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| Gustavia – St Barth’s Capital |
So, here we are, just over two years later, very happily installed and enjoying island life to the full. St Barth is a beautiful island with natural Caribbean charm and a touch of Western comforts, which prevents one from getting ‘island fever’ and also provides for those practical everyday needs.
St Barth is reputed for being a ‘sophisticated paradise’, which is true to a certain extent, if one is a rich celebrity/tourist or honeymooners et al, here for a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience, seeking luxury/top class service in a tropical setting. However, St Barth is a very different place for those who live here permanently; daily life and routines continue albeit in a beautiful environment.
St Barth’s residents are a very interesting group of people, from all walks of life, so there is a great combination of different personalities and life histories. There are thus no social norms amongst these residents, who live together harmoniously regardless of status, culture, wealth, education etc., which so often produce judgment and prejudice in other parts of the world. Basically, ‘anything goes’ on St Barth, in respect of personality, marital/family status, appearance, dress (one gets accustomed to seeing semi-/bikini-clad folk in the streets and even supermarkets!), place of living and definitely car (the majority of people have what is known as a ‘St Barth car’, which has to be suitable for the tiny narrow roads, so it is generally small and often decorated with many ‘St Barth kisses’, i.e. bumps and bruises, plus rust due to the destructive sea air).
The island itself is very attractive with regards to both natural beauty and man-made structure. There are many preservation rules which protect the environment and help to maintain the small scale and style of development. The general building style is typically Caribbean – wooden clapperboard houses known as ‘cases’ topped with red or green iron roofs. These Caribbean houses are actually more visibly apparent than the well-hidden ‘luxurious’ properties of the rich/famous, whose residences are incidentally still in-keeping with the local style, albeit combined with Eastern minimalism.
The island is just 25km² of green, undulating terrain with narrow, bumpy roads linking the little villages. Travel from one place to another takes on average 5 to 10 mins. max. So everything is very easily accessible, including the many beautiful, white sandy beaches, which surround the island. There is a wide choice of beaches, each with its own character, many of which are sparsely populated, where one can find tranquil solitude; there are others bordered by smart/trendy restaurants creating a fun atmosphere, for when one is feeling more sociable.
There is a wide variety of water sports – swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, surfing, yachting/speed boating etc. I have swum like a fish since my childhood, so the water is a very important part of my life. My day begins with an invigorating walk along one of the nearby beaches, followed by a refreshing swim in the clear blue water. Weekends provide more time for repose and snorkelling around the rocky coves/headlands. I must admit that I am rather a ‘snorkelling snob’, spoilt by my experience of beautiful sea life in many parts of the world, particularly the Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela, Saba and The Grenadines. I have vivid memories of a vast array of multi-coloured coral and fish (sharks and barracudas included!), eagle rays, turtles and even seahorses; so my snorkelling expectations are now rather high.
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| Angel Fish – My Favourite Tropical Fish! |
I was thus very happy to discover that St Barth also has a fascinating underwater world. The island seems to attract many turtles, which are extremely friendly and enjoy racing interested swimmers, rather like the ubiquitous dolphins that we used to see onboard our yacht, which enjoyed showing off their diving acrobats as we sailed along! St Barth also has a range of coral (fan, stag horn and brain) in bright purple, orange, red and yellow hues. I was pleased to also discover my ‘old favourites’ – the beautifully patterned parrot, angel and damsel fish, amongst a selection of snapper, grouper, grunts and sea bass!