We arrived in St Barths on board SeaDream 1 a superyacht that is very much at home in this special port
Superyacht sailors know the island for its bucket a for fun superyacht regatta that draws in some of the worlds most spectacular sailing yachts each year. It is also one of the top spots to drop anchor over the Christmas Holidays and New Year celebrations.
The volcanic island was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and named after his brother Bartolomeo.
Except for a brief military takeover by the British in 1758, the island remained French until 1784, when it was sold to Sweden in exchange for trading rights in the Swedish port of Gothenburg.
St. Barts is the only Caribbean island that was ever a Swedish colony for a significant length of time. As a free port under Swedish rule, the island served the useful purpose of providing a trade and supply centre for the various factions of the colonial wars of the 18th century. Swedish architecture can still be spotted if you look hard. The City Hall the Clock Tower, a cemetery and a few street signs are all that serve as evidence of the time under the rule of Sweden.
France repurchased the island in 1878. The free port status remained as it has up to this day. On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights.