According to the Lonely Planet guide, 'This is it, the one'! It all depends on what you are looking for, I'd say, but there are many things that tick the boxes here. The small island's economy and well being have always been bound up with its picturesque port of Gustavia.
St Barts is strategically placed in the middle of the Lesser Antilles. Around 1685, about 100 peasants arrived from Western France and took over St Barts, which up until then everyone else had ignored. Their numbers had grown to about 600 in the next century and they had worked hard to try to cultivate the dry barren soil, which ultimately meant no slaves on the island. It's small fine harbour and sheltered bays made it important enough for the British, French and Spanish to fight over...nothing new in this part of the world!
In 1784 the French gave St Barts to the Swedes (to strike a deal for free trade in Gothenburg) who made it a free port, which it remains today. It had a second period of prosperity as a trading centre during the American War of Independence, when American rebels came to St Barts for supplies. In the next 100 years, there was a decline due to changing trade patterns and several hurricanes. The Swedes sold St Barts back to the French in 1878 and today it is a commune of France.
Currently, St Barts is in an unprecedented renaissance. With its sharply contoured rocky hills, a pretty port and gorgeous beaches, it has become a very desirable destination for the rich and chic. Apparently at New Year, over one hundred super yachts arrive for the festivities that includes a spectacular fireworks display. Could it be better than Sydney Harbour on New Years Eve??
Less than 50 years ago, the island had almost no road or hotel infrastructure. A Dutchman, an elected mayor, had big plans for the island's development and with his background in sailing and an aircraft pilot's licence as well, he got roads and an airstrip built in the hills. This launched tourism and property prices accelerated.
When Trilogy arrived in the port of Gustavia, there was a plethora of yachts, cruisers and smaller craft, not to mention the superyachts a little further out, to greet us. There were so many buoys that were mostly taken, that anchoring in amongst them was not an option. We had been advised that all the moorings were private but the skipper decided to pick one up, at least as an interim plan. We headed ashore to complete the formalities and caught a glimpse of the upmarket shops, when we did a short wander. There had been a plan to eat ashore for dinner but after a cafe stop, the skipper expressed his concern about staying on the borrowed mooring. The sea had become quite choppy and we were required to anchor a bit further out and around the corner. We had a near miss with an anchored cruiser that had an two additional lines out to port . Once settled, it was decided to eat on board and visit Gustavia the following day.
It happened to be the skipper's birthday and as is our custom, the occasion is celebrated in both the Australian and current time zones. On the sail over to St Barts we started with champagne flutes filled with sparkling Perrier and many 'cheers' later, we sang Happy Birthday. A the end of the day we dined on Chilli Con Carne with a beautiful red to match. The skipper had requested a snorkel around some nearby islands before breakfast next morning and then a trip into Gustavia before the shops shut at 13:00, being Saturday. We found the boulangerie where we indulged a little on the pastries and good coffee and then we headed up a nearby small peak which gave us excellent views of the surrounding waterways and port. Gustavia is hosting a race week starting Monday and there was quite a buzz around the quay, as the crews made final preparations.
Back on board, Trilogy was bouncing quite a bit in the unexpected southerly breeze, and we decided to motor to our next destination around the corner called Anse du Grand Colombier. We got a closer look at several superyachts and watched as a helicopter took from the biggest's helipad. The very beautiful beach we anchored at is only accessible by water or a one mile long walk down a steep path, which means the locals do not frequently manage the visit. However, the rich and famous have left their mark. This beach was once owned by the Rockerfellers and their mansion sits on a peak on the southern end. We snorkelled on the northern side of the bay and were rewarded with a garden of rocks, coral and fish. In particular there were two angel fish who proudly displayed their plumage in the crystal clear water. This time we toasted the skipper with 'the real deal', a special and delightful bottle of French Gosset Brut Excellence. We settled for dinner at the cockpit table in this beautiful bay, enjoying a chicken, thyme and capsicum recipe while watching a sliver of golden moon sink lower in the night sky. At that point, Garth was not really concerned that another birthday had been clocked up!
Next morning the southern side of the bay beckoned us for a snorkel. We swam ashore, walked the length of the beach, before donning the snorkelling gear once more. We were rewarded for our effort, especially by a turtle feeding on the grass beds and a collection of string rays on their way to church....well it was Sunday!
After a late breakfast, we motored 3NM to Ile Fourchue, one of many small surrounding islands belonging to St Barts. There were already plenty of other yachts, mostly catamarans, in the bay but we found a spot to anchor and before long we were snorkelling again. It was here that Peter encountered a large snark and Peter's response was to walk on water! Poor Sue got left behind and headed for a rock to perch on. It's a pity that Aussies have such a thing in their psyches about shark behaviours!
Next morning we snorkelled along the adjacent cliff wall and enjoyed the sun's sparkle on the submarine world, before heading to St Martins.