The "SXM: Talking With The Bridge Master" Story

The Sint Maarten drawbridge is opening.

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting at a table with my wife at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club waiting for our new yacht to be brought to the dock.  Nah...we're actually waiting for our breakfast of French toast and bacon to arrive at our table while we also wait for the nearby drawbridge to rise to allow the couple of yachts to pass through the drawbridge that sits next to the Yacht Club.  

Aldria tells me he is the Bridge Master. 

Kinda funny ordering "French" toast on the Dutch side of the island, but there was nothing "Dutch" on the menu!  Wasn't long before the alarm sounded and the street traffic was halted as the drawbridge rose and the boats passed through.  A few years ago we made our first visit to the Yacht Club and now try to return every year during our annual island visit to witness the passing of some of the most beautiful boats, ships and yachts you will ever see.  

A boat moves from the lagoon into the ocean.

As soon as the alarm rang, I told Carol I would be back and grabbed my camera and headed to the edge of the pier where the restaurant is located to get some photographs.  After returning to my seat we dug into the great breakfast that had been delivered to our table.  Short time later Carol said, "See that man over there in the blue shirt?  I think he is the fellow who opened the bridge for the boats to pass through.  He just came back to finish his coffee."  I turned to look and saw this gentleman with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other.  Told Carol I'll be right back and walked over to talk with him.  I introduced myself and he told me his name was Aldria.  He has been the Bridge Master for 10 years now.  

This sailor is taking my photo as I take his.

The bridge is opened 7 times a day for boat traffic to pass from the Atlantic Ocean into the Simpson Bay Lagoon and vice-versa.  The first opening is at 8:30 AM, with four hourly openings in the morning and then openings at 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00 pm.  He is notified of boats that want to pass through through the canal by the walkie-talkie he carries with him.  All drawbridge traffic must pay a fee based on the length of the vessel.  

A sailboat exits the lagoon.

After each opening and closing he must check the mechanism that opens the bridge to make sure everything is in order.  If a vessel wants to pass through other than the normal time, they must pay an additional fee, also based of the size of the vessel.  I asked how long the bridge could remain open and block road traffic while the boats passed through.  Told me he must close the bridge within 20 minutes of when he opened it.  Today it wasn't opened for more that 10 minutes as only four vessels passed through.  Boats heading into the ocean pass first while those coming into the lagoon follow.  He told me that a few years ago, when a new swing bridge for the opposite side of the lagoon was being made, the mechanical part of the bridge had to pass through the drawbridge and that took quite a bit of time.  

Aldria looks toward the bridge as he tells me about it.

It had been published in the newspaper and on the TV and radio about the bridge being opened for an extended time period to allow for that.  If he gets notice of an emergency taking place where police or ambulance will need to cross the bridge, he can hold up the opening of the bridge, but once the water traffic begins, he doesn't close it for 20 minutes, unless there are fewer vessels waiting.  After his hourly chores are completed he returns to the Yacht Club, parks himself on his usual chair and enjoys his smoke and cup of coffee.  He invited me to come with him in another hour to see what he must do, but I passed on his offer so I could head back to our villa to get ready to head to the beach.  Nothing can keep me from my appointed trip to the beach for my morning nap.  It was another day in the life of an ordinary guy.