Little Bay (Dutch Side)
Little Bay Sint Maarten · Baie des Petits
18°01.4'N 63°03.7'W
Depth
1–4m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
65m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
65m
65m for good holding in 1–4m sand. Little Bay is modestly sheltered from the east by the headland but exposed south. Use 65m as standard; increase to 80m in any southerly or southeasterly swell. Day-stop primarily — no facilities and exposed to south.
About This Anchorage
Little Bay is a small cove immediately west of Philipsburg on the Dutch side, tucked between the Great Bay headland and the islet of Little Bay Point. It offers slightly more shelter from the easterly trade winds than the open Great Bay roadstead, thanks to the headland providing some lee to the ENE. The bay is close to Philipsburg (1.5nm by water) and provides a quieter alternative to the busy Great Bay anchorage for a lunch stop or short overnight in calm conditions. The Princess Juliana Airport approach path is immediately overhead — aircraft on final approach to runway 10 pass at very low altitude, and the noise is significant. No facilities ashore. The surrounding area is primarily residential Dutch Sint Maarten. Sand bottom gives good holding.
Protected From
N · NW · W · NE
Exposed To
S · SE · E
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Weekly mooring fee applies to all Sint Maarten vessels
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- No mooring buoys
Restrictions: Dutch customs clearance required (report to Philipsburg or Simpson Bay); no anchoring in reef zones; airport approach zone overhead — VHF radio communications can be difficult when aircraft passing; weekly mooring fees apply.
Hazards
- !Princess Juliana Airport approach directly overhead — extremely loud aircraft noise; VHF communications interrupted when aircraft pass
- !Exposed to south and southeast — uncomfortable in southerly swell
- !No facilities ashore — fully self-sufficient required
- !Reef edges on the south side of the bay — maintain clear berth from reef
Skipper's Tips
- →Quieter alternative to busy Great Bay for a lunch stop or early morning departure
- →Watching the aircraft approach from Little Bay gives a dramatic low-level view — famous Maho Beach spectacle is 500m west
- →No reason to overnight here specifically — if choosing between Little Bay and Great Bay, both require moving to the lagoon for serious shelter
Facilities
No facilities in Little Bay — residential area. Walk or dinghy to Philipsburg (1.5nm east) for all facilities.
Nearest provisions: Philipsburg (1.5nm) (1.5nm)
Best Months & Season
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May
December–May (day stop only). Hurricane season June–November — no shelter.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 65m
Philipsburg Great Bay is exposed to southerly swell — anchor drag overnight can put you ashore before you wake. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously.
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