Under the Spotlight St. Maarten initiative, the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) in conjunction with the St. Maarten Sailing School and Aqua Mania, was able to provide personnel from the Labour Department and Milton Peters College (MPC) students a chance to go sailing. One of the goals of Spotlight St. Maarten is to expose the marine industry to residents and encourage them to take advantage of the on water opportunities available to them.Earlier this week, three ladies from the Labour Department were treated to a great day of sailing. Also along for the sail was a local St. Maartener, who began sailing a mere three months ago. He started off doing the Basic Keel boat course on the St. Maarten Sailing School's 25 foot boat Little Poe and then moved up to the basic Cruising course on Moon Dance the Catalina 36. This novice is now doing the boatmaster course which is the new St. Maarten Commercial License as well as power boat handling and seamanship courses. The idea for the day on the water was to provide a firsthand impression of sailing and other aspects surrounding sailing and sailboats in general to the Labor Department personnel, in order for them to receive complementary knowledge that can further assist them when formulating labor programs geared specifically towards getting locals more involved in the vibrant marine industry on the island.
The MPC students are currently doing a program that encourages them to choose two outdoor activities. So far the majority of students have picked sailing for their first choice. This is a great opportunity for them to experience a sailing trip and expose them to the other activities on the water. With the help of the St Maarten Sailing School they were able to go out and enjoy an afternoon of sailing. The program hopes to raise an interest in the youngsters to pursue some of these activities as a hobby or possibly even as a trade. .
Another great opportunity for residents is the Spotlight St. Maarten Sponsored Sunset Cruises provided by Aqua Mania beginning this Friday evening and every Friday until December 2nd. Enjoy a cruise of the island's stunning coastline as the sun sets while sipping a cool beverage. The Sunset Cruises on Lambada and Tango are only $20 per person and include refreshments; they start at 5pm. Seating is limited, so it is important that you make reservations early. Reservations for the Sunset Cruise can be made at the Aqua Mania offices at Simpson Bay Resort, Royal Palm Beach and Divi Resort . PH: 544-2640. / 5442631 and at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
