■■■■■■■ Tourism In 2010: A Slight Decrease Statistically speaking, destinations (San Juan, was seen in the summer (- than 2009 if the weather tourism dipped slightly Antigua, Anguilla…) 6.66% in July; -11.82% in hadn’t once again gotten in in 2010, with a 1.22% increased by 8%, or an August) when this clien- the way. decrease from 2009, additional 621 passengers. tele is traditionally With 240,581 cruise ship already a slow year. Eco- In contrast to the upswing stronger. passengers (coming and nomic indicators and the in international traffic, going) compared to number of visitors were “national” flights (to and Winair Flies Ahead 242,848 in 2009, saw a down, yet tourism seems from Pointe-à-Pitre and For local airlines, the decrease of 20,63%, with to be on the upswing Grand Case) had decreas- Dutch Antilles company, 47,723 people arriving in once again. es: - 20.09% from Pointe- Winair, is the leader, with 2009 compared to 38,005 à-Pitre/Saint Barth, a route an increase of 20% in 2010, while yachts and that in four years, lost (63,231 departures and ferries notes a double fig- Air Traffic Report almost 19,400 passengers; arrivals in 2010, compared ure improvement. Port Even if the air traffic fell and from Grand Case a to 52,590 in 2009). Saint director Ernest Brin below the symbolic bench- decrease of 7.38% (18,571 Barth Commuter, second explains the cruise mark of 140,000 passen- passengers compared to in line, finished 2010 with decrease as due to the can- gers annually (139,066 in 20,050 in 2009), although a decrease of 2.94% or cellation of 11 boats due to 2010, arrivals and depar- the numbers have gone up 39,402 passengers com- strong swells and other tures combined), for a some since the summer. pared to 40,597 in 2009. weather formations during 2.87% decrease over 2009 Tradewind Aviation 2010. (the worst year since 1996 High Season Higher (+33.16% with 4,080 pas- Motor yachts and sail- in terms of passengers), In 2009, airport traffic was sengers in 2010) and boats, which suffered a paradoxically signs of an low from December Anguilla Air Servic- crisis in 2009, saw an increase are evident. Inter- through May (high sea- es (+9.28% with 1,708 uptick in 2010 with a national traffic (to and son), while 2010 showed passengers) indicate the 10.39% increase in the from Juliana, Puerto Rico, more stability during the health of charter compa- number of passengers and other non-French first few months of the nies and boutique airlines. (35,142 compared to Caribbean islands), which year (-3.8% in January; - 31,834 in 2009) and a represents 70% of all 0.03% in February; - Last but not least, even if 7.42% increase in the activity at the airport, 0.64% in March; -0.71% the number of flights is number of boats (5,047 increased by 3.34% com- in April), indicating that a lower (-10.75% for com- against 4,698 in 2009). pared to 2009, with an potential increase, at least mercial flights), the Saint Interisland traffic (Saint extra 3,149 passengers. To for the American market, Barth airport, with 31,609 Martin/Saint Barth) grew and from Juliana, the was right around the cor- takeoffs and landings in in 2010 by 27,09% in the increase was 2.92% or ner. 2010, remains the busiest number of arrivals (2,852 89,027 passengers in 2010 The same is not true for airport in terms of airborne against 2,244 in 2009), compared to 86,499 in the French/European mar- activity. and +12.9% in the number 2009. Other international ket where a severe drop of passengers embarking (62,441 against 55,304 in Cruising 2009) and +11.15% in the Into The Port number of passengers dis- 2010 was a good year for embarking (66,988 against the pleasure port, better 60264 in 2009). Stay in touch WHEREVER YOU ARE EVERY FRIDAY AT www.stbarthweekly.com 2 St Barth Weekly n°212 ■■■■■■■ L’AVION CELEBRATES SIXTH ANNIVERSARY As the popular clothing barth.com).“It is really brand, L’Avion, celebrates “island casual” clothing, its sixth anniversary, The although the women’s St Barth Weekly chatted styles are more sophisti- with pediatrician Norman cated in terms of texture Weinberger, who with his and material,” says Wein- wife Susan, a mentoring berger. “We are not trying mogul, founded the com- to compete with the pany. “When we first came designer shops. here, 27 years ago, it was- n’t so expensive,” he After 37 years in private recalls. He figures that practice in Connecticut, after airfare, they spent Weinberger now works in just $125 a day for a small a community health clinic, villa and food. where his contract gives him the month of February “Over the years, it started bring down a smoker for But before coming up with off to come to St Barth, getting more expensive,” pork shoulders. Then we the now famous logo that where they have rented the he says. “We thought it rented a house in Pointe embodies the landing on same villa in Camaruche would be fun to find a way Milou and watched the the small airstrip in Saint for the past four years. On to counter the costs. We planes take off and land Barth, the Weinbergers Sunday, February 20, they came up with crazy ideas silhouetted against the sun, spent a year working on are holding a tag sale, like let’s make cookies, or and I said that’s it.” the project and tried a few where items include other ideas along the way, books, CDs, and last sea- from the white bonnets in son’s L’Avion t-shirts Corossol to an iguana and mostly for women and a palm tree, but the silhou- kids as well as men’s XL ette of the plane was the and XXL. (Call for direc- winner. Their daughter tions at 05-90-52-09-88 or Lisa, a graphic designer in from St. Jean, travel Philadelphia, developed toward Vitet. Just before the logo, and after focus the sign on the right to groups and seasoned shop- turn to Vitet, turn left up pers gave their thumbs up, the narrow road to the sec- L’Avion was ready for ond big white house on the take off. left, following the brown fence and balloons to the “The Drugstore des entrance.) Caraibes starting carrying the t-shirts,” notes Norman With two children, five Weinberger. “ We got grandchildren, and very friendly with the owner, hectic lives, the Weinberg- Florence, and it grew from ers still love coming to there.” Today there are Saint Barth. “We like it over 30 different items that here because we feel very sport the L’Avion logo, comfortable here,” says from baseball caps, beach Norman. “I love the sky bags, beach towels, t- and the water and the shirts, polo shirts, kid’s sound of the rain on the and women’s tank tops, roof. We land here and are shorts, and yoga pants, as at peace, even if it’s only well as a new clear plastic for a few days.” beach bag and purse (a website is under construc- Ellen Lampert-Gréaux tion at www.lavionst- Photo: Rosemond Gréaux 4 St Barth Weekly n°212 ■■■■■■■ Waves of Gold Jeweler Ross Coppelman Many of his pieces are sprinkled (http://www.rosscoppelman.com) is with 22K gold dust on silver for based on Cape Cod in Massachu- a slightly rugged look, creating setts, where the view from his back rocks for a pair of small gold patio is not unlike a view in Saint birds in a circular pendant or Barth: waves, shore birds, sun- floral petals with texture. One of sets… “This has really influenced his most unusual pieces is a my work since we moved there in necklace made of bright pink 2002,” says the goldsmith, who is sapphires with an unpolished, back in Saint Barth for his annual crystal-like finish, interlaced show at Les Artisans in Gustavia with flat, six-sided 22K gold (champagne reception for the artist disks or beads, which echo the on Friday evening, February 18). shape of the sapphires, and one “Before that everything was more of which comprises the clasp. A abstract and based on ancient pair of earrings feature whitish- imagery with a lot of curves. One gray cat’s eye moonstones that day, a curve turned back and Coppelman bought back in 1972 became a wave, and that was that. and finally was inspired to set. It took a few years before it pene- trated into my creativity.” gold, liking the bright yellow and the An 18K gold bracelet called “Day and way it contrasts with diamonds and Night” best evokes the shifting land- His work also seems to have become other precious stones he uses such as scapes seen from Coppleman’s back more sophisticated over the years as various colors of sapphires and patio. The square gold links are beach seen in his new collection, especially rubies, as well as pearls and a deep scenes that move from sunrise to sun- two cuff bracelets in gold, silver, and blue tanzanite he has set into two set, with blue sapphires as waves, diamonds, each of which has a cen- new rings. An extraordinary ring is a pink and purple ones for the sky at terpiece boulder opal from Australia. style the jeweler originally designed sunset.