We get the tender over to the fuel jetty and have found our own little hidey-hole to leave it. We then walk along past some moored super-yachts, behind customs, past the yacht club, over a bridge and then we are in the grounds of Port St Charles marina.

The yacht club and its pretty entrance and Bear on the bridge.

A couple of beach scenes taken from the bridge. ALL beaches are public as by Government decree. No homes are allowed to be built too close to a beach and any that want exclusivity MUST provide public access. This little bird I caught on video having a bath in a puddle.

The Port St Charles marina is an affluent and upscale luxury marina development situated on the western coast of Barbados. Found within the parish of St Peter, the marina is in close proximity to the main area of Speightstown in Six Men’s Bay. Port St Charles is made up exclusive villas, condos and apartments, and a small, man-made inland lagoon area with facilities for residents to berth their yachts close to their vacation homes. The site has a restaurant, fitness suite, tennis courts and plunge-pools.

Just over the bridge we get our first view of the complex.

The marina is host to a branch of the government's customs and immigration bureau as well as a Coast Guard sub office, and is one of two officially-classified sea-based ports of entry in Barbados—the harbour in the capital city of Bridgetown being the second. Also found in the development are a heliport, a health spa, and just off the coast of the Marina lies the Tom Snooch Reef.

The inner lagoon of Port St Charles is restricted and is only available to residents or persons staying at the marina development.

Properties at the Port St Charles Marina are managed by Port St. Charles Development Ltd. The prices start at £200 per day for a one bed roomed apartment. You can rent the berths separately to the accommodation as many owners don’t have boats of their own. We didn't bother to ask about rates, we are happy at anchor for free.

We have seen some comments on other blogs; that the marina only welcomes the £10 million plus super-yachts and looks down on the 40 footers, we haven‘t found that to be the case. They have let us wander the grounds, get internet access, permitted us to park if we hire a car and been extremely welcoming and polite and let us fill our water tanks for free and guided us to a Mr Woo for our washing.

This is known locally as the Mile Tree, the seed pod Bear is holding is quite heavy, wooden and would make a very large olive dish (it's coming to you Lord Grisswold). A stunning plant.

I have loved all the vibrant colours on the immaculately tended plants. Things you see in the UK as pot plants on sale in M+S are huge here. Bear with something else that fell on his head.

No one minded that when it rained, we trotted in on the tender and tied up under the bridge to shelter. Bear went off to find the office.

All in all we have had a smashing time here.