How to get to the island?
The island is mainly connected to that of Saint-Martin, very close - 15 miles to the North-West. Several maritime links are provided - 45 to 75 minutes of crossings, starting from 50 € the round trip. It is also possible to reach Saint-Barth by taxi. Getting to Saint Barth by plane is a unique experience, reserved for pilots who have completed a special qualification: the runway, only 600 m long, is stuck between a pass and the sea... strong sensations guaranteed! The planes are therefore small and only fly during the day, with favourable weather conditions. Most flights operate between Sint Maarten and Sint Barth in just 12 minutes, starting at 140 € return. But access is also provided from Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and Antigua.
Sailing around Saint-Barth
No base to rent on the island. But large fleets available in Saint-Martin, three hours at sea. Renting a sailboat in Martinique - 260 miles away - can be justified if you are looking for a particular unit: the port of Le Marin is indeed the aft base of many fast catamarans and other typical racing monohulls.
The pleasure of sailing in the tropics
In these warm waters, sailing is synonymous with pleasure, even when the spray invites itself on deck. For the island is subject from October to June to the trade wind - which blows from the North-East to the South-East -, an established wind of 10 to 25 knots over very long distances. As a result, the swell is often present, associated with a short chop. The windward coast is logically much more exposed than the leeward coast, where the port of Gustavia and the main anchorages nest.
When to sail?
Lent, from December to April, is rather dry and not too hot - an average of 25°C. Wintering is more humid and significantly more suffocating with an average temperature of 27°C. The annual rainfall reaches 1,000 mm - the same as that of Cap Ferret - but the nature of the soil, the heat and the absence of springs and rivers result in dry vegetation.
What to do during a cruise?
The only port on the island is Gustavia. It is perfectly protected from the trade winds. Only a few wake backwashes can agitate the body of water. The boats are docked ass to dock thanks to pendulums. The outer harbour opens onto a wide bay where it is possible to take a dead body. On land, many possibilities for catering and bunkering.
A coffee shop not to be missed? Without hesitation, the Select! Contrary to what its name might suggest, the oldest restaurant on the island is rather known for its frank conviviality, its burgers and its arranged rums..
To visit in Gustavia: the Swedish bell tower and the building of the old prefecture, witnesses of the Swedish presence - from 1784 to 1878 -, the Catholic and Anglican churches and of course the traditional huts which resisted the fires, cyclones and other outrages of time..
To do if you have some time: rent a car - preferably a small one, the roads are narrow and steep - and discover the panoramas and secret beaches or almost.
