Only two miles off St. Martin's eastern coast lays the uninhabited island of Tintamarre. The flat and brush covered 80-acre islet features a gorgeous beach, with a calm anchorage for the day-charter boats which frequently visit for a few hours. On the southern coast, there are several sandy coves with complete privacy.
A little exploration of the island will reveal that Tintamarre was not always without permanent residents. In the old days, there was agriculture and some commerce. Up to 150 people made their living on Tintamarre, and it was reigned by its owners as an almost independent territory. Even a currency was installed about 100 years ago, when 30000 Dutch cent-coins, not circulating as currency in the Caribbean, where imported as cheap tokens with a new value assigned to them.
During the years of World War II, the island was governed by the French Vichy government, and it is rumored that it gave shelter and provisioning to German submarines.
Commercial aviation for the much larger main-island of St. Martin started right here, after the war, on an airstrip in the center of Tintamarre. It was a short-lived venture because a string of fatal accidents shut down operations only a few years later. Remains of one of the crashed planes can still be found on the former runway.
Nowadays, the beaches and the ruins are the attraction for most visitors. Secluded and only a short boat ride away from clothing-optional Orient Beach, it is natural that many visitors enjoy the beach in the nude.
There are many boat operators offering trips to Tintamarre. Some of the day-charter boats are running on a schedule, others can be booked for customized excursions.
