St Barths

We arrived at Gustavia, St Barths to find it extremely busy. We anchored inside the little islands of Gros Islets and The Saintes and went ashore to clear in with the Port Authority. The anchorage is very picturesque, but it is very rolly, so we were pleased when we were able to move onto a buoy in the inner harbour the following morning. Gustavia is a lovely town with red roofed houses, quite a culture shock from St Kitts. Old warehouses have been restored and turned into great bars, restaurants and shops. Most of the boats on the quay are huge superyachts and beautiful replicas of old J-class sailing yachts. The shops are full of designer accessories and other goodies that are aimed at the rich and famous who frequent the island. We didn't see anyone famous, but enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere.

There is a large population of Pelicans in St Barths. It is fascinating to watch them divebombing in to the water all around us. We decided to stay for a few days and enjoy the atmosphere. We bumped into the captain of the STA's Stravros Niachos in the Port Authority. They were anchored in the bay for the day, and then heading for Bermuda. We hired a jeep for the day and drove around the island. There is not much to see in terms of attractions but the scenery and beaches are fabulous.