Yesterday we walked the couple of miles to the main town of The Valley.  Although this is the capital of the island, it is reached along roads without pavements and has little of real interest to a tourist.  Nonetheless, the people we met were welcoming and friendly, including an office worker who invited us inside to escape the rain and a coloured Berkshire lady who now has a restaurant in The Valley.

 

The beach at Road Bay is a delightful curve of fine sand, with the small and aptly named Sandy Island, containing just a few palm trees and a beach bar, about a mile out.  Road Bay provides a safe anchorage with good holding, but high cruising charges mean that few boats venture beyond Road Bay:  A cruising license (essential to anchor anywhere other than Road Bay) would have cost $71/day plus a further small charge to visit one of the several marine reserves.

 

Local people complain about this since it means that little is spent by yachtsmen outside Road Bay, and we also heard complaints that the London Parliament is a bit too enthusiastic about imposing environmental restrictions and charges.  This is a shame as the island certainly has excellent marine resources and would doubtless become a popular destination if charges were more moderate.  It appears that the balance is not yet right

 

The main tourist route appears to be the ferry boat from Marigot on neighbouring St Martin.  The government appears to want to develop its tourist industry and has approved a number of resorts, particularly on the east coast facing St Martin.