Helicopter ride over the Caribbean

I flew a McDonnell Douglas 520 all around St. Bart’s across the sea to Anguilla and back over St. Maarten, landing on the stern of the SKAT (my friend Charles Simonyi's wonderful ship!) We took the doors off the chopper to facilitate picture taking. That took a bit of getting used to. It feels very scary to be secured by just a strap seat belt like in a car!

This is Gustavia, the Port of Saint Barts.  Only a few great yachts can be "parked" here, and it’s in a first come, first served basis, in addition to large fees.

Industry and tourism vie for this bit of waterfront.

St. Barts, an island paradise, is part of the French Antilles. Known also during the high season as Manhattan Sur Mer, St. Barts is chic, expensive, beautiful, and varied topographically.  Great food, amazing beaches, superb villas, and a great vibe have always made St. Barts one of my favorite vacation spots.  It is small, eight square miles -mountainous and homogenous.  Originally colonized in 1648 by the French, it was traded to Sweden by Louis xv in 1784 and later sold back to France in 1878.  St. Barts emerged in the 1980's, when it became the chic island hideaway.  I have been coming here since the 1970's, visiting friends with villas and swimming and boating in the turquoise waters.  It is now the most popular gathering place for "super yachts" around Christmas and New Years.

The helicopter went from Gustavia to the west, clockwise around the island.  You can see many great yachts in water.

On to Colombier, which is a white sand beach accessible by sea or by a long walk

L'orient where I stayed in one of the "Visionary" Villas perched inconceivably on a rock cliff over the sea. Built in the seventies it was the prototype villa for many others and the architecture was in keeping with St. Barts tradition of pointed roofs, many small buildings, great under the house water reservoirs for collecting rain water, and infinity pools.

Anse du Grand Cul de Sac - for more water sports- This is where the famous Lafayette Restaurant was and where I learned to wind surf years ago.

Pointe a Toiny, located on the east coast, is exposed to dry winds and colder water.

Anse de Grande saline, which is one of the great beaches in the world. There are white sand waves and beach plum shrubs for thousands of feet.  The Grande Saline is an inland pond once used for obtaining salt.

Grand Pointe - the southernmost cliff of the island - Then north again to Gustavia Harbor and a good view of MY SKAT - the ship of Charles Simonyi and one last view of the harbor

Flying northwest over a small island on way to Anguilla

The long flat island of Anguilla, meaning eel - most northerly of the Leeward Islands, it is undergoing a massive tourist expansion as one can see best from the air.  Hundreds of construction sites are taking advantage of long beaches and great surf.

Flying a bit southeast over the Dutch/French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin - very populated very touristy, however, great beaches, great water sports, and great shopping.

More to come!!

Comments

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for the descriptive tour of St. Barts and the beautiful photographs. Enjoy the warmth!
Kathy

[Janie]

Just gorgeous photos! Thanks so much for sharing. They are fabulous. The color of the water is sooo pretty against the white waves...wow!

[Heidi S]

Happy New Year Martha! What beautiful photos. I felt warmer just looking at them. We received another 8-10" of the lovely white stuff last night here in Maine. Although beautiful to look at, we're getting tired of clearing it off everything! How nice you didn't have to worry about any of that while on the islands! A well-deserved break for you.

[Trish]

I've always wondered what St. Barts was like so thanks for the beautiful photos. The water is gorgeous and so is MY SKAT. You are so lucky to be able to go there every year; it's a nice retreat after all the hard work you do. I hope the weather was favorable and that your brunch was a success! Trish

[Desiree']

Very informative post, Martha! I loved the pictures also. Glad you are enjoying your vacation. Thanks for sharing!

[Your Bangkok Fan]

Wow...the view is breath-taking. I've always loved beaches and islands. We have quite a few beautiful beaches in Thailand, too. Hope we have a chance to welcome you sometimes.

Happy New Year.

Donna

[Margie]

Hope this is the start of a fantastic new year. What a great way to get it started in a postive, energized but peaceful way. I agree with Trish, Martha for all the work and hours it is nice you can do this. I too hope the meal(s) were fun and turned out better than expected.

[Alpinst35]

I'm guessing that it's personal, but I am curious... can you share what MY SKAT stand for? Or it's meaning?

Regardless - St. Barts - gorgeous enough when experienced from a villa on a slope, but from such a ship! A well earned holiday for you escape, if only for a moment.

Here's wishing you the very best in everything that you do. You inspire so many of us who expect excellence and who appreciate authenticity, (whether it is created in the human mind, and certainly when created by nature). You enrich the human experience.
Enjoy yourself.
Cheers.

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Thank you so much for taking us along on your fantastic helicopter ride over those beautiful islands. I can see why you love to return every year. I can only imagine how warm and relaxing it must have been to sunbathe on those beautiful white sandy beaches. I can hardly wait for "more to come"! Thanks for sharing. Jan

[Carol]

We had a wonderful time on a hillside villa on St. Lucia. It is good to see you getting some time in a warmer climate for your voice and health. St. Bart's cliff villa looks secluded and beautiful. My husband and I enjoy sailing the Great Lakes by chartered 30-50 foot yacht in the hot days of summer.

[HArdboiledegg]

MY SKAT is Russian I do believe-- it is a term of endearment i.e., my love, dear etc. mushy stuff like that -- but yeah I would get mushy over a yacht too!!!

[Tom Palmer & Elle Ferre]

Merci Martha,

great compliments ('paradise island') for our island.
For all St. Barth lovers please check the www.acoolworld.com site Made in St. Barth. It's the exclusive website of the star island.

[Jon Mondrik]

Hi Martha,
The French Antilles is a wonderful place to rejuvenate your creative juices. The photos are great by the way, and I feel your apprehension about the chopper ride sans doors. You're a brave one Martha. What the heck, life is too short to waste it on being afraid, right?
So tell us, what terrific thing did "Santa" bring you for Christmas this year, in addition to your awesome trip to the Caribbean?
Take care!
Jon

[Denise Fontaine]

Gorgeous! I am envious!
Wow my artwork was mentioned on Eco Chic Weddings! No snow in Boston! Happy New Year! Denise

[Deirdra Doan]

Hi Martha,

Now that the New Year is here I just want to wish you a Wonderful Year. Thinking of you and how hard it must be for you not having the Christmas Season with your Mom and the New Year. I went to Denmark and discovered my whole Danish Family when my Mom died as a way to work out my grief and her dreams. Blessings on you....

Thank you for your blog. You have meant so much to me. Even my Art blog is because of you and one of your Guests who made me aware of a Art Conference she would be teaching at. I took back my joy and identity as an artist because of that show, going to the Art Conference and you.

I use all your idea's and only go to your recipes when I need one.

I really love you and Thank you so much for all you have meant to me and my family!!

Deirdra

[Amber Epperson]

Martha,

My husband and I went to St. Martin via the Royal Caribbean for our honeymoon last March. It was my favorite island. I love the helicopter view. Thanks for the great pictures.

Amber Epperson

[bpfster]

Great photos!!!! With the snow and the blowing wind, I wish I were there. I love the beaches and water for my vacations. Have a Happy New Year!

[Leona Milbury,Nova Scotia,Canada]

Thank you so much for sharing your vacation with us I so look forward to seeing what your up to and loved the water, so colorful....can't wait for the rest of the pictures.

[Cee Cee]

How good can life get M?? Such a joy to enjoy your travels shared with us!!!! McDD520 w/out doors?....some kind of GR8 wild ride....... Friend, Simonyi's SKAT....can't get better than that!! You mean to tell me that the SKAT has its own helipad?? Think I see it atop in the SKAT pic!! WOW...just too incredible Martha. SO happy for you TWO!!!! When will you join him on an up up & away space adventure?? We're sure proud of him here in the PNW Martha. Would love to enjoy photo's of " Villa Simonyi" along with some of his art collection. You two seem to have lots in common!! Go for the gusto!!!!!

[David]

Dear Martha,

Many thanks for the spectacular tour! I really enjoy your blogs...you are the BEST!

Safe Travels,
David

[Diane]

Martha
Thank you for the tour! I have never been out of the USA so what a treat for me! Love your blog and your show. I was so happy to see that you have a blog!
Happy New Year
Diane

[Robin]

Dear Martha:
I just finished watching your show on "Fine Living" (episode with Lidia). Even though I had seen the episode previously, it still brought a tear to my eye when she told the story of how won the auction of the menu (done by J. Pepin) and gave it to her - what a wonderful friend you must be. I enjoyed the photos from your Caribbean holiday. I hope you are well, and wish you all the best in '08.

[Christine C.]

Hi Martha,

Thank you for sharing your personal travel experiences. It's fun to learn about where you spend your time and how you spend it. I am enriched by how you left the financial world to transition your knack for crafting, entertaining, and cooking into the dynasty it is. Surely it is your vision, expectations and standards that make your business all that it is to so many people. You are a wonderful example of a proactive woman who follows her dreams and shares her joy in doing so with everyone. I especially am inspired by how you have responded to challenges and difficulties in your life. You have made good choices in how to respond and my respect for you has grown through the roof because of it. God bless you and thank you again.

[Lisa from Cali]

Makes me want to go to St. Bart's. Is that your favorite island?

[Emily]

I've been there. Beautiful isn't it?! My Mother lives on St. Croix; actually she is selling. Know anyone interested in buying? Hope you had fun there! I miss it.

[Denise Powell]

Thanks for sharing your fantastic photos of our favorite place. We leave for StBarts the end of this month and will be spending 4 weeks in a villa above Lorient. This will be our 15th trip, and to us it is sheer heaven.Sunset drinks @ Carl Gustaf's are a personal favorite!

[Jennifer May]

Hi Martha,

We live in the Cayman Islands and we are sure that we spotted Charlie's boat near our port during the month of December.
Hopefully, he got a chance to visit our wonderful island during the holidays? We came from the snow in Canada and aren't missing it at all with the gorgeous weather in the Carribean. Glad you had a wonderful holiday , great pictures.

[M. Czl]

Lovely pictures. I forgot how beautiful the area can be any time of the year. As a child I loved to go to the beach, be in the water with friends. As an adult, I now fear the deep blue areas, beautiful as they are and cannot return. Thank you for letting be see the area again.

[William Gilmore]

Martha, I just missed you at Hermes in SBH - again this year! One day our paths will cross. I always cook for my french friends and use many of your recipes. They can't believe an American can cook! We'll show them.
SBH was fun as usual - i have been going since 1989, and all though I am not on the boats at New Years we did have a great meal at The Wall House and shared in all the festivities at midnight.

All the Best in 2008!
William Gilmore

[Jaymie Towle]

Just watched you on TV about your holiday on the yacht and blog...my first time here and will be back.

[Betty Nickels]

Beautiful photographs, thanks for sharing them. Betty

[Hope]

Anguilla has some of the very best restaurants in the Caribbean. The Straw Hat (owned by Peter and Ann Parles-USA)is my favorite! Seeing the photo of Long Beach makes me homesick for the island! Thanks for sharing the photos of Anguilla!