Once Upon A Time

A Long Long Time Ago . . .

.. but just a short walk down memory lane takes us to the year 1998 the year that Austrian born Mike and South African born Sally crossed the Atlantic Ocean from South Africa to the Caribbean on their 11-meter sloop 'Baywood'.

Essentially planning to retire after 30 years of work in the hospitality industry, they really did deserve the break. For the first five years they had the time of their lives,cruising the islands and loving every minute of it. Having made a lot of friends everywhere, but not more so, than here in St Maarten, it was to no surprise that they started business on the friendly Island.

So this is how SHRIMPY'S was born - a seafood bar and restaurant, a first-class laundry and providing many other yacht support services, they did what they do best - providing a warm welcome and hospitality to all their friends and even the ones they had not met.

After only two years, SHRIMPY'S came second in a Caribbean-wide competition in the 'All At Sea' cruising magazine, as one of the best cruiser-supporting bars in the whole of the island chain.

Few cruisers will forget the Sundays at SHRIMPY'S. The flea market, free beer, music, jugglers and an atmosphere of joy and laughter. In those days, if you had been to the Caribbean you had to have spent time in St. Maarten. Once in St. Maarten, you had to have been to SHRIMPY'S . . .

All went well for five years, then a change of landlords lost SHRIMPY'S their lease and it was a sad day when SHRIMPY'S closed their doors. Hundreds of commiserating e-mails poured in from all corners of the world. The premises stood empty for two years, and it took Mike and Sally about that time to find suitable premises to open the new SHRIMPY'S.

A far cry from the old place, nonetheless Mike and Sally managed to start a yacht support centre in the same spirit as they had run the old place, catering to cruisers in any which way they can. Having become a little older and recovering from several medical issues they celebrated the new SHRIMPYS third birthday in 2013. SHRIMPY'S is now called 'SHRIMPY'S LAUNDRY AND YACHT SUPPORT'.

The new SHRIMPY'S was an instant success - all of SHRIMPY'S friends, old and new, rallied to congratulate Mike and Sally and give all the support they could. The new SHRIMPY'S is located ideally on the waterfront of the French Bridge Channel, and it is easily reached by dinghy or by road.

SHRIMPY'S is still the cruisers' first choice when looking for help for anything from laundry, hull cleaning, or just draw on Mikes local knowlege where to go, advise or just discuss your boat projects. Mike has been organising the St Maarten cruisers Net on the VHF radio 7.30am each morning (exepting Sundays) for the last ten years and is possible the best person to ask for advice on any local issue. Use their Wi-Fi, have a refreshment, use SHRIMPY'S as your mail drop, have your hull cleaned, browse the second hand yacht equipment section and make use of any other services offered.

At SHRIMPY'S Mike and Sally will make sure that you never feel too far away from home...