Tintamare Island, protected mooring inside the nature reserve

Uninhabited and undeveloped island in the northeast of Saint-Martin, fully protected within the Saint-Martin National Nature Reserve (a 30 km2 marine protected area created in 1998). Access is by private boat only: the reserve maintains 17 permanent yellow moorings for vessels up to 15 tons/50 feet, smaller boats must anchor on sandy bottom only. Snorkelling is accessible directly from the beach on the island's northern point. The island is the only nesting site of the Brown Noddy, an endangered species highly sensitive to disturbance: mooring is prohibited in North Curve Bay and removing any material is forbidden. Source: Saint-Martin National Nature Reserve (reservenaturelle-saint-martin.com, "Tintamare" page).