Day 04 - 11/23- Gustavia, St Barthelemy

Quaint but Expensive

After a couple of nice sea days, the Volendam assumed its tendering position off the French West Indies Island of St. Barthelemy. As 5 star mariners we were on the first tender which arrived at 8:30pm. Later we learned that some passengers didn't get off until 10:30am.  

We immediately headed off walking along the narrow Main Street with its combination of new and quaint old buildings housing all manner of high end retail brand stores. We walked around the harbor with its expensive yachts and clear water. Our first objective was to walk to Fort Oscar which occupies one of the several hills surrounding the harbor. Upon arrival at the fort we learned that it was not open to the public as it's a police station. So off we headed in search of more adventure.

We found a lovely park with nice views and some shade from the trellised plants. A little further along we encountered Fort Karl and climbed the 60-70 steps up to this long abandoned Swedish fort. Not much remains but the wonderful views of the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. Below the fort was the Shell Beach which was our next stop.


Shell beach gets its name from the countless shells that make up the beach. Angela took a brief swim while I watched our gear. I should add that this is a topless optional beach and it was in practice today.

St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church dating from 1855 was our next stop. It's a very plain church located just outside the main business district and still in use. We then went in search of the vintage bell tower but never found it. We did make it up to the large cross and the light house which is across the harbor from the first fort we visited and above the tendering platform. Rather than retrace our steps we descended around the hill passing by the commercial port and fuel storage tanks returning to the port area we started at.  

There was a little grocery store in town where we purchased a baguette and cheese and soda water for a little picnic lunch at the harbor while waiting for the tender line to shorten. At this point it was two or three tenders' capacity long and it was more comfortable to wait in the shade of the gazebo and chat with other passengers. Eventually we joined the tender line and were among the last to fill a tender. That tender slowly transported us across the beautiful green waters to the front tender platform where we re-boarded the ship just after 2pm. The last tender was 2:30pm.   

It was certainly refreshing to get out of the heat. Equally refreshing were the green grapes our cabin steward had waiting for us. Just before 3:30pm we set sail and I went up to the Billboard on Board area for a class on using a GoPro adventure camera which I have. The class was the largest that the presenter from the Photo department ever had. It was good and several of us shared tips regarding using them.

Our Lido dinner was good with some excellent table conversation with a couple from Port Alberni, BC. Afterwards we watched the evening entertainment which was Resonance by the Step One Dance Company. While modern dance isn't my favorite entertainment genre, it was good. Our path took us to the dueling pianos where we watched the Hot Country set performed by Brandon and Wesley.  

Tomorrow is a new non-tendering port and we are planning to do something cool. Stay tuned.

Tim

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