New Year’s Day dawned to jubilation across St Barts. Billionaires, celebrities and global tycoons arrived by private jet, helicopter and superyacht to welcome the New Year. When midnight struck, more than 100 superyachts sounded their foghorns simultaneously. As a result, the island echoed with what insiders called a deafening “choir of jubilation”.
World’s Most Watched Superyacht Destination
St Barts sits in the Lesser Antilles, southeast of St Martin and Anguilla. The 11-mile-long French island again became a focal point of the global yachting calendar. During late December, the harbour filled with some of the world’s largest and most recognisable superyachts. Consequently, yacht spotters tracked every arrival closely.
Gustavia Harbour Traffic Surge
Gustavia Harbour reached extraordinary capacity ahead of New Year’s Eve. Marine Traffic data recorded 327 vessels in and around the harbour.
Of those, 158 arrived during the final hours before midnight. Meanwhile, 70 vessels departed during the same period.
Many yachts cruised between Gustavia, St Maarten and Antigua beforehand. They soaked up the sun before converging on St Barts. This annual migration traditionally marks the close of the Caribbean holiday season.
Anchored Off St Barts
Notable yachts in attendance included several global icons. Among them was the 122-metre Kismet, built by Lürssen. Also present were the 112-metre Renaissance and the 110-metre Kaos by Oceanco. The 138-metre Rising Sun and Feadship’s 101-metre Moonrise also anchored nearby. Yachts from Amels, Benetti, Baglietto and Royal Huisman further filled the anchorage.
Ultimate Networking Event
Fellow travel writer and kindred yacht spotter Jim Dobson sparked online excitement on December 29. He shared a Marine Traffic image showing a dense cluster of yachts around St Barts. Dobson described the scene as the “ultimate networking event”. As expected, the image quickly went viral.
Detailed yacht owner information can found on Superyachtfan.