One of the best parts of traveling for a
number of years in the Caribbean is the opportunity to experience islands
affiliated with rich and diverse histories.
Most islands have ties to England, France, the Netherlands, Spain, or
the US. Some, like Saint-Barthelemy, have
Scandinavian roots and many have changed hands several times through the course
of history.
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| The "Scooter Gang" |
After sailing these waters for over 550
days now, we’ve discovered that certain characteristics associated with the
various islands have much to do with the history of colonization and their
relationship to the slave trade of the 1700 and 1800’s. St. Barth’s never participated in the slave
trade or developed sugar plantations so their economy grew based on salt trade
and now tourism. Discovered by Columbus in 1493 and named after his brother
Bartolomeo, St. Barth’s was settled by the French in the mid-17th
century, became Swedish in 1784 and was returned to France in 1878. It is the
only Caribbean island with a Swedish heritage.
The street signs are written in both French and Swedish.
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| Worlds most dangerous airport |
Gustavia is a charming port lined with red
roofs, filled with yachts, and a playground for the rich. The yachts that congregate here are more than
impressive and come in sizes large and XXXL. Atalanta is dinghy-sized in
comparison to many anchored near her. Le Carre’Or is the Worth Avenue or Rodeo Drive
of St. Barth’s where window-shopping is the only affordable thing unless Chanel, Hermes, Yves St. Laurent, Jimmy Choo, etc. are included in your budget. The official
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| Nero |
currency is the Euro and even
with the reasonable exchange rate at this time, we always check the price. We
were told that even the very wealthy clientele that visit St. Barth’s say, “It’s
too expensive.”
We rented scooters – an ideal way to
experience the island. It is spectacularly
beautiful and very hilly so each bend in the road offers a new breathtaking vista
of the picturesque coastline. We
traveled St. Barth’s roads with Ann-Sofie and Jonas from Lady Annila and
fortunately we found a lovely stop, Restaurant L’Espirit, near Anse de Grand
Saline for liquid refreshments just across from salt ponds that remained active
until the 1970s and now provide a haven for migrating birds. We visited an immaculately maintained French
cemetery where each grave is whitewashed and covered in brightly colored
plastic flowers. On All Soul’s Day a
candlelit procession is the focus of the festivities.
We are anchored in Anse du Grand Colombier,
a beautiful cove on the northern tip of St. Barth’s, with Lady Annila and
Argosea. The water is turquoise blue, crystal clear and two turtles formed a
welcoming committee upon our arrival. The bay has been a part of St. Barth’s
Marine Reserve since 1996 offering protection from anchoring, spearfishing,
jetskis, etc. so snorkeling is on our agenda.
After a week or so in St. Barth’s we plan
to take the 18-mile hop to St. Martin, a divided island where one half is
French (Saint Martin) and the other Dutch (Sint Maarten). One of St. Martin’s
claims to fame is a collection of the most extensive yacht services north of
Trinidad and is the last place to put in for repairs before Puerto Rico. Fortunately, Atalanta is in good shape and
most systems are working well although we might have an electrical issue looked
at if we can find the right person for the job.
Thanks for following our travels.
Richard and Kay
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| Kay's next ride |
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| Don't we look "hot" in our helmets |
After nearly two years at sea, we will enter US waters next week.
We continue our journey with Argosea, Tony and Anne’s 47-foot Moody from
England. Being in the Bahamas for the
past three weeks has been a treat. It is
one of the most remote places we have traveled.
Grocery stores, chandleries, and repair services are few and far
between. If you have a mechanical issue
on board, your choices are to fix it yourself, hope a fellow yachtsman can
help, or do a work around until you get to place where services are
available. Although Atalanta behaved well for an extended period, she is now demanding some attention! The good news is, there are
hundreds and hundreds of remote cays with sandy beaches just waiting to be your
private place. The water is the clearest
and cleanest anywhere we have been and the fish are abundant. We have been swimming with rays spanning four
feet across not to mention nurse sharks 3-5 feet in length. The snorkeling over coral is spectacular in
the Bahamas as well. We will miss it as
we cross the Gulf Stream and enter the darker, colder waters off the east coast.
