 French Guiana : Profile
French Guiana (Guyane) is an overseas department of France, sandwiched between Brazil and Suriname. The atmosphere in the country is more Caribbean, akin to Martinique and Guadeloupe than to the rest of Latin America. The coast itself has few ports or anchorages worth exploring, but the offlying Iles du Salut (location of the infamous penal colony of Devils Island) are a popular stop for sailors. These islands should only be visited after having cleared into the country. The best anchorage is on Ile St Joseph, although there are no completely protected anchorages. Also interesting to visit is the Ariane Space Centre at Kourou, west of Cayenne, although an appointment has to be made in advance. River trips, usually by canoe, are another attraction of this small country, which is only visited by a small number of cruising yachts, mainly French. The Oyapok River, which borders Brazil, is navigable far into the interior rain forest. At the other end of the country, bordering Suriname, is the Maroni River, and is also occasionally visited by yachts Provisioning is good, but expensive in Cayenne. There is only a limited range of repair facilities. Good provisioning is available in Kourou, where emergency repairs may be possible if the help of technicians from the French space centre can be enlisted.
The Caribbean Safety and Security Net
(safetyandsecuritynet@gmail.com)
gather information by anchorage or by island, so sailors can plan their
cruising in the Caribbean with an eye to appropriate behaviour and
precautions wherever they decide to go. Should you have information about
a security incident, as well as contacting Noonsite please also forward
details to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, as theirs is the most
comprehensive source of Caribbean security incidents against sailors on
the net. Please be sure to include boat name, date of incident and
anchorage/port where the incident took place.
The real rainy season is from April to July, while August to November are the drier months. Rainfall can be heavy in this tropical climate where temperatures average 80°F (27°C).
French Guiana Weather Forecast.
Cayenne
*
, Degrad des Cannes
*
, Kourou
*
, Saint Laurent du Maroni
*
*Indicates a port of entry.
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Related ReportsOn Passage Brazil to Tobago: Suspiciously Pursued off Suriname (02 Feb 2012) Kourou Latest Info. (19 Nov 2010) A Visit to Namibia, St. Helena & French Guiana in 2009 (16 Aug 2010) Degrade de Cannes - Update 2010 (09 Aug 2010) French for Cruisers Book Review (09 Jul 2010) Cruising Notes French Guyana From 2002 Visit (02 Nov 2006) Venezuelan Rescue & Maritime Safety Organisation (01 Mar 2004)
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