After a week of hard work in Antigua, we picked up our guests in Falmouth Harbour and set sail for a week of exploration on islands out of the beaten paths. We first spent a night in Carlisle Bay where our guests went scuba-diving, then sailed about 30 miles to Montserrat.
 |
| The volcano and its cloudy crown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Montserrat used to be a highly touristic island before the volcano erupted and buried its capital, Plymouth, under a several meter-high layer of ashes and mud. Most of the population moved to the other side of the island and started building a new town, waiting for the volcano to go back to sleep so that they could return to Plymouth. Every attempt to clean up the streets and buildings of the former capital ended with a new period of volcanic activity, threatening to swallow half of the island all over again. Today it is forbidden to go into Plymouth, but from the top of a nearby hill you can view the ghost town under the mudslide - an eerie sight to say the least! Joe the taxi driver also took our guests to see the buried golf course and the observatory that monitors every mood swing of the volcano.
Our next stop was Nevis, where our guests went scuba-diving again and discovered one of the best restaurants in the Caribbean at the Montpelier Plantation. The setting is unique, with a single table set up in an renovated sugar mill. A delicious five-course menu was served by four waiters exclusively dedicated to our care - an exceptional dining experience!
 |
| Montpelier Plantation, Nevis |
After a pleasant sail we arrived in Saba, a one-of-a-kind type of island, with a stunning coastline made of dramatic cliffs rather than sandy beaches. Getting to Saba is not easy, since only a handful of pilots have the license to land on the tiny runway - about the size of an aircraft carrier! Arriving by boat can also be complicated, as anchoring is made difficult by the depth around the island and the few moorings are often uncomfortable because of the swells. However, those who do make it to Saba are highly rewarded by the unique scenery, good hiking grounds, a charming little town nested besides the cliffs as well as some of the best diving in the Caribbean.
 |
| Saba's main town, surrounded by cliffs |
 |
| The adventurous path to the old Customs house |
From Saba we made our way to St Martin, where we spent a calm might at the dock on the French side. In the morning we sailed to Tintamarre where we anchored for lunch. Dolphins came by to greet us just after the snorkeling session on the sunk tug-boat - perfect timing!
 |
| Our lunch-time companions |
We left Tintamarre for St Barts in the afternoon, where we discovered that the well-known regatta "Les Voiles de St Barth" was about to start. As a result Gustavia harbor was packed with beautiful sailing yachts. The next morning Bill took the guests to see the race in the dinghy between two kneeboarding sessions.
 |
| Gorgeous Firefly under full sail |
Finally our guests woke up on Easter Sunday to find that a yacht-friendly bunny had left eggs all over the deck!
After an extensive egg-hunt, our guests went on shore and came back with an interesting story: after church, they were offered champagne, which they were told is an Easter tradition on the island... Only in St Barts!
 |
| Off to shore for some VIP time in St Barts... |
Comments
Post a Comment