the sting. Cover the sting with sand from the beach as soon
as the sting occurs. Beach sand helps draw out toxins from jellyfish stings.
Keep the sting covered for around five to ten minutes. Another treatment is to
wash the site with apple cider vinegar. The apple cider vinegar will help
reduce the pain from the sting and will also disinfect it. Rub aloe gel onto
the jellyfish sting after washing it with apple cider vinegar. This will soothe
the sting and provide a nice barrier to the outside world. Once you've applied
the aloe gel, loosely cover the sting in gauze tape and secure it. A common
remedy used by many life guards is to apply a paste made of unseasoned meat
tenderizer and water to the sting.
Last but defiantly not least is Reef Rash….the bane of all
surfers. If you have the distinct displeasure of wiping out into coral you’re
going to get reef rash and even the mildest of cases is not pretty. When
you rub against a coral reef with bare skin, the coral's stinging cells fire
toxin into the scratched skin. This causes burning pain or itchy welts around
the scratch. Vinegar or alcohol is usually the first thing that gets used and
seems to help with the sting. The worst part is to wash the rash site as soon as
possible, scrubbing it to get any debris out. It’s the most painful part, but
also the most important! People involved in water sports have been known to
carry new toothbrushes in their First Aid kits to use just to clean reef rash.
It can take several weeks for the scrape to heal.
St.
Maarten/Martin has had some high surf in the past couple of week and the
surfers are out. If you are a surfer or just enjoy the seas, exercise some
caution when considering getting into any kind of rough water. Always remember,
if you get in trouble, you don’t only jeopardize your life, but the life of the
one trying to save you!
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