When entering Simpson Bay Lagoon in St. Maarten, you’ve likely depended on the smooth, timely opening of the Simpson Bay Bridge. And if you’ve passed through the bridge in the last two decades, chances are you’ve met, or at least waved to, Sam Michael Benjamin Peterson, the man who keeps it running smoothly.
Known for his quick wit, deep maritime roots, and decades of experience on the water, Sam is as much a fixture of the bridge as the steel and gears themselves.
Whether it be daily passages or the bustle of the Heineken Regatta, he ensures every vessel gets through safely and on time. His support for the Sint Maarten Yacht Club and the sailing community has made him a quiet hero, lifting not just the bridge, but the spirit of Simpson Bay.
When he’s not guiding boats through the bridge, he has a lifetime of stories to share. We spoke with him about his roots, his passion for boat building, and how he became a trusted figure in Simpson Bay.
Here’s what he shared:
A Life on the Water
Sam’s maritime career started early. When asked how young he was, Sam responded with a grin, “I fell out of my mom and I was in a boat. Ever since then, I’ve never been out of one.” Raised in a family of generations of boat builders, Sam learned the craft from his father, who learned it from his father before him. Over the years, Sam has hand-built six wooden boats, four of them sailboats, using techniques influenced by traditional Northern European designs.
Sam began operating the Simpson Bay Bridge in the early 2000s, before the causeway was built. He’s not exactly sure how long it’s been (“too long,” he jokes), but estimates around 12-13 years. Before that, he worked on the water and was brought on as operations and maintenance man when the bridge needed someone who knew the rhythms of the lagoon.
A “typical” day for Sam isn’t so typical. “It’s sunny and hot, that’s about the only thing that’s the same,” he laughs. But there is a rhythm: morning espresso at the St. Maarten Yacht Club, keeping the bridge moving, and making sure boats and their captains get where they need to go.
For many, the Heineken Regatta is the busiest, most chaotic time on the bridge. For Sam, it’s the most efficient. “On a normal day, we do three mega yachts in 20 minutes. During regatta, we do 160 in 15 minutes.” He says the energy is high, the pace is fast, and “people have places to go.”
Bridge crashes? Yes, they’ve happened. “About 20 major ones in my time here, plus a bunch of rubs,” Sam says with a grin. But the ones he remembers most are the unusual sights like the time someone reversed through the bridge in a baby-doll dress!
Sam has supported the St. Maarten Yacht Club and its races for years, especially the youth sailing events. “That’s the most important. Grownups can pay for whatever they want. Kids can’t. So you make sure they get what they need.”
When asked what he’s most proud of, Sam doesn’t mention the boats or the bridge. “The people I’ve touched. That’s my most precious thing.”
Sam worries that traditional skills like wooden boatbuilding are fading, and that young locals have fewer opportunities in maritime trades. His advice? Give them a start, even if it’s small, and let them prove themselves.
For Sam, community is about connection and resilience; it’s what you see after a hurricane, when neighbors help each other rebuild. And if you ask the many locals and visitors who know him, they’ll tell you Sam isn’t just part of the community, he is one of its anchors.
Interviewing Sam was as lively as watching the bridge on its busiest day. His quick wit, easy humor, and candid stories made the conversation fly by. Beneath the jokes is a man deeply proud of his craft, his community, and the people he’s helped along the way. Spending time with Sam is a reminder that the heart of St. Maarten isn’t just in its beaches and boats, but in the characters like him who keep the island alive, one bridge lift at a time. We tip our hats to Sam, whose work keeps both our bridge and community running strong.
This article, which first appeared in the St. Maarten Yacht Club newsletter, is reprinted with permission.
