The taller the chimney, the more dispersed the pollutants are and the less damage they do. Its basic engineering.

By the way Tim, whilst the most visible of the protuberances sprouting from a power station are in deed punping our water vapour, there is certainly a chimney pumping out smoke. Its fitted with flue gas desulphurisation and static particle capture, but it still does produce CO2.

You have to be bloody good at treading water to do that well.

Blimey. I was last there more than 15 years ago (so much for my James Bond lifestyle, eh?). You must be ancient!

Tim adds: I was there mid-80s, while a student. Hitch hiking on yachts….

I remember sitting on the beach in the Dutch half next to the airport and looking up to see a Haiti Airways DC3 come in overhead with one propeller spinning. So, no, it’s not on the French side.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Saint-Martin_map_detailed-fr.svg

Tim adds: Long time since I’ve been there….that airport on Dutch side is post my visit.