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St. Barts

sailawayblog
Feb 26, 2017
2 min read

St. Barthelemy, or St. Barts for short, was our second stop in the French West Indies, and left us feeling a bit out of our element... at first!

This area of the Caribbean, south of the Virgins and north of Dominica, are referred to as the Leeward Islands, and can get a bit complicated. These islands are a mix of independent states, and overseas territories ruled by European mother nations. Anguilla to the north is British, St. Barts is French, and St. Martin is shared between the Dutch and the French. To the south, Saba and Sint Eustatius are Dutch followed by the independent state of St. Kitts and Nevis, although there's been speculation Nevis would like to secede.... Whew!

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Barth%C3%A9lemy

When island hopping in this region it is difficult to remember which language to speak, or which currency to dig out of your wallet (ie. plastic baggie in the bottom of the sandy old backpack).

But, as we stepped ashore in the busy yacht haven of Gustavia, St. Barts, the vibe was distinctly European... and a bit over-the-top. Amazing million dollar super yachts packed the harbor, and the waterfront was lined with nightclubs, chic restaurants, and designer stores like Gucci and Armani, which Ben and I didn't dare step our salty hair, sun-faded clothes into. Beautiful ladies teetered by in stilettos and men dressed in suits and ties strode by going to the office. Stores sold hats that cost more than our windlass. We hadn't seen so much modern civilization and extravagance in months, and couldn't help gawking.... errr... people watching.

It didn't take us long to decide that the Wanderlust crew didn't quite fit in in Gustavia, although we were able to dig up some hidden gems in the city scene, like playing dominos with the locals and 5 euro cheeseburgers at Le Select Bar, thought to be the inspiration for the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" song. Plus, we can never get enough of French croissants and espresso!

However, we were on the prowl for something slower pace. Thankfully, St. Barts is also home to a lovely, less populated anchorage just north of the busy main port, called Colombier, with the empty white sand beaches and laid-back vibe we're used to... and a little more of French nudity that we aren't used to!

We beelined it there, to spend the rest of our time on the island. Now THIS is why St. Barts is a world renowned boating paradise!

Colombier offered great hiking trails into the tropical hillsides, where we encountered a few friendly locals. Smile!

There's definitely no shortage of goats on this island! From the boat, we could see them dotting the hillsides each morning and evening, hopping from rock to rock munching on shrubs. One of our favorite games was after hearing one cry out, to run onto deck to have a contest to see who could "spot the goat" on the hillside! :)

Before long, the weather cleared and the wind was perfect for a southerly sail. We waved "au revoir" to Cheeseburger in Paradise, our island goat friends, and the lovely island of St. Barts, as we set our course towards St. Kitts and Nevis!