Sailing with Star Clippers
For a different flavour, after touring the sights in Philipsburg the following day, I headed over to the French side - despite being rather full of local rum having visited the wonderful Toppers Rhum Distillery! En route we spent a few hours at Loterie Farm which is a stunning nature reserve with an abundance of iguanas, a stunning pool surrounded by cabanas and a super-cool way to spend the day. Home for the night was the Grand Case Hotel with dinner in town at Ocean 82.
After an early morning walk to town it was time for hotel visits and superb lunch at Indigo, overlooking the sea then return to Philipsburg for a mooch around town before embarkation of Star Flyer.
Having cruised a lot previously, I was looking forward to a smaller ship experience, although really not sure what to expect. What a delight! With great food, warm and friendly crew, sociable ambience and a cracking itinerary, I was in for a treat. It’s not hard to see why people are very loyal to Star Clippers and go on multiple or extended sailings year after year. With access to smaller ports, albeit several by tender, it was delightful to visit new places and the first port of call was Nevis. I’d pre-booked a tour of Nevis as I was interested to find out more of the history of this island, birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, his former home now a museum. Nevis was a main centre for the abhorrent slave trade that blights our history, there is plenty to see and learn and we can be thankful for the enlightened few that helped end this treachery.
It was a treat to see Royal Clipper alongside us as we sailed into Cabrits, Dominica which is a lush, verdant island, very mountainous with an abundance of rivers and lakes, the most famous is probably Boiling Lake, hot springs serving as a reminder of the island’s volcanic beginnings. We were docked right by Cabrits National Park which is home to Fort Shirley, a steep climb especially in the heat but the views were well worth the effort!
Terre du Haut, Iles des Saintes was a real surprise, pretty and quaint (amazing ginger ice cream and boutiques), very unspoilt and only one of the two inhabited islands that form this group, part of the archipelago of Guadeloupe. After a morning exploring on foot I spent the afternoon snorkelling from the beach then watching the others try (and I use this term lightly!) water-skiing! But they had a go and I didn’t… I wasn’t built for speed!
Guadeloupe, home to the popular TV series Death in Paradise, was the next port of call and even though I’ve not followed the programme it was interesting to see the film sites with enthusiastic fellow sailors. Deshaies, where we docked, is a good balance of sleepy fishing village with a selection of bars and restaurants and not too far from stunning Grand Anse Beach, about 30 minutes’ walk. We opted for the next beach which was just as gorgeous but wilder, Plage de la Perle, crashing waves and deserted golden sand stretched in both directions, it was glorious!
Next stop Antigua. I was lucky enough to visit a few years ago and was mesmerised by the staggering view from Shirley Heights down over English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard and that’s exactly where I headed, just 15 minutes’ walk from Falmouth harbour. A UNESCO World Heritage site in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park, this Georgian Royal Dockyard has been in continual use since 1745! With fascinating history, the museum, which is housed in the Naval Officer’s House, affords a great interpretation of life there over the years.
And finally Saint Barthelemy/St Barts, playground of the yachties! And what a selection of yachts there were, both moored in port and anchored in the harbour of Gustavia. Being close to Christmas many of the yacht owners had headed ‘home’ leaving crew on board and to enjoy this upmarket town. A pretty town to wander through with numerous boutique-style establishments, unless you have deep pockets it’s probably best, for the most part, to window-shop! Most of the merchandise is imported and prices inflated but I did purchase a couple of souvenirs prior to scurrying back to Star Flyer before my credit card melted!
After our final breakfast came disembarkation and we were whisked over to Pinel Island for a few hours prior to the flight home for a chill out and lunch, a great way to relax before the chaos at the airport!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my brief journal. Please do get in touch if you’d like more information on these destinations and/or sailing with Star Clippers, I’d be delighted to have a chat with you.