Cruising News from the southern Caribbean

Created by doina. Last modified on 2003-11-03 18:50:26
Contributors:
Countries: Grenada, Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago

By Lilly Vedana and Thomas Müller, s/v MizMae

General

With the current hurricane season at its end, many boats are returning from their hardstands or storage places back to their favourite spots. However, a good look at the weather is recommended as the weather-gurus speak of a very late hurricane season and we are still "short" of 3 predicted hurricanes, meaning the forecast was a lot higher than the actual outcome. Only the very north of the Caribbean had some damage done by these years’ hurricanes, the south has been very quiet.

Overall the "rainy season" has been extremely dry and the farmers foresee a year of harsh draughts and a shortage of vegetables and fruit. While Martinique is importing most of its veges and fruit anyway, a bad harvest will certainly raise the already high prices in the remaining islands south of Martinique. Good planning and shopping at the right place can save a lot of money!

Trinidad, having a large choice of vegetables and fruits to start with and with enough rain during the last rainy season, will be the other alternative. Apart from excellent markets and shopping, some sailors will be lured here by the attractive prices for fuel, oil and spare parts. As if that´s not enough, last year's carnival was a real good and safe one for the yachts, letting us expect the same for this season.

Martinique

A busy place in October 2003 with lots of boats getting ready. With two very well stocked supermarkets close to the waterfront in Le Marin and lots of good technicians in the area, even MIZ MAE went all the way from Grenada to do the annual marathon shopping on Martinique. Even though Euros are hard currency, Martinique is one of the best places now for shopping concerning quality and price. Cheap car rentals with well-travelled vehicles have become increasingly popular in Le Marin amongst the sailors and one can pick up a reasonable small car for around 25 € /day including unlimited mileage and insurance. There is lots to see on Martinique !

Diesel is as expensive as in Europe and one of the most expensive in the islands @ just over 1 € per litre. Alternative: St.Lucia, Rodney Bay just 30 miles south, where you would pay about half of that.

Tax Free Diesel on Martinique is only available for commercial charter yachts. Do make sure you have all licences if chartering to/from Martinique. The coastguard and customs have become increasingly suspicious and are very active! Otherwise crew changes, clearances etc are fast, friendly and free of charge.

No security problems reported, but the rebuilding of the town basin in Fort de France made the place quite unwelcoming for the cruiser and more boats tend to sail to the solitude of St.Pierre, the SW-coast of Le Marin and St.Anne. Do watch the fishing floats south and west of Le Marin, at night they will be lethal traps.

St.Lucia

While Rodney Bay is just waking up to the preparation of the ARC, all other ports are still quiet. By contrast to all other cruising destinations on St.Lucia, Marigot Bay can report a great 0 (!!!) on security hassle. Well done to all involved! Marigot Bay has created a safe environment for the visiting yachts by having an effective guard system in place.

Don’t be put off by the boat boys approaching you when you arrive. A polite, but firm NO, is taken as a NO and any problem can be reported to the business owners around the lagoon who will deal with the issue. Our favourite is Chateau Mygot, with it’s little bar right by the dinghy dock overlooking the sunset and the yachts. Walk through their garden-rainforest and you find a well organized restaurant and reasonable rates. Find the retired Norwegian air captain Truls to hear some hair raising pilot stories (most of them are true, I’ve known him for years!) or speak to the Indian restaurant owner Doreen, who rules with an iron fist over all the crazy yachties in the family and at the tables. And all that while your boat is safe !!!

Vieux Fort at the southern end of St.Lucia was a theme of a separate report already issued earlier this year (see "Report from Vieux Fort, October 2003"http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2003-10-14-3 ). The destination is unknown to many, but with the terrible roadworks going on between Soufriere and the main international airport Hewanorra Vieux Fort, this anchorage is a good alternative for those planning crew changes.

Need a safe taxi in that rustic place, then call Chris on mobile 716 2432, who is known to be safe, reliable, on time and has one of the most luxurious Minibuses on the island!

Leaving south to St.Vincent a seriously good lookout is needed for great numbers of fishing floats up to 5 miles off Vieux Fort.

St.Vincent

The island of St.Vincent has so much to offer, and especially Wallilabou anchorage has become increasingly popular. Walt Disney just filmed "Pirates of the Caribbean" in the bay, leaving a superb stage behind. But while Wallilabou is one of the better places to pay 10 EC for a stern line being brought ashore and the anchor sitting in 25 meters depth at the bow, even this place is still a hassle. Customs can be cleared only after 16.00 hours when overtime charges of 35 EC apply. Immigrations check in can then be left a few days to be done later at a different location.

Both when approaching Cumberland Bay or Wallilabou, you might have overly keen boat boys offering to take your stern line ashore. Only to demand 1 second later that you have to tow them in. Don’t do it! You are liable if anything happens on that tow! But as for paying 10 EC for bringing the stern line ashore, you are left with very little choice unless you want to pick up a mooring.

Cumberland Bay has quite a few internal problems and there are local disagreements which you easily get tangled in.

Petit Byahaut @ 13.10,9 N and 61.16,2 is a small bay where a few yachts can either anchor in 5-10 meters of well holding sand or pick up a mooring for 15 US/night (refunded if you have dinner ashore). Limited space! The bay is safe and free of hassles. A new couple from the US is just taking over operations and the kitchen. The place is not cheap, but one of the prettiest we have seen in a long time. Yachts are very welcome. There is no access by road, but a beautiful little beach, a grand garden and landscape around, pretty birds and a dive operator, some good snorkelling and excellent hikes.

We tried the so called "Blue Lagoon" in the south of St.Vincent which is anything but blue or a lagoon and couldn’t see the attraction in neither the hazardous entry nor the swell plagued bay plastered with moorings. However, it is a large professional charter base, there is some service like water etc. and the place is said to be safe.

Young Island Passage is still "organized" by two taxi drivers who insist you take one of their moorings. These half-legal enterprises (they do not have the port authorities blessing, so mind your insurance !) are blocking the bay for anybody who wish to anchor and their marketing is too aggressive for our taste.

There are varying reports about safety and prices.

Bequia

Just getting better and busier every year. Well organised shops, even repairs, a slip, a sail maker, water, ice, lobster and anything you like delivered to the boat. At a price! But people (apart from the market boys) are not aggressive, polite, service minded and the island offers great walks, hikes, the turtle station was even improved and the snorkelling and diving is not bad at all. The old sisters under the Breadfruit tree selling bread (even brown bread). Gasoline is about 0,6 €/litre and the dinghy dock is free of "I-watch-your-tender" bugs. Clearing is straightforward and efficient. Some 500 Yachts are expected for Christmas and New Year again.

Most of them stay in Admiralty Bay-Port Elisabeth as only those park in Friendship Bay who are oblivious to swell.

Canouan

Is now base for a massive charter fleet of The Moorings which was moved up here from Grenada. Personally we find the anchorage too rolly, the going ashore is sometimes for the brave only due to the surge breaking on the beach and by the dock, and due to all the moorings being laid out, there is hardly any room left for the cruisers wanting to anchor. As there is not too much to see on the island, we tend to give it a miss and leave it to the noble resort-guests.

Carriacou

Immigration in Hillsborough are one of the friendliest and even customs has improved. There is surprisingly good shopping in Hillsborough and Tyrell Bay, especially for beer, wine, soft drinks and rum.

With Tyrell Bay’s current slip and haul-out being fully booked and a new marina arising at the northern end of the Bay, this spot will become increasingly popular with the yachts. Property prices have already gone up and further development is expected. With a good Internet/Pizzeria place, a sail-in welding place, several dive operators and a sail maker in the bay, we expect things to improve even further. There has been no security problems reported. The atmosphere is friendly and laid back, the anchoring very easy.

Sandy Island

A request to all yachts: There is a gentlemen’s agreement between the boats that no more than seven yachts at a time should visit Sandy Island off Hillsborough. Please be kind to nature and respect this agreement. And please, DO NOT follow the example of some cruise-ship passengers who are known to trample through the last remaining little palms in order to have their photo taken. It goes without saying that anchoring in the coral is an offence! If mankind doesn’t improve its manners, there will be no Sandy Island in just a few years!

Grenada

Ever increasingly popular with yachts. While Spice Island Marina and St. Davids Marina can even afford to turn down yachts below 40 feet LOA, the bays are busy as never before. With Trinidad struggling from high prices, bad quality and a severe security problem, plus Venezuela seeming too much of a risk for many boats, Grenada was the one to profit from above factors.

As a result, rates have gone up here especially for labour quite fast. However, there are good "local" alternatives if you find the usual yachts repair people too dear or not allocating the time to you. Already in the industrial area around the "Carib" Brewery you will find off-marina technicians for fridges, engines, upholstery and even a sailmaker. There is Robin, the mechanic at the sugar-mill roundabout, Dexter the fridge guy next to Carib´s distribution warehouse and many others on the same piece of highway. And while it may take a few minutes longer to get things done, the price differences can be severe and the quality we found was superb value.

Unfortunately the authorities in Prickley Bay are not as much fun to deal with as their colleagues in Hillsborough or St.Georges.

Grenada also allows "ships in transit" to fly in their own spare parts from e.g. USA, Europe or Australia. With an excellent internet place both in Woburn, Spice Island Marina and at the old location of Spice Island Marina, good prices and great service could be just a mouse-click away.

For larger items we often use Kurt Kasson of Marine warehouse in Trinidad (kurt@marinewarehouse.net) for great service all over the islands if we can’t find satisfactory prices or quality locally.

However, Budget Marine in Prickley Bay has a most service minded team, quality cruising gear and is just moving into their new premises at Spice Island Marina. Turbulence Sails at the same location offer great service and very fair prices as well for canvas, sails and rigging even up to 12 mm.

Nothing more has physically happened with the great marina plans over the former GYS area in the "Lagoon" downtown St.Georges. While the cruise ship terminal is certainly taking shape close to the market, Grenada Yacht Club (GYC) is still the place to anchor when taking your yacht downtown. The club is friendly, has a classic bar including the usual suspects, offers book-swap, water and diesel on the dock, a fuel station is close by and Foodland - supermarket with their own dinghy dock right at the waters edge together with Island Water World and Outfitters Int.who even service Mega-Yachts (Ch.16) and source parts all over the world.

Customs and Immigration in the GYC building are very friendly, efficient and always good for clear advice.

We wish every body a great season and safe sailing !

Lilly and Tom

Yacht MIZ MAE

PS Please do visit our website www.mizmaesailing.de