Barbados : Profile

Facts

• Barbados is the easternmost island of the Lesser Antilles, the nearest landfall for yachts crossing the Atlantic on the trade wind route.

• Being to windward of the other Lesser Antilles few yachts beat their way against the prevailing trade winds to visit Barbados. The cruising yachts that call in Barbados usually arrive after a long passage either from the Canaries or Cape Verdes across the North Atlantic or when sailing up from Brazil and the South Atlantic and make a stop before sailing on elsewhere.

• Tourism is very developed but yachting facilities in Carlisle Bay, the main anchorage, are very basic; repair facilities however are good.

• There is a new marine facility at Port St Charles on the NW coast of the island. Centred around a man-made lagoon, this is a deluxe development catering primarily for super-yachts, but yachts can clear here who find the approach to Barbados much better around the north end.

• The only cruising area is along the sheltered west coast; the east coast is rocky and exposed to the Atlantic breakers and should be given a wide berth.

• Most boats make their landfall on the SE coast of Barbados, which is easily detectable at night by the strong loom of the airport lights.

Weather

Barbados has a tropical climate, although as the island is further south, it rarely is hit by hurricanes. June to January is the rainy and humid season.

Main Ports

Bridgetown * , Port St Charles *

*Indicates a port of entry.

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Barbados Clearance Fees Rise (26 Jun 2008)

Grenada to the Virgin Islands, A Cruising Guide to the Lesser Antilles: Book Review (23 May 2008)

Credit Card Fraud In Caribbean Alert (29 Apr 2008)

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