With its ideal weather conditions, and convenient location neighboring our very own Le Guanahani, Grand Cul-de-Sac is one of St. Barth’s premier locations for watersports, as well as an ideal spot to rent supplies for a day out in the waves. When the hotel reopens in late 2020, guests will be able to enjoy an array of resort services and amenities, including complimentary use of non-motorized watersports equipment for premiere windsurfing, Paddle Boarding, kayaking, floating, and snorkeling.
Spread along the rest of St Barth’s coasts, ample opportunities to have fun on the water await our island’s visitors. Here are five of the Caribbean enclave’s most enticing activities for playing on, in, and under the waves.
Sailing
With its warm, steady trade winds, it’s no wonder St. Barth is home to several world-renowned sailing events, such as the perennial Bucket and West Indies regattas as well as the prestigious Les Voiles de St. Barth.
To get an authentic taste of what makes these crystal-clear waters so special for sailing, go to Public Beach to rent a Hobie Cat or Optimist dinghy from The Saint Barth Yacht Club. As a full-service outfitter, they offer professional crew-guided beginner lessons, as well as single and double sailing opportunities.
To rent a sail boat, peruse Top Loc Rental and Ocean Must’s varied selection! French citizens wishing to venture out onto the water must first secure a sailing permit, while other are required to provide a nautical resume to demonstrate their sailing experience. After selecting a suitable vessel, head for the open sea to peacefully weave through the waves, or spend a couple hours skimming around the island’s perimeter to admire its diverse beaches and topography from a spectacular offshore angle. (Drop an anchor in the protected bays of Fourchue and Colombier and dive in sublime snorkeling territory.)
To arrange a catamaran boat excursion to explore St. Barth and beyond, St. Barth Sailor and Jicky Marine also offer several options worthy of the best seafaring adventure.
Surfing
Riding St. Barth’s blue waves from atop a surfboard is a popular pastime for island residents and visitors alike. With at least 10 east-facing coves and bays, plentiful point break create excellent surfing conditions all year round.
Surfing is perhaps the most accessible water sport on the island, with board rentals available on many beaches and plenty of instructors standing at the ready to teach travelers how to ride the waves. Surf seekers can stop into St. Jean’s Hookipa Surf Shop and speak with its friendly staff, who specialize in renting boards and gear, giving advice on where to find the best tides, and connecting new surfers with local teachers.
Ask a local expert about the best spots to catch a wave, and they’ll probably recommend the family-friendly beach of Lorient, which provides sizeable waves and a safe environment for swimming. While experienced surfers may also enjoy Anse des Cayes beach, they will find the most challenging conditions at Anse Toiny beach with its big waves and powerful current.
Windsurfing & Kiteboarding
Blending elements of surfing and sailing, windsurfing is an exhilarating ride above the water, not to mention an excellent workout for the core, shoulders, and arms. Between navigating wind gusts and slicing gracefully across the waves, the activity rarely offers a dull moment.
Equipment for all skill levels is readily available to rent across the island, but keep in mind that beginners will have an easier time learning on longer boards and smaller sails. Visit CaribWaterplay to select a board and launch out from St. Jean Beach.
To try windsurfing’s thrilling cousin, kiteboarding, pick one out at Ouanalao Dive on Grand Cul-de-Sac Beach before working on developing a comfortable technique in the lagoon’s placid tide and constant light winds.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) & Finboard
Equal parts fun and relaxing, stand up paddle boarding is an excellent way to explore the island’s outskirts. Participants may even find themselves calmed into an almost-meditative state as they paddle leisurely aside St. Barth’s coastal splendor.
On Shell Beach, SUP Adventures St. Barth offers rentals, lessons, and excursions, including a special twilight outing to soak up a sumptuous St. Barth sunset. Near Le Guanahani, renting a board and paddling from Ouanalao Dive is the easiest way to access the Grand Cul-de-Sac’s reef-protected tides, widely considered to be the calmest waters of the island. On St. Jean Beach, CaribWaterplay also provides options for standup paddle boarding set to a bustling backdrop of planes landing and taking off in the immediate background.
As an alternative to standing exploration, those wanting to discover the island’s waters in a leisurely manner can visit Easy & Fun Ride Watersports to try the equally-peaceful sport of finboarding, an activity that requires participants to lie on their belly and propel the board around with the help of flippers.
Scuba Diving
With several expansive sanctuary zones that make up the nearby marine reserves, there is an abundance of magnificent flora and fauna to be discovered in St. Barth’s aquatic realms.
Whether participants already hold diving certifications or are just getting their flippers wet, there are plenty of opportunities on the island to organize a memorable underwater experience. Let the pros at Serial Divers St. Barth in Gustavia or at Ouanalao Dive at Grand Cul-de-Sac be your guides to the region’s colorful, bustling sea life just beneath the ocean’s surface.
Whatever watersport activity floats your boat, be sure to get on the water at least once during your next visit to St. Barth – making one with the waves is what island life is all about.
Photos courtesy of CTTSB.
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