SHOWBOATS INTERNATIONAL 105 there’s something about ST. LUCIA “did you know that st. lucia is known as ‘the helen of the west indies?’” I am sitting on the plane at the Miami International Airport waiting to take off for St. Lucia as my neighbor to the right begins telling his wife every interesting tidbit he could recall from what I am sure were countless searches online. I smile, thinking that if my husband had come along he, too, would have been filling my head with enough trivia to make me a contestant on Jeopardy. Wondering why anyone would ever compare the island of St. Lucia with Helen of Troy, I looked it up on my cell phone while we lingered at the gate. Apparently, the French and the English fought over St. Lucia for more than 150 years during Colonial times, trading it back and forth 14 times before the Brits finally won in 1814. I couldn't help but think, “What is all the fuss about, must be one hell of an island!” Three hours later, as our plane landed at Hewanorra International Airport, I was ready to find out. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANSE CHASTANET, LADERA, JALOUSIE PLANTATION, ST. LUCIA TOURISM, M/Y CHOSEN ONE
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there’s something about - IGY Marinas · there’s something about ... Photos courtesy of anse chastanet, ladera, jalousie P ... What has sometimes been considered a land of cruise
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SHOWBOATS INTERNATIONAL 105
there’s something about
St. Lucia “did you know that st. lucia is known as ‘the helen of the west indies?’”
I am sitting on the plane at the Miami International Airport waiting to take off for St.
Lucia as my neighbor to the right begins telling his wife every interesting tidbit he could
recall from what I am sure were countless searches online. I smile, thinking that if my
husband had come along he, too, would have been filling my head with enough trivia to
make me a contestant on Jeopardy.
Wondering why anyone would ever compare the island of St. Lucia with Helen of Troy,
I looked it up on my cell phone while we lingered at the gate. Apparently, the French and
the English fought over St. Lucia for more than 150 years during Colonial times, trading it
back and forth 14 times before the Brits finally won in 1814. I couldn't help but think,
“What is all the fuss about, must be one hell of an island!” Three hours later, as our plane
landed at Hewanorra International Airport, I was ready to find out.
A less-trAveled yAchting destinAtion, st. luciA hAs Activities for both the thrill seeker And for those who desire A more relAxing vAcAtion experience.text by Danielle aragon Cabrera
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this pageAfter sampling the island’s more active pursuits, nothing beats a nap in a beach hammock topped off with catching the dramatic sunset from Ladera resort’s veranda (top left).
this pageSt. Lucia’s picturesque, rugged terrain can make travel by road tedious, but a yacht affords easy movement, from the Pitons on the west coast (top right) to rainforest ziplining on the east side (bottom left).
Hiking the Pitons is not for the faint of heart or for the exercise challenged, as both peaks are more than 2,000 feet above sea level and take around three to four hours to climb and descend.
I was met by Captain Russ White of the 120-foot Inter-
marine motor yacht Chosen One, who was to be my host for
the next couple of days. Saving us the hour-and-a-half
drive to the other side of the island, we quickly were
whisked away by helicopter for a tour of the island’s pictur-
esque west coast and over the drive-in volcano (the only
one in the world) to Chosen One’s slip at Rodney Bay
Marina, the yacht’s home for the summer yachting season.
Chosen One uses St. Lucia as a jumping-off point for her
charters, making use of the concessions recently made by
the St. Lucian government that allow yachts to stay in St.
Lucian waters for up to six months, waive many import
duties and taxes and reduce clearance fees.
For Chosen One, choosing St. Lucia as a base is largely due
to the myriad diving spots found in the area and the varied
cruising grounds that can be reached from its waters. A St.
Lucia, St. Vincent and Tobago Cays charter makes the most
of the unspoiled beauty found in countless secluded islets
as well as five-star resort luxuries.
Most of St. Lucia’s nightlife and entertainment options are
located in the Rodney Bay area of Gros Islet in the north and
close to our slip at the Rodney Bay Marina, which we found
to be the place to be on a Friday night because of the Friday
Night Jump Up street party. Sections of the town are closed
to cars and people dance on the streets to pumping music.
Plenty of grilled street food and drinks are available, really
allowing us to take in St. Lucia’s culinary charms, which
combine both British and French influences from long ago
as well as the melting pot of the flavors and cultures that
have made the Caribbean such an exciting culinary
amalgam. Nearby, the fishing village of Anse La Raye has a
Friday Night Fish Fry, a hangout spot to eat your fill of fresh
local seafood and delight in live outdoor entertainment.
The next morning, we embarked on an early morning
cruise down St. Lucia’s rugged and mountainous west coast
towards the town of Soufrière, hoping to nab one of the few
mooring balls available for yachts between the Pitons—
dropping anchor is not allowed in this national park. A
UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pitons are two volcanic
peaks that jut dramatically towards the sky—the Piton
Mitan ridge links Gros Piton and Petit Piton. Hiking the
Pitons is not for the faint of heart or for the exercise chal-
lenged, as both peaks are more than 2,000 feet above sea
level and take around three to four hours to climb and
descend. As we climbed Gros Piton, the easier of the two,
we encountered rare birds and monkeys as well as a
change in vegetation from tropical to rainforest. Reaching
the summit of either Piton affords incredible views of the
surrounding areas and the Caribbean’s beautiful crystal
blue water. The climb back down is an experience onto
itself but well worth the trouble. We concluded our Piton
adventure with a well-deserved and aptly named Piton
beer at Ladera, a boutique resort wedged up high between
the Pitons. Ladera’s open-air Dasheene Restaurant & Bar
serves up local West Indian cuisine and served us a
commanding view of Chosen One moored between the two
Pitons with the sun setting behind it.
We awoke the next morning to a perfect Caribbean day,
just the thing as we were to spend it using the yacht’s host of
water toys, personal watercraft and dive equipment. This
was to be my first dive and I was a jumble of nerves. Being a
writer and all, one tends to have an overactive imagination,
and I dreamed up different scenarios that all concluded with
me drowning on my 31st birthday (which I was lucky enough
to be spending in St. Lucia). Not that I had anything to fear
as Chosen One has two very experienced divers on board;
the chief stew was our instructor and dive master. After all
the pomp and circumstance that is part of a Discovery Dive
course, we set out for Superman’s Flight along Petit Piton, a
drift dive that is named after the “Superman II” movie,
which was filmed right in Anse des Pitons. It’s an easy
descent dive for beginners; the dive master can have
everyone hold onto a line and be carried by the current—
sea life can be seen starting at 15 feet and down to about 100
feet for more experienced divers.
Another dive off of Petit Piton is Piton Wall, a vertical
drop-off that starts at 25 feet and descends to 600 feet plus.
This is a prime spot for seeing green and hawksbill turtles as
well as stingrays. Although the sites between the Pitons are
more popular due to the views above the sea, St. Lucia has
diverse diving sites all around the island, including the arti-
ficial reef wreck of the Lesleen M, 25 minutes off Anse
Cochon. The wreck lies in 67 feet of water at the stern and 50
feet at the bow, but the top deck sits at around 35 feet
beneath the surface making it a good dive for beginners and
more experienced divers alike. After our afternoon of diving
we visited Jade Mountain Resort, perched atop the highest
point of Anse Chastanet near Soufrière. Designed by the
resort’s owner, architect Nick Troubetzkoy, the resort is
organic in every sense of the word. Spires tower towards the
sky with glass-covered rebar protruding from the ends,
creating a light and color display when the sun shines
through. Pedestrian bridges lead to each of the private
three-walled villas—the missing fourth wall is a window to
the picturesque Pitons and stunning ocean views. We dined
in the open-air restaurant, which grows its own produce
and herbs and also doubles as a lounge and pool area.
We remained at anchor between the Pitons for another
day, riding out bad weather and thus opting to spend a day
at the Rainforest Spa located within the five-star Jalousie Pho
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Plantation, proving that even in inclement weather St. Lucia
still has something to offer. Set apart from the resort itself and
up in the rainforest, the spa treatment huts and sauna are built
on stilts over a running stream. The complex also has a relaxing
retreat area and a healthy lunch menu so that guests do not
have to leave this relaxation bubble.
Our last day in St. Lucia had us motoring back towards the
Marina at Marigot Bay where we were to catch a car ride back
to the airport. With a couple of hours to spare before our flight
and recalling our wonderful experience the day before at
Jalousie’s spa, we could not help but sample what was on offer
at the Lapli Spa and shopping in the quaint marine village.
What has sometimes been considered a land of cruise ships
and all-inclusive resorts, St. Lucia is poised to receive an
fact filesize: 27 miles long by 14 miles wide (238 square miles)
PoPulation: 170,000
Government: independent member of the British commonwealth
lanGuaGe: officially english, but many speak french Patois
CurrenCy: eastern caribbean dollar 1 us$ = 2.67 ec$ (u.s. dollars are widely accepted.)
averaGe temPerature: 83-87 degrees fahrenheit
travel requirements: Visitors must carry valid passports. Visas are not required when the visitor is a citizen of the u.s. or certain commonwealth countries, or where there is agreement for exemption between the home country and st. lucia.
airPort: hewanorra international airport (uVf) in the south services international flights. George f.l. charles
airport (slu) in the north is used for inter-island flights. from the u.s. there is service to st. lucia from most u.s. gateways via jetBlue, delta, american airlines and u.s. airways.
marinas: Rodney Bay Marina 253 slips for yachts up to 280 feet with drafts of up to 15 feet. rodney Bay is also an official port of entry with customs and immigration offices. www.igy-rodneybay.com
The Marina at Marigot Bay 40 slips for yachts from 30 feet to 250 feet with drafts of up to 16 feet and a maximum beam of 44 feet www.marigotbaymarina.com