Nature is slowly opening her eyes, broadening her shoulders, and beginning to bloom again on Sint Maarten. After Hurricane Irma, the island was noticeably bare of nearly all greenery, stripped down by the will of Mother Nature.
The island is now awakening from her slumber. Brown Pelicans have returned to Divi Little Bay and are nesting again and laying eggs. And now, Sint Maarten Nature Foundation has declared that parts of Simpson Bay are safe again for swimming.
Earlier this month, the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation issued a report from a study they’d completed to assess beaches on the island. In that report they stated that Mullet Bay Beach, Cupe Coy Beach, Maho Beach and in front of the Westin Hotel on Dawn Beach, were all safe for swimming. Not surprisingly, that report also reminded people to be aware of possible sharp objects and exposed rocks, which could pose danger.
In addition, the report listed Simpson Bay Beach and Great Bay Beach as areas that needed additional cleanup. In fact, in a report issued earlier, on October 2, 2017, the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation declared Simpson Bay Lagoon an environmental disaster. You can read more here.
Now, after less than three weeks, the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation has declared parts of Simpson Bay Beach safe for swimming (see posts below). The Foundation has been hard at work cleaning up debris (video below) on the beaches around the island and their efforts sure are making a huge difference.
If you want to volunteer to be a part of the cleanup effort, you can contact them through their website or Facebook page.
Please help rebuild SXM and give today. Click here to visit the SXM Strong donate page. Thank you!
