Great Salt Pond, salt lake on the island of St Martin
The Great Salt Pond is an expansive shallow water body that extends southeast of Philipsburg and defines the island's landscape. Viewing points along Walther Nisbeth Road offer perspectives across the flat basin and its shoreline.
Dutch settlers established the pond in 1631 and used it as a salt production center for centuries. The extraction operations shaped the region's economic growth and made Philipsburg a trading hub.
The Salt Pickers Monument at the central roundabout honors those who once extracted salt from the shallow waters. This memorial serves as a reminder of the labor that shaped the community.
Multiple viewpoints along Walther Nisbeth Road provide good views of the water body, with the southern parking area serving as a convenient starting point. Early morning or afternoon hours offer the best light for observation and photography.
The pond attracts large seasonal gatherings of laughing gulls that fill the water surface with activity during certain times of year. The saline conditions ranging between 27 and 38 parts per thousand create ideal environments for these bird concentrations.
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