Looking at Marine Traffic, there appear to be more yachts this year than last year. Marine Traffic reports 124 transponders in Gustavia Anchorage (the outer harbor) and 42 in the port itself (the inner harbor). Some of those will be smaller boats, and some will be launches or tenders from the larger boats. Either way, it's a lot of yachts.
Excellence V at 60m, used to have pride-of-place at the end of the dock behind Lou Lou's Marine. The new Excellence, at 80m, no longer fits in the harbor. The Captain seems to know how to get a prime mooring slot in the outer harbor, but I'm afraid that the view of the commercial port may not be as attractive as the view of the quay in Gustavia.
I probably paid for a few deck screws or something on Excellence V, but I did not contribute to the building of Excellence. Perhaps, with my next car purchase, I will contribute to the operating costs.
While we spent magical holidays almost alone at anchor in Colombier, we also spent many happy Christmas and New Years on a mooring in the inner harbor on the Baz Bar side of Excellence. (How is that for navigation?) There are always traffic jams with tenders trying to squeeze in to drop and pick up guests. I once gave a hand to Giorgio Armani as he left a tender in the harbor with surging conditions. He said, "Thank you, my dear, and I can help you, too." This was offered with humor and compassion. I did look somewhat like a hobo. Happy New Year to all here.
Happy New Year Rosemary.I think the square footage of new Excellence is a poor trade off for location, but that's me. While we spent magical holidays almost alone at anchor in Colombier, we also spent many happy Christmas and New Years on a mooring in the inner harbor on the Baz Bar side of Excellence. (How is that for navigation?) There are always traffic jams with tenders trying to squeeze in to drop and pick up guests. I once gave a hand to Giorgio Armani as he left a tender in the harbor with surging conditions. He said, "Thank you, my dear, and I can help you, too." This was offered with humor and compassion. I did look somewhat like a hobo. Happy New Year to all here. Tomorrow is the Round the Island Race. Watch the boats on Marine Traffic leave the harbor and circumnavigate the island! Happy New Year to everyone, and a healthy New Year.
Great story, Rosemary . . . and I'm reminded of a very funny story told by Sister Parish, the late, great American designer -- famed, for among other reasons, as Jackie Kennedy's designer in renovations at The White House. She related in her autobiography that when she one time was given a tour by Estee Lauder of the latter's mansion in Palm Beach, "Sister" commented, "You know, Estee . . . I could do so much with this house." Estee responded, "You know, Sister . . . I could do so much with your face!". . . I once gave a hand to Giorgio Armani as he left a tender in the harbor with surging conditions. He said, "Thank you, my dear, and I can help you, too." This was offered with humor and compassion. I did look somewhat like a hobo.