Guyana : Profile

Facts

• The Guyana coast is characterised by shallow and muddy waters so care should be taken, although with the help of a cruising guide it makes a fascinating destination. An added attraction is that Guyana is outside the hurricane belt.

• Using the rivers to visit the interior takes you right into the heart of the Amazon rain forest. With Bartica now a Port of Entry, the River Essequibo makes a particularly attractive destination and is popular with visiting cruising yachts. The river Berbice is navigable for 100 miles (160 km) past the port of New Amsterdam and is also possible to take keeled boats up the rivers Pomeroon, Waini and Raima.

• The capital Georgetown is a dirty, bustling port with no facilities for yachts. On the right bank of the river Demerara, the town has nineteenth century houses on stilts and boulevards built along disused Dutch canals. Seawalls and dykes protect the town, which is built on an alluvial flat area below the highwater mark. If electing to anchor in the Demerara River the yacht should not be left unattended.

• As in many South American countries, armed robbery and violent crime have increased recently. The UK Foreign Office state (June 2009); "You are advised to exercise caution when travelling in Guyana. Crime levels in Guyana are high. There have been recent indiscriminate shootings. There are regular armed robberies against businesses and individuals where the perpetrators often use extreme violence. However most visits are trouble-free."

• The Official language is English (often with a creole flavour).

Weather

The climate is hot and humid, especially from August to October. The wet seasons are from April to August, and November to January. Guyana lies outside of the hurricane belt.

Main Ports

Bartica * , Georgetown *

*Indicates a port of entry.

Related Reports

Guyana Cruising Report - January 2010 (03 Feb 2010)

Our Experience of Guyana (13 Mar 2009)

Around the next Bend - a 7 month journey along the many rivers of Guyana and Venezuela (28 Oct 2008)

Seeking Information About Essequibo River & Bartica, Guyana (25 Jul 2008)

Guyana - The Land of Many Waters. A new Cruising Destination/Hurricane Hole for Cruisers (19 Nov 2007)

Venezuelan Rescue & Maritime Safety Organisation (01 Mar 2004)