It was day three of our stay aboard the 236ft superyacht Axioma when we faced our first blip on the horizon. Wafting from our cabins to the terrace for breakfast, we had expected to be greeted once again by platters of tropical fruit and freshly baked pistachio muffins. Instead, we were affronted by the sight of a crudely proportioned research ship, compromising our view of St Barts and the other vessels shimmering expensively in the harbour.

“It’s so ugly,” said one of our party. “It’s Arctic P,” said another. “That vessel was built as a salvage tug but was refitted as a superyacht and now belongs to the Australian billionaire James Packer.” That changed things. On learning that Packer’s travelling companion was his then-girlfriend Mariah Carey, our all-encompassing aura of affluence was intact once again. We could return our attention to breakfast.