Great Bay Beach, one of Philipsburg’s most popular tourist attractions, was recently replenished with sand from the dredging activities carried out to increase the water draft around the two cruise piers at Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities. The beach has been widened by some 10 metres.
The beach replenishment was very much needed after the erosion caused by heavy swells during the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies ensured that several young men from the "Down Street" area of Front Street were employed as part of the beach replenishing project. Getting opportunity wherever possible to young St. Maarten continues to be a major focus of the Harbour Group.
The small truck operators and the Unified Heavy Equipment Operators worked hand-in-hand to transport the sand that is needed for the project from the property next to harbour facilities to Great Bay Beach. The young men work vigorously throughout late night hours to make the beach ready for morning visitors.
While work was carried out on the eastern section of Great Bay Beach, children from "Down Street" took advantage of the already broadened areas to play baseball.
Sand from Great Bay was dredged by Devcon N.V. Conley Browne of Devcon N.V. together with subcontractor Marini Nunes of Nunes Developers worked on the replenishing project.
Harbour Group CEO Mark Mingo said the beaches are one of the key selling points of our country and they must be kept clean. "We often market St. Maarten as ‘Fun, Sea and Sand.’ To maintain our competitive edge in the Caribbean, we have to keep improving our destination."
The Harbour Group is also busy with another related project to place garbage bins placed on all Dutch side beaches.