There is a nice stable high pressure between the Caribbean and Europe, and the wind is a steady 15 to 25 knots from the east to southeast. Had a lovely if short sail from St. Martin to St Barts. And who are we to argue, so after we sailed our anchor in and got the dink launched we mosied into the town of Gustavia to check out the scene. Maybe the guides books are right. First, there was Ultima III, at least 175 feet and four decks worth of mega-motor yacht.
Clearance is straightforward and relatively informal.
Once we started cruising the town, two things immediately caught our attention. Everybody on this island looks like they have not had a decent meal in months - much too skinny for our tastes. Then there are the duty-free shops. They seem to specialize in watches. Every French and Swiss watchmaker you can imagine is well represented - and at least half the stores sell nothing but fancy watches.