St Barts - 4 - 8 Jan 2012

Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Sun 8 Jan 2012 21:32

17:57.3N 062:54.3W

 

Time to spread our wings and visit another island so within hours of Sara arriving from New Jersey we set sail for St Barts.  Moyra took charge of research and rapidly identified that this was best done by chatting up other yacht skippers and the Sunsail manager.  Considerably more fun than reading a guide book.   Armed with a wealth of information we set off mid afternoon expecting a straightforward crossing with the wind behind us.

 

The wind was behind us but so was squall after squall.  We did 3 hour watches each and no one was spared.  Torrential rain and walloping winds then all calm and lovely then..... torrential rain and walloping wind.  No one got much sleep.

 

Tashi Delek passed her 20,000 mile point in the meantime.

 

 

cid:image001.jpg@01CCD150.B3F26D60

 

 

When we arrived in St Barts we encountered the best check in process ever.  Line of computers in the Capitainerie (St Barts is French),  fill  in a form, print it, hand it in, 10 Euros and that’s it.  No massive legers to fill in by hand then walk round to the other side of the harbour to see the police then back to where you started to go through immigration as has been the case in some countries we can think of.

 

Notice the charming glitter and star decorations – even the authorities here make an effort.

 

cid:image002.jpg@01CCD150.B3F26D60

 

We anchored overnight at the main town Gustavia.  Small supermarket but we fell on the bread and cheeses.  You could tell this was France – the bread and cheese in Antigua is nowhere near as good.  Stocked up on some wine too of course.  Bit of a wander round the town which was billed as the St Tropez of the Caribbean and was definitely more St Trop than Carib in look and feel.

 

We thought we were doing quite well for super/mega yachts in Antigua but there were some crackers here.  Jaw dropping stuff.  A little bit of internet research and we learnt more.  To begin with....Eclipse.....

 

 

Largest privately owned yacht in the world.  Handed over to owners in 2010.  Bullet proof everything, anti-missile defence system and rumoured to be paparazzi proof in that it can detect a flashbulb and then pings a lazer at the camera to destroy the picture.  That sounds a bit fanciful.  Helicopter of course.  Owned by... Roman Abramovich.

 

We were also intrigued by Le Grande Bleu which had a large platform on the back on which was another large motorboat and a 70ft sailing yacht.  Tashi Delek is 42 ft by way of comparison.  50 crew!  This had been bought by Roman Abramovich a few years ago, extended (!), and then given to a friend.  Blimey.

 

 

We set off next day for a short sail to an anchorage on the small island, Ile Fourchue for an overnight stay in a truly idyllic bay.  The first really clear water we had had so perfect for swimming.  Time for a leg stretch so we went ashore and walked up one of the hills.

 

cid:image008.jpg@01CCD150.B3F26D60

 

cid:image007.jpg@01CCD150.B3F26D60

 

Then more swimming, or in Kit and Moyra’s case relaxing in the dingy.

 

 

The sail back was horrible.  No squalls but wind on the nose and difficult sea so we were full tilt engine, sails, or both as appropriate and still took 24 hours for a 15 hour journey sometimes making less than 2 knots over ground.  Tedious.  TransAtlantic was a complete doddle compared to that kind of thing.