Saint-Pierre Anchorage

Drop the hook in the shadow of a volcano-scarred island with one of the most dramatic backdrops in the North Atlantic — Saint-Pierre sits in the calm lee of Martinique's rugged northwest coast, with the looming hulk of Mont Pelée dominating the skyline. The water here carries a haunting history, lying directly over the ruins of the town obliterated by the 1902 eruption, making this one of the world's great wreck-diving anchorages with dozens of ships resting on the seabed below you. The French Creole town ashore is compact and walkable, with rum shops, a fascinating volcanic museum, and plenty of café culture to explore.