This is Part 1 of our 3-part Caribbean adventure series. Join me as we explore the best of both sides of this incredible island – from swimming with sea turtles to skydiving over Grand Case (Part 2) and conquering the Flying Dutchman, the steepest zipline in the world (Part 3).
When you get a message from a fellow Canadian living in paradise, inviting you down to St. Martin for some serious Adventures Unknown, well… you find yourself on that plane pretty quick.
“Donny! I live here in St. Martin. I’m a fellow Canadian – half Newfie actually. My mom was born in Bishop’s Falls. We’d love to have you here in St. Martin, so why don’t you get yourself on a flight? We’ll have some fun, lots of adventures, and you’ll see this beautiful island paradise.”
I got the golden ticket.
Stepping off that plane into the Caribbean heat was like walking into a wall of warm honey. The air was thick, sweet, and absolutely intoxicating after what we’d left behind back home. My host was waiting for me with a huge grin.
“How ya doing, buddy? Welcome to St. Martin!”
“Yeah, it’s great to be here,” I said, already feeling the sweat starting. “You got the good weather out for us!”
He laughed. “It’s very hot, and this is the cooler season right now.”
The cooler season. Right. I’m pretty sure I was already sweating through my shirt.
When we pulled up to where I’d be staying, I honestly couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t just a room or a basic apartment – this was a full-on villa situation. Palm trees everywhere, a side side pool, a massive outdoor kitchen, and a table that could easily seat eight or nine people for one hell of a party.
The crew and I got settled in – my director and the team checking out the place, everyone already planning shots for the episodes we’d be filming. But even with the crew, this place felt spacious and luxurious. And wait, is that a yacht?
Yip. I got my own yacht! Well, super nice boat anyway – and there’s a captain that comes with it!
After settling in, I grabbed a cold drink and jumped in the pool to cool off. “Now that’s refreshing,” I said, floating there in this private paradise. This was definitely different from being home in the basement, I’ll tell you that much.
I climbed out, grabbed my phone, and checked my social media. Almost immediately, a message popped up from a guy named Iman:
“Hey DONNY, Love the show. I see you’re here in St. Martin. Want to go for a spin in the Wolverine – lets rip it up! If you’re in I’ll pick you up in 20 minutes.”
Twenty minutes? Heck yeah, I’m in.
When Iman showed up, he had this wicked grin on his face and was driving what can only be described as a beast on wheels – the Wolverine dune buggy.
“Good to see ya Donny! Ya ready for a bit of sight seeing and off-roading?”
“Yeah definitely man, thanks for thinking of me. So what’s on the go?”
“Well, I’m thinking we’re just going to jump in the dune buggy there, the Wolverine, and then we’re just going to rip around, go see some high points and head down to Maho beach.”
And rip it up, we did. The thing about riding in a Wolverine through St. Martin is that it kind of reminds you of home – well, Newfoundland home. We were tearing through these trails, bushes whipping by on both sides, and I swear they looked just like alder bushes.
“So this is one of those famous beaches where the planes come in right over the water, off over the beach, and right onto the tarmac,” Ivan explained. “You got people here that just lay down on the beach and watch the planes coming from up top. We can almost touch them. And then when the jets are taking off, everyone’s hanging on to the fence waiting for the jet blast. This beach is quite famous in the world for that kind of activity.”
We parked and waited. Then we heard it – that unmistakable roar of jet engines. The plane came in LOW. I mean, scary low. Right over our heads, so close you could see every rivet, every detail. The sound was deafening, the adrenaline was instant.
“WOW! That was amazing! WOW!” I was shouting like a kid at Christmas. “That was so cool, man! Just to see that go over your head – that was a huge adrenaline rush!”
Ivan was grinning. “How do you think the drive went? Did you have as much fun as me?”
“Yeah, I love the adrenaline! That’s the thing that keeps you alive, right?”
He nodded enthusiastically and off we went for more exploring.
The next morning, I woke up to my new view that never gets old – ever. The sun was already warming the villa, the ocean was sparkling, and before my morning swim, I checked Facebook to see if any of the friendly people I’d been meeting had reached out.
Sure enough, there was a message from someone named Captain Darren:
“Hey Donny, I heard you were out with my buddy Iman out in the Wolverine. Now we’re going to do it from the water side. We’ll be around in about 20 minutes to pick you up, and then we’ll take you to Tintamare and Creole Rock, and show you our beautiful island of St. Martin from the sea.”
Twenty minutes. These people don’t mess around with planning – they just make it happen. I love it.
I was sitting on my yacht (yeah, I’m still not over saying that) when Captain Darren pulled up in his boat.
“Pleasure to meet you, welcome to St. Martin! It’s a beautiful day to be on the water, we might do some snorkeling, and hit a few islands and see where the day takes us.
Captain Darren introduced me to everyone joining us for the day. There were a couple of mates on the boat, and my other new friend Iman from the dune buggy ride decided to keep his own adventure going and join us, along with his friend Jen.
The boat cut through the crystal-clear Caribbean water, the sun was warm on my skin, and I was surrounded by new friends. This is what I love about traveling – you meet these amazing people who just open up their lives and their boats and show you their paradise. We were a crew now, heading out to explore.
“This is the life,” I said to no one and everyone at once.
After cruising along the coastline, taking in the stunning views of the island from the water, Captain Darren brought us to our main destination.
“Donny, welcome to Tintamare!
So this place is truly spectacular. A picture perfect post card with the promise of peace and tranquility, a unique experience that must be on your bucket list. Tintamarre Island feels like one of those places the world hasn’t rushed to ruin yet. Tucked quietly in the Caribbean, it’s the kind of spot that slows you down the moment you arrive and allows you to reconnect with yourself and the natural world. The beaches are untouched, the water impossibly clear, and the landscape feels wild in the most inviting way possible — open, peaceful, and refreshingly simple. There’s no noise, no crowds, no agenda. Just space to breathe, reset, and remember what real calm actually feels like. Oh…and the snorkeling is amazing.
Come swim with the turtles!” Captain Darren announced.
The moment you put your face in the water, your entire world changes. Suddenly you’re floating in this completely different universe – schools of tropical fish darting around coral formations, the sunlight filtering down through the water in shimmering rays, and then…
There they were.
Giant sea turtles, gliding through the water like they owned the place – which, let’s be honest, they do. These weren’t small turtles. These were proper sea turtles, graceful and ancient, completely unbothered by our presence. They’d swim close, then drift away, munching on seagrass, coming up for air, just living their best turtle life.
I followed them, swimming alongside these magnificent creatures, completely mesmerized. In Newfoundland, we don’t have this. We have icebergs and whales and puffins – all amazing in their own right – but this? Swimming with sea turtles in crystal-clear warm tropical water? This was something else entirely.
The water was so clear you could see everything – every detail of the turtles’ shells, every fish, every piece of coral. It was like swimming in an aquarium, except it was real, it was wild, and it was absolutely incredible.
As we were getting ready to head back to the boat, I looked out and saw it – this massive rock formation jutting up out of the ocean. It looked like a mountain, just sitting there in the middle of the water. It was calling me.
“So guys, this rock is whispering to me, and I’m going to climb it, and maybe jump off.”
“The tide’s down a bit,” Darren cautioned. “I’m not sure if it’s safe, but if you want to go exploring, by all means, check it out.”
I dove off the boat and started swimming towards the rock. It looked closer from the boat – everything does. By the time I made it to the island, I was properly out of breath.
The rock face was jagged, rough, and there wasn’t exactly a clear path. “This is crazy dangerous and I’m doing this in flip-flops. I must be nuts!” I said to my camera as I was also filming this for the show.
And yes, before you ask – I was absolutely doing this in flip-flops. Not my smartest decision, but when I’m filming and in the moment, I just go for it.
“Remember, you never want to do what I’m doing here. This is stupid of me and dangerous, but I am a trained professional and I know what I’m at.” With that last warning to the audience I started to ascent this super cool rock.
Finally, after what felt like forever, I made it to the top safe and sound.
The view from up there was absolutely insane. I could see the boat below, my friends waving and watching, the endless Caribbean Sea stretching out in every direction, the island of St. Martin in the distance. It was one of those moments where you just have to stop and appreciate where you are and what you’re doing and have gratitude for life (and that you didn’t fall on the way up!).
Then I looked down at the water far below.
“WOW!”
I checked with the guys in the water, made sure they’d confirmed it was probably not deep enough to jump. I really wanted to jump, I wanted that adrenaline rush, but you always have to err on the side of caution. So I climbed back down and swam back to the boat.
My friends were cheering, laughing, and clapping. They’d never seen anyone climb that rock before!
The sun was starting to slide down towards the horizon and it was time to head back to the villa.
“Boys, thank you for a great day out!”
“My pleasure Donny!” Captain Darren fired back, followed by “Might as well go to nightclubs next.”
As the sun started to set on my first full day of adventures in St. Martin, I couldn’t help but feel like this trip was just getting started. Swimming with giant sea turtles, jumping off rocks in the middle of the ocean, making friends from all over the world, and experiencing this incredible island paradise – this was what Adventures Unknown is all about.
But here’s the thing – this was only Day One. Only Part One of our three-part Caribbean series.
Because tomorrow? Tomorrow we’re going up. Way up. Like, jumping-out-of-a-plane-at-10,000-feet up. We’re heading to Grand Case on the French side for some serious skydiving over the Caribbean.
And after that? We’re taking on the Flying Dutchman – the steepest zipline in the world.
But that’s all coming up in Parts 2 and 3. For now, I’m going to enjoy this incredible sunset, maybe hit those nightclubs, and rest up for what promises to be an even more intense adventure tomorrow.
St. Martin, you’ve already stolen my heart. Let’s see what else you’ve got.
Stay tuned for Part 2: Adventures Unknown – Skydiving Over The Caribbean in Grand Case St. Martin.
Until the next adventure,
Donny Love
Adventures Unknown – The best stories are the ones you live yourself.
Donny Love is the star of Adventures Unknown Television Series, host of The Donny Love Radio Show, and a Newfoundlander who’s rarely standing still. He’s out exploring the world one adventure at a time — and writing about it honestly, so you know what’s worth doing and what’s not.
