Location: Gustavia, St Barths
It was quite a day, the likes of which many sailors and ex-pats before us have known. The sailors of old, who would arrive in this peaceful, red tin-roofed port of Gustavia, surrounded by its sea-green waters and colorful storefronts, knew that this was a place of unmistakable beauty that would continue to draw everyone from ex-pats to billionaires for years to come. This picturesque French dependent lay in the even more idyllic leeward islands of the Caribbean. St. Barth’s consequently has been the romping group for the world’s elite for decades. The storefronts, with their exorbitant price tags and luxury brand names, coupled with the floating fortresses that lie tied to their moorings, is enough to tell you that it remains the same to this day.
The Ocean Star crew awoke early today to enjoy a simple oatmeal breakfast along with a refreshing class concerning shipboard safety devices and emergency procedures. The day that followed was an impeccable balance between structured activity and freedom, from hiking up to the phenomenal vantage point atop Fort Carl to diving around the rocky outcroppings that protrude from the waters at the mouth of Gustavia’s port. The day was beautiful, hot, and easy-going. It was a quintessential Caribbean day and one that the crew soaked up without hesitation.
The natural beauty that bounced off the reefs pulsated with a life only known to those who travel beneath the waves. The colors and true diversity of life were something many of the student crew had never experienced before. It would prove to be a day of firsts. There were sightings of nurse sharks and colorful Sergeant Majors who danced over our masks as we swam by their patches of newly laid eggs. There were giant blue lobsters crawling in and out of their caves, playing peekaboo with us as we swam by. The corals were equally as vibrant and colorful, with many brain coral colonies and various sea fans freckling the seafloor as far as our masks could see.
Following a very successful day of diving, the student crew was let loose to roam the shopping stalls that covered the port of Gustavia. From peaking in the windows at Prada to purchasing the next gift for our loved ones back home, the day was filled with fine french Gelato and plenty of sun as we wandered up and down the streets of St Barths. Whether stopping in for a burger at Le Select or gazing in astonishment at the pristine beaches that surrounded the port town, the day was relaxing and fun for everyone as we wandered the streets of St. Barth together.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as we must be moving on tomorrow. If all things go according to plan, we will be in a new location with new fantastic stories to tell.