The Iconic Coconut Palm

When people think of the Caribbean the first thing that usually pops into their head is a vision of crystal clear blue waters, white sandy beaches…and coconut palms. Almost anywhere you go in the world, the image of a coconut tree is synonymous with paradise: from post cards to TV commercials. The coconut palm isn’t exclusive to the Caribbean. It can be found all over the world, from Fiji to Florida. But where did it come from and how did it get to where it is today?

Well, let’s get the scientific stuff out of the way. The coconut palm is botanically referred to as the 'Cocos nucifera'. It is a member of the Arecaceae or palm family. In fact, the coconut palm is the only member of the genus Cocos. Native to the tropics, the palm has now found its way across the continents, with the help of the dedicated efforts of seafarers. The palm bears fruit that is light and buoyant and hence, does not rule out the possibility of finding its own course across the globe with the help of marine currents.

Ok, now for a little insight as to where it came from….there is actually quite a bit of friendly ‘debate’ on the topic, seeing as fossils of coconuts have been found dating back more than 15 million years ago in New Zealand. Some believe the coconut fruit and palm are believed to have their roots on South Asian soil. Research reveals that the palm is native to the Ganges Delta, in Asia. There are a number of studies that also claim that the fruit has its origin in the northwestern region of South America. There are a number of fossil records that are being researched upon. The oldest mention in text of the fruit is a special mention in the Mahawamsa texts of Sri Lanka too, dating back to the 1st century BC. It truly is a universal plant! A little bit of trivia: Hawaii and Florida are the only two states in the U.S. where the plant can be grown.

Did you know the coconut palm rates higher than the family cow to one third of the world's population? Considered the most useful tree in the world, the coconut palm provides food, drink, clothing, shelter, heirloom history, and financial security. Hardly an inch of the coconut palm goes to waste in countries such as the Philippines where families rely on the coconut palm for survival and refer to it as the "tree of life." The Indonesians say, "There are as many uses for the coconut as there are days in the year." The coconut meat, the white portion of the nut, offers more than just food. The coconut is thought of as a highly nutritious food. The white meat also has coconut oil the tropical natives use for cooking. The shell, husk, roots of the tree, fronds, flowers, and wood of the trunk also become useful products. Charcoal filters used in gas masks and cigarettes are made from coconut shells that are burned, leaving pure carbon behind. Charcoal has the ability to trap microscopic particles and impurities and prevent absorption. Charcoal made from coconut shells produces filters of exceptional high performance.
In Zanzibar, coconut oil provides diesel fuel and is also used for lighting and candle making. It’s the truest form of bio-fuel! Coconut shells are made into buttons, form a base for decorative carvings, and are burned for fuel. Indonesian women use coconut oil as hairdressing and as a lotion for the body. They also cook with coconut oil. Coconut oil has proved itself useful in many household products. Soap made from coconut oil lathers exceptionally well. Soap making produces byproducts that are used by processors to make fatty acids and glycerin. Finally, when the tree is no longer producing coconuts, it can be cut down and its attractive wood, called "porcupine wood" can be used to make furniture.

The coconut even has a few taboos and folklore attached to it in many countries. Until the early 1900's, a whole coconut was the accepted form of currency in the Nicobar Islands, just north of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. In the South Pacific, pieces of coconut shell carved into coin-like spheres served as currency. In Northern India, coconuts were valued as fertility symbols. When a woman wanted to conceive, she would go to a priest to receive her special coconut. Samoans believe that a coconut lying on the ground is not free for the taking but that it belongs to someone who knows it is there. If you should claim the taboo coconut when no one is looking, the tapui, a magical spirit, will taunt you. This unseen force may strike you by lightening or punish you with a painful, incurable illness. The first solid food eaten by a Thai baby is three spoonfuls of the custard-like flesh of young coconut fed to him or her by a Buddhist priest. Natives of New Guinea have their own version of the coconut's origins. They believed that when the first man died on the island, a coconut palm sprouted from his head. In Bali, women are forbidden to even touch the coconut tree. Because females and coconut trees both share the ability to reproduce, men fear that a woman's touch may drain the fertility of the coconut tree into her own fertility.

The next time you head to the beach and set up your blanket under a nice shady coconut palm, take a minute and let your imagination roam. The tree you sit under could be from a far away land or just the next island.

How Secure is Security? SXM Sint Maarten

Ok…so Another question crossed my mind as I drove around the island late Thursday night: How secure is it to have security guards? This question popped into my mind as I drove by one of the International Banks and spotted the security guard out front. A man of about 50 years of age, extremely over weight and walked with a very noticeable limp. My next question is this: Who picks these guys and is there a physical they have to pass? I mean, seriously, what would this guy do when confronted with…shall we call it an incident? Is this man expected to chase after a criminal? Run the criminal down? This guy was clearly winded just from crossing the parking lot! What kind of investment is it to have security that can’t really keep your place secure? Again, I ask, who picks these people? Not just the guy at the bank. Many, MANY security are overweight and out of shape. And many, MANY places with security guards still get robbed. Which prompts the next line of thought: What guarantee is there that the security hired by a company is secure? How is it proven that the security guard is not a formal criminal? Just asking some questions here, people. Questions that no one else seemed to ask. There are several Security Companies on the island….who started them? What are their credentials? Who trains them? Where does the trainer get HIS training from? Any one else seem to think a little looking into this matter wouldn’t hurt? I’m just asking. That’s what I do.

New Buildings...no new parking - SXM Sint Maarten

Why is parking so difficult to come by on this little rock of ours? I see so many new buildings but no new parking. Heck there isn’t even any OLD parking to speak of. Yes, yes, Philipsburg has had a wonderful makeover. I’m sure all the store employees are happy with their new parking. They are the ONLY ones. Excuse me, but how can I shop at your store if I can’t GET to your store. If I have to park on POND FILL to get to Back Street, do you think I’m going shopping? To the employees…stop being so LAZY! Park yourselves on Pond fill and walk into work, leaving the spaces in front of the shops for SHOPPERS. More customers mean more money. These are bad economic times as it is…help yourselves! Make space for people to actually GET into your store. A very simple concept, but one that is utterly lost on employees AND store owners here. Might I suggest Parking Meters? I’m sure it would be considered by government, since making money is involved. And what about the parking in the center of town? When will that be fixed? Honestly, the entrance is the exit and vice versa? It has been like this for years, causing congestion in the streets and in the lot. And when the lot is FULL the attendant still allows people to drive in. Why? So that they can get pinned in and horns start honking by frustrated people. Lazy Attendant! And it is not just Philipsburg. Simpson Bay is just as ridiculous. I went to one of my favorite locations for happy-hour. This location is right next to the bridge and I enjoy watching the yachts come in, along with my friends. I recently went there on a weekend with a van of SIX people. To my dismay, there was no parking. The lot was filled to capacity, but the bar was empty. Come to find out the lot was filled by cars of people who had gone sailing for the day. I beg your pardon? How can this be? I want to go to this establishment, spend my good money, enjoy myself, but I can’t get in because others had used the lot to store their cars for the day? How could the property owner allow this? And then sit and look at an empty establishment. I don’t know why they even bothered to open. No one could get in. Does this make sense? It’s ridiculous! Parking is a sorely needed commodity on this little rock of ours. You spend hours in traffic only to arrive at your destination with no where to park!

County Status…then what? SXM Sint Maarten

The Brooks Tower Accord fiasco has brought up some questions in regards to St. Maarten gaining country status. What will happen once St. Maarten is its own country? How will immigration be handled? Will there be an immigration check point at the French border? Why not? How will the influx of foreigners be handled? French St. Martin is France, right? France is EU, which is a different country, correct? Then won’t the borders have to be patrolled?  Not just the borders. What about all the trails crisscrossing the island from one side to the other? What about the border in the lagoon? Who will be responsible for patrolling these areas? Where will the money come from to fund the necessary manpower? What about the cruise ship passengers? Will they have to clear a customs check point to go to the French side beaches? Will the same apply for any and all visitors to the island? Will passports be mandatory to cross to and from French St. Martin and back again? If a visitor wants to go shopping on the French side, will they need proof of a return ticket back to Sint Maarten and vice versa? Sounds rather ridiculous, doesn’t? But rest assured, some one is thinking about all this. Don’t be surprised to wake up one day and there is a concrete wall around Sint Maarten. And who is to say the French side will follow suit, not even allowing any resident of Sint Maarten across their borders? Repercussions are something to take seriously. What about the French taxi drivers and bus drivers? Will they need visas to come into St. Maarten? If St. Maarten decides to patrol borders, stop people from coming and going at their leisure, do you thing people from Sint Maarten will be permitted into the French side? Tit-for-tat people. You reap what you sow. If you hassle people, they will return the favor. If Sint Maarten doesn’t want to play nicely with people and maintain basic human rights, people will not want to play with Sint Maarten. Keep in mind what’s happening in the world, dear Sint Maarten. In the United States, President Obama is looking to lift embargos to Cuba. This won’t happen over night, but it WILL happen. Sint Maarten has only recently enjoyed its glory days. Cuba was not always closed to Americans. It’s only been in the last 30 years or so. And Sint Maarten is not the only destination for people such as Jamaicans, Haitians, Dominicans, etc. etc. They’ll go somewhere else, work somewhere else, and put their money into another economy. Where will that leave the people of Sint Maarten? I say the people because the government officials won’t give a damn. They’re currently padding their pockets off the backs of others, so regardless the outcome, they’ll be just fine. What happens in March? Does Sint Maarten honestly expect to deport several THOUSAND illegal immigrants in a matter of days or weeks? Is Sint Maarten so desperate to rid itself of foreign people and influences? When the foreigners are leaving, should they take all their foreign stuff with them? What stuff? Well, how about foreign cars for starters? Or how about cell phones, TV, home appliances, building supplies, satellite dishes, cable TV, fuel, and an endless list of other foreign items. Last time I check Sint Maarten doesn’t produce anything for itself, except a bad reputation from the treatment of foreigners. Beware, Sint Maarten, you are falling out of favor with tourism and people are always looking for a new playground.

Superstitions at Sea – Undeniable SXM Sint Maarten

SUPERSTITION: an unreasoning awe or fear of something unknown, mysterious or imaginary, especially in connection with religion. [Shorter Oxford Dictionary].

In St. Maarten/St. Martin there is an undeniable tie to the sea. From the humble fishermen heading out in a wooden dory to the mega yacht captains doing trans-Atlantic crossings. There is also an undeniable tie to superstitions. Some can argue that sailors are the most superstitions people on Earth. Big boat or small, sailors are always on the lookout, keeping a watchful eye for signs. Some superstitions were started simply for safety's sake, some have biblical references, while other superstitions are just that - superstitions. Regardless of how or why these superstitions evolved, the strength of sailing superstitions is undeniable.

Most Common Superstitions:

One very common superstation is the rhyme: Red skies at night, sailor’s delight. Red skies at morning, sailors take warning. There is arguable scientific fact behind this 'warning' as changes in atmospheric pressure can change the weather, and cause spectacular sunrises or sunsets. Many people have told how the sunrise before a hurricane was one of the most beautiful sunrises they'd ever witnessed. Colors used to describe these sunrises range from pink to deep crimson.

Another very common superstition is to never leave port on a Friday. This superstition actually dates back to Christ. Many believe it to be bad luck to leave port on a Friday because Christ was crucified on a Friday. Sunday is the best possible day to begin a voyage. This observation is due to Christ's resurrection on a Sunday and that is good luck. It has led to the old saying, 'Sunday sail, never fail'. Conversationally, Friday the 13th is double the trouble! (Never mind the fact the Friday nights were and still are a favorite night for sailors to hit the taverns.) Of course the albatross is still revered among sailors the world over, because it is believed the souls of dead seamen are carried by them. Heaven help anyone who kills one of these birds. Another very strong superstition is "What the Sea want, the Sea shall have," along with another saying, "What belongs to the Sea must return to the Sea." In older days, sailors who fell overboard were rescued, but then set adrift for fear of retribution from the sea. In other words, the Sea wanted the sailor; no one should deny what the Sea wants. Following that tradition, it boded ill for any captain who used ballast stones taken from the sea as opposed to taken from the land.

There is an age-old sailing superstition that says you should never rename a boat. Sea God Neptune keeps a record of every vessel in his waters and he doesn't like change. So what if the name of your new boat is something unbearable like "Dead Fish”? What can be done? The answer is to hold a renaming ceremony. First, remove all traces of the old name, not only from the yacht itself, but also from the lifebuoys and transom, as well as from any logbooks, charts or papers it features in. Second, thank Neptune and Aeolus, the keeper of the winds, for the protection they've provided your yacht so far. Then kindly request that Neptune strike the old name from his Ledger of the Deep and ask that the Gods give your newly named yacht their blessing. Finally, it's necessary to sacrifice some alcohol to appease the Gods. Any bottle of alcoholic beverage will do. Not all of us have Queen Elizabeth II on hand to break a bottle of expensive champagne over the bow.

Other well known superstitions include earrings use to be worn by seaman, go ahead and call them Pirates, with a belief that it would prevent them from drowning at sea; Fisherman wore or wears an earring because they believed it would pay for their funeral if they died at sea. Tattoos have always had a place at sea. A sailor might have HOLD FAST inked beneath the skin of his knuckles for safety's sake. Another might tattoo a pig on one foot with a rooster on the other. Why a pig and a rooster? Because the two animals hate water and apparently cannot swim. A shark following a ship means an inevitable death because seamen believe that sharks could sense those near death, but a pod of dolphin is a sign of very good luck. An ancient Greek legend tells us that Dionysus, the god of wine and mirth, set out on a voyage disguised as a traveler. But the sailors, not knowing the true identity of their passenger, planned to kidnap Dionysus and sell him into slavery. Once Dionysus discovered this plot, he fills the boat with vines and the sound of pipes. He made leopards and lions to appear and changed the oars of the boat into snakes. In order to escape the madness, the sailors leapt into the sea, where the ocean god Poseidon changed them into dolphins, forever destined to help sailors by guiding their boats.

Priests, flowers or women on the ship did not augur well for a successful voyage; priests because their black clothes suggested funerals, flowers because they were the material of wreaths. The nervousness about women on ships has many suggested origins, going right back to Eve leading Adam astray. Oddly enough, a naked woman was believed to calm the seas. Why? Some said it was because King Neptune would be too distracted by the naked woman to blow up a storm. This may explain the presence of the ship's figurehead, often in the form of a naked woman.

And lastly: No Bananas! Transatlantic crossing in the 17th and 18th centuries was a very risky endeavor. Often the vessels would stop along the way in tropical islands to gather provisions such as food and water. There the passengers and crew would often purchase wooden crates of bananas from the locals and bring them aboard the ship. These crates would have all manner of critters in them such as bugs, spiders, vermin and snakes, posing a danger to crew and passengers of venomous bites and diseases. A more scientific explanation is that since bananas give off ethylene gas when they ripen, it causes other perishable foodstuffs to spoil more quickly, possibly leading to food poisoning or starvation.

Some of these superstitions might seem silly and bizarre, but many have survived and are still found aboard modern yachts. Sailors through the ages have relied upon these superstitious beliefs to avoid sea monsters, to calm storms, to guide their ships away from the dangerous precipices waiting for unwary ships at the ends of the earth, and to assure safety and prosperity for the entire crew. Why tempt Fate?

Brooks Tower Accord SXM Sint Maarten

INHUMANE TREATMENT AT BTA

Like cattle to slaughter, hundreds, if not thousands of people are lining up daily for a chance at temporary residency. What they have to suffer through is positively inhumane. Did anyone realize that only 125…that’s right ONE HUNDRED AND  TWENTY FIVE numbers are given out daily? Who came up with this number and are they aware of how ridiculous it is? At least 3 times that number come to line up. Also, did anyone realize there is a list? Yes, a list for LAZY, INCONSIDERATE people. People can show up at 10 am and put their name on a list and return at 4 pm and NOT have to stand in line. A list? What list? WHAT IS THIS? EXCUSE ME? If I’m showing up at noon, I will wait in line from noon until I’m served. It should be first come first served. Period. Also, last night there was nearly a riot in line as people desperately tried to get a number. Police had to be called in. A gentleman from the office came out to plead with the unruly crowd to calm down insisting, “You will all be taken care of TODAY, by me personally, even if I have to stay here until 2 am.” Following that statement, 125 people were allowed in. Then an officer appeared at the head of the line to announce, “I have just been told that you we all get helped tonight.” Two of the biggest lies ever told. The ‘first group’ was let in and that was it. I stood in line from 1:30pm. I was 10 people from the door at 4pm, just behind the first group. I was told at 7:30PM that there were no more numbers, I was still 10 people from the door. This was not a big announcement. The crowd was informally informed by passing security guards who were mumbling under their breath that there were no more numbers. In a way, who could blame them? Who would want to face an angry crowd of 100+ people, all filled with the same desperation and anger. If there are only 125 numbers, someone should be counting the people in line and marking a cut off point. I had other things to do besides waste SIX HOURS standing in line. And standing is all you can do. There are no seats, no cover from the sun. You step out of line and loose your place. No one wants to let you back in. Every person in line is wearing the same expression on their face. desperation. And this was my second time! My first time there was no ‘list’ and once I got it, I was told I needed copies of everything. Copy service were being offered, for a fee. Having no money on my, I had to step out of line and miss my opportunity. People who are working at the BTA are sorely lacking in organization and resources to help people. The immigration office has either sorely underestimated the amount of people seeking help, or they just don’t care. I’m thinking they just don’t care. Standing in line for 6 hours, watching office workers move back and forth, glaring at the crowd, sucking their teeth in clear annoyance, I didn’t see any one there truly wishing to help us. All I saw were people who have jobs and don’t appreciate them, and others desperate to work, who can’t.

GEBE - load shedding or power play?

GEBE is the power company in St. Maarten. The prblems have been on the rise over the years.

GEBE! A power company...power in many definitions EXCEPT electricity. The running joke on the island is GEBE....Stands for Got Everything But Electricity.

That is a sad state of affairs. Once again GEBE is claiming 'load shedding' due to malfunctioning generators. Is this really what's going on or is there something more? Could this be a not-so-clever power play by Mr. Crooks...oh! Excuse me! Mr. BROOKS. Could it be that the 'powers that be' at GEBE don't like feeling pressured and have decided to show just who is in control? All this and the people of St. Maarten are the ones who pay the ultimate price. Disruptions in business, home, school. And I have to ask the question..."Where do I send my appliance repair bill?" That's right. GEBE has now damaged my refrigerator and I lost $100 worth of food. Also damaged has been my 2 computers, one laptop and one desktop - my stove, my stereo, my TV. And I have to pay for this to be repaired, from my own pocket. I DEMAND REIMBURSEMENT!I also demand electricity. I should not have to demand it! I pay my bill every month. And if I'm late one day, GEBE does not hesitate to slap on a late charge. What can I do? I can't not pay my bill, then I wouldn't get electricity - not that that's a big change from what I have right now...NO ELECTRICITY. An island striving to be a world power in tourism and we can't even hope for electricity from day to day!.

This all leads me back to the government. Dear, dear government. You are screaming for country status, while your people are screaming for answers and electricity. If the government can be held hostage by their power company, how can they expect to be strong enough to have country status?