in the Caribbean.
This page updated: April 2009
| Places to sail in the Caribbean. |
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Please send any comments to me.
This page updated: April 2009 |
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Southwinds magazine:
If you had only two places you could spend your
time on the boat, where would you choose?
Mr. Van Sant: Luperon and Conception. Conception because it's just the best there is - it has everything the Bahamas has, and Luperon because it has the Dominican Republic and everything you ever needed. |
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Puerto Rico and Sint Maarten (SXM) are the cheapest places to buy food.
Also [Puerto Rico] probably is best place to
have things shipped in, because it's the U.S.A.
Sint Maarten / St. Martin cheapest for liquor and cigarettes. Also a good place to find kids, since lots of people work in St. Martin in season, many with kids. Find them in Simpson Bay Lagoon. Next would be ... Trinidad? Chandlery: Budget Marine in St. Thomas, SXM, Antigua, Grenada, Trinidad. Well-stocked, and you can order just about anything. Most beautiful islands (IMO): Martinique, Tobago. |
Examples of places where we were the only cruising boat in the anchorage, in season,
include:
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From Rick Kennerly on World-Cruising mailing list:
From torla on SSCA discussion boards:
From Jack Tyler on SSCA discussion boards:
My feelings about where not to be during hurricane season:
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Nice: English Harbor in Antigua. Bequia in Grenadines: lots of yacht services. Tobago Keys: isolated but great snorkeling. St Kitts page Avoid: St Vincent: polluted harbor, theft. |
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The only country we know of that insists on seeing US federal documentation papers is Guadeloupe,
and specifically the little bay/village called Deshaies. We have not heard of any problems with the
other French islands, including Martinique. What has happened in Deshaies is that the local Gendarme
who is responsible for checking you in fined the boat for not having the correct documentation
and demanded that the boat leave immediately. (But it's been a long time since we've been there,
and perhaps the difficult gendarme has retired ?)
All US and current and former British islands accept state registration. |
| The prevailing wind here means that boats headed southeast from the US East Coast can expect to bash into the trade winds on a daily basis. You might derive some solace from knowing that most of the ships in the Golden Age of Sail couldn't work their way down island short of returning to the US, crossing the Atlantic to Europe, and re-crossing the Atlantic back to the Caribbean. In the Bahamas and much of the Caribbean, many cruising boats wait weeks for the right weather window and for the wind to drop to 10 knots before motorsailing to their next destination, trying to get as much easting in as they can. |
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Re: Same-day check-in and check-out:
I've stopped at every country in the Windwards and Leewards save Montserrat and Nevis. In the French islands customs is FREE, and if you can get a handful of the forms ahead of time, most places let you just drop the filled-out form in a mail slot on the Douane (customs) building after hours. I've done this in St. Martin, Guadaloupe and Martinique without trouble. That way I was legal and it was no effort at all. Of course, you don't want to just "sail by" a French island - the food ashore is way too good. It's a lot faster if you make up your own crew manifest with all the usual passport and boat information on it - after you do a few forms you'll know what I mean by "the usual". Most customs allow you to just staple this to their form rather than filling it out (bring four copies since they usually have a 2 - 4 copy form to fill out). |
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Re: Refitting:
I can't comment on PR, but I found that Sint Maarten was excellent when I did my refit. Budget Marine and Island Water World prices rival those in the States, there is no duty if you import stuff from the USA, labor is acceptable (but not cheap), anchoring in the lagoon is very protected, and English is their first language. It's a good idea to buy really high-dollar but transportable stuff like solar panels and wind generators in USA and carry them as luggage with you to Sint Maarten or PR (pick some place without duty!!!). The BVI is hopeless. St. Thomas is better, but not as good as Sint Maarten. I'm told Trinidad and the DR are excellent for labor rates but not good for well-stocked chandleries, so are the places to have labor-intensive low-tech stuff like painting, varnishing, deck refinishing, etc. done. I haven't quite made it down to Trinidad yet so can't comment first-hand. There is a welder who operates off a barge in Tyrell Bay on Carriacou who is reputed to do the best SS work in the Caribbean. Again I haven't needed his services but he is the one everyone talks about for doing something like a new pushpit or stern arch. Read about him in Chris Doyle's guide to the Windwards. I had some SS fabrication and welding done at FKG in Sint Maarten. Excellent quality work but not a bargain price by any means. |
| St. Martin definitely has gotten the most recommendations. I'm told that the Dutch side is the better choice there. |
| Bit of a toss-up in some regards. St Martin typically is the cheapest place to buy things, and Trinidad is the cheapest on the labor. St Thomas really offers nothing, except that Independent Boat Yard is a good place for doing work on your own boat. There are several good stainless shops in Trinidad, I haven't had occasion to need that kind of work in St Martin, so I can't speak to that. One thing that does change is that St Martin isn't a bad place to be while you work on your boat, and Trinidad has gotten a lot less pleasant in the last few years. On the other hand, if you are doing the work in the summer, Trinidad is south of the hurricane belt, and St Martin has had a bullseye painted on it the last few storms. |
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Security:
... The French islands have had some thievery but to the best of my knowledge no armed burglary. From Antigua north, yachtsmen on their boats have had little serious trouble with crime - petty theft, yes; armed burglary, no. ... ... I am well into my seventies ... If we are sailing as a couple, only the two of us on board, we will not sail south of Antigua except to the French islands. If we are sailing with a full crew of four (or better five) we will sail south of Antigua but we will check carefully as to the situation before visiting Dominica. In St Lucia we would only anchor by Pigeon Island, otherwise it is alongside a dock in Rodney Bay Lagoon or in Marigot Bay. As for the west coast of St Vincent, forget it; Union Island the same. The other Grenadines are fine. In St George's, Grenada, we'll stay only alongside the Grenada Yacht Club dock, not anchored out in the Lagoon or outside the harbor. Grenada's south coast is okay. Forget about Trinidad unless you're in a marina or boatyard; the same with mainland Venezuela, which is a tragedy. ... Nowadays, little or no crime is reported from Las Aves, Los Roques and some of Venezuela's other offshore islands, but along the Puerto La Cruz coast, the Paria Peninsula and in Margarita, the situation is pretty bad. ... Singlehanders are the most likely target ... boats with four or more crew are seldom attacked. No firm figures on this, just my gut feeling. ... Analyze the situation and cruise the Eastern Caribbean - the sailing is great, and you'll meet some lovely people and see some beautiful scenery. ... the only way to be completely safe is to spend your life in bed. ... |
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Observations on the Eastern Caribbean:
We have sailed the Eastern Caribbean for a number of years now. During a trip up to Florida, we found a number of people in Georgetown Bahamas who - prior to setting off along the 'Thorny Path' in order to get there - were anxious for all the information they could get on the area. So, partly in answer to this demand, we will try to cover the more practical side of getting along out there. There are some significant differences to wintertime sailing in the Bahamas, as will become apparent to any reader familiar with those waters. For one, it's warmer! A disclaimer: we are bound by necessity to deal with topics in general terms. There will always be a specific instance which someone can relate which is contrary to what we say. In addition, we cannot mention, describe or quote everything and everyone: just because we don't, doesn't mean they are not valid. Just outside our experience. There is a sister article to this one, describing the modifications we have had to make to our sailboat to make it suitable for living aboard in the Caribbean: see the Boat Equipment page. THE WAY OF LIFE: GENERAL Our sailing area is the chain of islands stretching from Puerto Rico's East Coast (colloquially known as The Spanish Virgin Islands) down to Grenada. Here small independent nation states, some less than 100,000 people strong, sit alongside bigger islands which are economically dependent on, and politically part of, large nations like France or the USA. All of them are beautiful! In the former group, economic resources are stretched thin. Per capita income is low, yet the people do not seem unhappy or resentful of their situation. In general, infrastructure is basic: do not expect good roads, wide smooth pavements or sidewalks, ultramodern telecommunications, well-funded rescue services or medical facilities. More on some of these aspects later. The positive aspect of the generally good demeanour of the occupants of these islands can occasionally be marred by unpleasantness: dealing with surly officials when completing the formalities, declining the wares of hard-sell boat boys and vendors, the discomfort of seeing hard poverty right in your face. But these instances are infrequent, and not confined to this area. Nowhere here have I ever had such unwarranted unpoliteness by any official as when once arriving at JFK New York, for instance. Everyone has bad days. They are rare out here. The 'islands with rich parents' have better provisioning, services, infrastructure and facilities, obviously. That does not make visiting them necessarily any more pleasant: every island has its song to sing. But the diversity certainly adds a richness to the whole cruising experience in the area. The French islands are stocked with goods from, yes, France! Camembert instead of Kraft! Good wine at affordable prices! A different language with all the associated challenges! So much for life on land. In the winter, at sea, typical conditions will be 15-20 knot winds from just North of East (plus or minus 30 degrees), seas 5 to 6 feet plus or minus 2 feet. In the right boat, this makes for really satisfying sailing, but without the white knuckles. At anchor, there will often be a small swell running in all open and semi-open anchorages. Sleep will be interrupted, but seldom: once a month perhaps, unless you habitually choose to stay in marinas or only in popular unsecluded horseshoe or almost-landlocked bays (of which there are few). At least, that's our general experience. The prevailing wind shifts more East and then South of East as summer approaches. Winds are affected by weather systems leaving the North American continent, but not to the point of clocking around, fading to a gasp prior to the passing of a front, as in the Bahamas. RESOURCES AND INFORMATION We have depended extensively upon the following books and guides. Their expense have in all cases been justified. You will find them useful too. A fully referenced list of the guides we regularly use are to be found at the end of the article.
If, in the course of dealing with any subject, we quote a source, it is with the sole intention of motivating the interested reader to purchase the source document itself. Any subject which is critical to well-being deserves a proper understanding of the relevant issues, and this article does not provide that. Go to the source itself! The above list does not include the manuals, repair and maintenance guides and other resources specific to your kind of craft and its equipment. There are probably equally good guides we have not yet come across: Pavlidis' for example. WEATHER Life in this area is dictated by the weather. Bear in mind that severe weather systems have passed through the area as late as mid-December and once, in January. In early winter, one needs to keep a weather eye especially out to the East. Even discounting these extreme events, good seamanship prescribes that one keep informed as to weather. Passages will be more pleasant, anchoring more restful, if done in harmony with the weather and the sea state. The following are some of the sources of information on weather. Details later in the text:
One thing we learned only after much frustration: best reception of an SSB signal is achieved not at the nominal frequency of the transmission. Upper Side Band transmissions are sent 2 kHz lower than the nominal frequency, Lower Side Band at 2 kHz higher. Some listings pre-adjust for the convenience of the reader. You need to read the small print! PASSAGEMAKING AND ANCHORING Marine weather forecasts assume an ideal situation: no land effects. The wind they forecast is the 'gradient wind', i.e. that formed by metereological conditions. The wind and sea conditions you will experience while sailing along will for a large part of the time be significantly affected by the islands, a phenomenon which does not occur in the Bahamas. Bruce van Sant provides the insight into what land does to wind. Some of the things you can expect are:
In addition van Sant has a method for (almost) painlessly making your way dead-to-wind i.e. Eastwards, in the proximity of high large island masses like the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and South America. Invaluable, and it works! On one occasion, the weather forecast was for 20 knots of wind, and to be just aft of the beam for our course. We judged these conditions to be manageable. We were halfway across from St Lucia to St Vincent when it began to rain. One squall after the other, adding perhaps 10 knots of wind. As we approached St Vincent at midday, the island effect added another 10 knots. Seas were 12 to 15 feet and more. We surfed down them and broached twice. The bimini was still up, and by now we judged it to be too rough to take it down. (We had put in the second reef when we saw the first squall, so we were OK on that score, but we have to stand unsupported at full stretch on the seats in the cockpit and swing the boom away to bring the bimini frame back). The front securing padeye for the bimini tore out, and we were lucky not to have the entire thing carry away. All the books say it: reef early and reduce windage too. Had we remembered that approaching St Vincent would compound the wind situation, we could have taken action earlier. Be warned. Current Although tidal rise and fall is small in the Caribbean basin, Don Street points out that there is a way the tide can be used to good effect. In essence, the general constant flow of water toward the WNW at about 0.5 knots is partially offset or in some cases, totally countered by the effect of tide. For some 6 hours from one hour after moonrise and moonset, the water will try to run East. That's right: the flood is to the East. This established fact is not mentioned by any other source we have consulted, yet its use can make a significant difference in passagemaking. Street explains the phenomenon on the back of all Imray Iolaire charts, in his guidebooks and each month in Compass magazine. Street also describes the current characteristics in the Anegada Passage, a vengeful piece with water with a bad reputation which is almost always a hard motorsail when going BVI-St Maarten. Useful. Landfall and Anchorages Both Chris Doyle and Nancy Scott's guides, and also van Sant's, have minicharts showing the depth, best entry, hazards and general characteristics of all the popular anchorages. Don Street has the same, and he is particularly good on the more out-of-the-way anchorages including many on the windward side of the islands. All of us out here could not live without these guides. Most of the popular anchorages are bays in the lee of the islands, with the occasional open roadstead. So many of the bays are picture-perfect, you stop reaching for the camera after a while. But as Don Street points out, that lovely golden curved beach at the head of the bay can only have been formed by wave action. In other words, these bays are subject to swell coming in from time to time. Hence the comment earlier about broken sleep. See also the comment about North swells, above. But to keep things in persective, we have only had sleep badly interrupted while on the North coast of St Johns USVI, the roadstead at Tortola BVI, off Roseau in Dominica and off Mustique. Landing the Dinghy on the Beach Beaching the dinghy in a big swell, with waves surging up the beach, is something you will have to do from time to time. It can be very dangerous. On one occasion, we had arranged to meet friends at a New Year's party on Pinneys beach in Nevis, despite bad conditions. Not wishing to miss the party, we used a technique which has served the two of us well every time we have used it. The guiding principle is to let the waves pass under the dinghy without hurling it toward the shore, when control will certainly be lost. In practical terms, this means using a drogue and approaching the beach stern first. Attach a bucket to the dinghy painter and drop it overboard; stop the outboard well outside the surf line and tilt it; paddle in transom first, sitting astride the balloons, one foot in, one out, facing aft. You must of course, choose your moment: surfers say that waves come in sets of 7, then there is a gap. When you hit the beach (and I do mean wait for contact) each person quickly swings the remaining leg overboard and hauls the dinghy stern first smartly up the beach. Some modification of this technique will be needed for any number of passengers other than two. Whether you choose to use this idea or some variant, make sure you consider the matter carefully before reaching the point of no return, and wear life preservers. Night rides in the Dinghy You will make trips to and from shore, or from another vessel, at night in your dinghy. We see many people doing just this without any kind of light showing. Don't be a mug. One night dinghying back to the boat in Simpson's Bay Lagoon, St Martin, we were nearly ridden down by a speeding powerboat, despite having a flashlight on. Close to shore, when there is so much light clutter, it is admittedly hard to see slow-moving objects. And because he was approaching us straight-on, we too had trouble seeing him! We subsequently found small flashing LED lights sold in cyclist stores, a kind of personal strobe, and we now use these as well when out at night in the dinghy. SERVICES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT Insurance Insuring a sailing vessel without having awkward restrictions imposed is becoming difficult. Insurers have a variety of conditions attached to policies ranging from requiring the vessel to be South of 12 degrees (i.e. South of Grenada) during the hurricane season, to having to derig the mast. Whether these conditions make sense is an open question: there is nowadays a massive concentration of yachts in Chagamaras in Trinidad from July to November. These restrictions contradict the basic principle of reducing risk by spreading it, and instead serve to concentrate it. Don Street points out that hurricanes have been known to pass through latitudes this far South; should this happen again, the marine insurers (and so too everyone else) will suffer massive losses. Weather is always doing the unexpected. In any case, many do not wish to make the 90-odd mile passage to Trinidad twice a season. If you are one of these, you will have to do some careful shopping. Fuel and water Most islands have some sort of dock where one can get fuel and water. However, all diesel in the Caribbean is contaminated to some extent with water, thanks to area's naturally high humidity. Microbes grow at the water/diesel interface in tanks and when they die, produce a sludge which will eventually try to migrate to the diesel injectors and cause a blockage. A properly sized pre-filter in the line will certainly pay back the investment in it. Fuel additives are commonly available to prevent the sludge forming in the first place. Filters are available which are able to separate water out as the diesel is being pumped into the tank. Such units are not cheap but do work. Whether they eliminate the problem or merely reduce it is something we will never know. Technical services We have found that the islands frequented by large motoryachts have all manner of technical services onshore but the providers (riggers and electronics being the worst) have limited interest in serving the smaller vessel. There are richer pickings on offer. You will have to be patient, and learn how to cajole without being annoying. Or go to a smaller island where yachtmen are the prime source of income for those offering technical services. Chandlers The area is well served by 2 major companies, Island Water World and Budget Marine, as well as many smaller independent operations. You can usually find what you want in BVI, St Martin (Dutch side), Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and Grenada. Funnily enough, Antigua is not as well served as the above-mentioned. We have never needed a chandler in the USVI, so cannot comment on these islands. Seldom will you find everything you want under one roof, however. We make list after list and pick up what we anticipate we will need whenever we see it. It's a habit everyone has to adopt. Dry Storage There seem to be many places offering on-land storage, some of them quite open. We question how sheltered they would be in a big storm. We also have a pet theory about the influence of the stability of the surface on which the stored vessels will stand. Big weather systems bring lots of rain before the worst of the wind. Jackstands standing on a gravel/earth surface, possibly on reclaimed land, with a piece of plank placed under the feet are in our view vulnerable to a water-induced softening of the base, the plank working loose, the stand partially sinking and the entire structure becoming unstable just as the worst of the storm arrives. You make up your own mind, but our vessel stands on concrete or tarmac; either the jackstands are welded to each other to reduce their tendency to move outwards, or we rent a cradle; and we ask for lashing down in an area segregated from catamarans (which can start flying in high winds) and less-secure vessels. We have found only three yards where these conditions can be met. We leave the mast up. Perhaps no amount of preparation will do in the event of a Category 5 hurricane strike, but I do hope she will survive a Category 3 and with luck, a 4. Health and Health Insurance This kind of insurance is a major budget item. We have found medical treatment for small complaints (ear infection, etc) on small islands to be cheap and good, if a little overstretched: we have waited half a day at the clinic to be seen to, but the attention was as good as anywhere else. You will have to decide for yourself how you cover your own health risk. But major problems might require resort to medevac to Barbados, Puerto Rico or the USA. Provisions We provision from all sorts of places, ranging from sophisticated supermarkets to buying from boat boys on tatty windsurf boards. The biggest challenges seem to be obtaining fresh local produce and fresh fish, strangely enough: imported manufactured food is easier to obtain. Even much of the fruit is imported. This is a sad thing really, and an inconvenience: once fruit and vegetables have been chilled (all imported produce is treated this way), their life is shortened and they may not ripen properly. Keep pre-chilled stuff in your fridge, or watch it go off in record time. For us, provisioning is a reason to go ashore and sightsee and we would not want to say too much more in order not to deprive anyone of the pleasure these adventures can bring. Communications Keeping in touch with friends and family tends to be done by email, satellite or cell/mobile phone, text messaging. No different to home, really, although the cost is higher and the frequency of contact lower. Pretty much all islands have a shoreside bar/restaurant with wi-fi, which can sometimes be captured on board if you are not moored too far away. There are also internet cafes although in all the cases we can think of, the equipment is old. If you have a cell/mobile telephone, make sure it is a tri-band model so as to receive signal in all the islands. Security Some people are almost paranoid about their security, and spend much energy monitoring developments on the morning Security and Security Net on single sideband radio (0815 EST, 8104 kHz) while others adopt a fatalistic attitude. Security is never a problem until there is a situation, when suddenly it becomes one. There is no simple answer as to what on should do to protect oneself and one's property. There have been some very very awful crimes committed against cruisers out here, it is true. But the frequency (read: risk) is low even if the consequences may be disproportionately onerous. Flying in aircraft has a similar risk profile. You would be foolish to be over-conspicuous, over-trusting, offensive, and/or careless. In 5 years, we were boarded once while ashore, by a group of youngsters who took the bag of snorkelling kit from a stern locker. We recovered it without more violence than a lot of yelling. We always lock the boat when going ashore, but we sleep with hatches and companionway open. We have a battery-operated motion detector/alarm, which we leave in the cockpit at night in anchorages where we are isolated, very close to shore, or have a bad feeling about the place. We have a can of pepper spray, a very bright lantern, a short club and a short whip (hosepipe) close to hand in the bunk we sleep in. Our strategy depends primarily on being alerted before intruders enter the saloon, on the shock to the intruder(s) of being met by a bright light and a lot of shouting, backed up by more violent action where justified. I hope we never need to explore whether this will be adequate. Firearms are not for us. Most islands have strict regulations about the carrying of arms and can produce lots of bureaucracy to regulate their carriage. I have no idea how a cruiser who had used a weapon in anger against a local would be treated by the local police and judiciary, whatever the circumstances. LESSONS LEARNED We learned that:
These are some of the books we have onboard, and which we have used to learn more about what is written above. In many cases, there are by now updated versions. In no particular order… DOYLE C., "The Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands", Cruising Guide Publications, 2003. There is also a guide to the Windward Islands, and updates from www.cruisingguides.com SCOTT N & S., "The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands", Cruising Guide Publications, 2002 STREET D., "Street's Cruising Guide to the Eastern Caribbean: Anguilla to Dominica, iUniverse.com Inc, 2001. There are also guides to the Virgin Islands, Martinique to Trinidad, and others VAN SANT B., "The Gentleman's guide to Passages South", Cruising Guide Publications, 2001 REEDS Nautical Almanac, Thomas Reed Publications, 2002 |
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Re: why there isn't much talk about cruising Jamaica:
Well, Jamaica is not bad, as long as you stay inside your heavily guarded resort properties, stick with the tour busses at the guarded stops and stay in the tourist districts. Generally the Rasta drug and crime culture has just about taken over the island. You remember the Rastafarians, they're the guys who have Biblical proof that the White man is the devil, that all women are chattel, and that you can find God through Jamaican Gold and dreadlocks. Government has just about given up in Kingston, where they have passed but not put into force a bill allowing marijuana use. As far as cruising goes, the waters are polluted with sewage runoff from shore (actually most islands have this problem -- I'd not swim in Charlotte Amelie bay, St. Thomas, USVI, either), prices are sky high, and the divide between the haves and the have-nots so great that crime flourishes. There is just not much to recommend Jamaica, if you're not into rolling your own doobies. |
| I have just come back from Jamaica, where I had vacationed for the last 14 days. There is plenty of documented info on the crime in Jamaica, but I have to say that the crime mentioned is centered in Kingston. And very little of it is against tourists or cruisers. The crime is mainly against other Jamaicans. I stayed in Negril for 14 days in a little guest house on the beach, and never had the slightest bad moment. The Jamaican people are a proud, happy, and friendly, but mainly poor group of people. Your statements about Jamaica are both over-generalized and ignorant. It's as if you had gone to inner-city Detroit and just naturally assumed that the entire state of Michigan was the same. A very closed-minded way to look at the world. I never saw a bit of crime in Negril during my last two stays. The water was not polluted. I was able to walk the beaches of Negril (which in itself has a beautiful 7 mile beach) as late as 11 pm without fear or hesitation. The "Rasta drug and crime culture" that you refer to is minimal. A strong "no thank you" is all I needed if I was approached by someone selling something. Prices, if anything, are much lower in Jamaica than the USA. I could walk down the beach in the morning and get a plate full of Akee, saltfish, plantains, callaloo, johnnycake biscuits and pineapple juice for around US$2.50, have some meat patties and fruit for lunch for a couple of dollars and then have a great dinner of jerk chicken and rice and peas for around $6 or $7. If that is considered expensive, I would like to know where to go for cheaper prices. ... The Jamaica that you describe and the one that I know are two very different islands. I hope that everyone doesn't take your narrow-minded view to heart, and bypass this beautiful place. |
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Rick - You are correct that many of the harbors in the large cities are
polluted. In Montego Bay, I'm told that much of the sewage is from the numerous
cruise ships. There is also industrial (bauxite-handling) pollution at one site
on the south coast which pollutes several miles of the coast. However, nearly
all of the small bays which I have visited are incredibly beautiful and
clean. Outside of the tourist areas, prices are extremely reasonable; you can find
wonderful produce and small boating needs (lots of local fishermen), but not
much in the way of yachting supplies.
... I have been going to Jamaica for over 20 years and have often bicycled the interior and sailed the coasts without any problems. The people of Jamaica are warm and friendly folks. Drug and violence problems, outside of Kingston gang areas, are located and supported by the tourist areas. Away from the tourist traps, many families are fairly conservative. I have found the true Rastafasarians to be gentle vegetarians who live in more remote areas and are shy until they get to know you. The "Rastas" that prey upon (and service) the tourist trade adopt the look, but not religion, and are ostracized by true Rastafasarians. ... You can clear customs and immigration in the larger cities such as Montego Bay (MoBay) and Port Antonio on the North Coast, Kingston in the East and the smaller Savanna La Mar (SavLaMar) in the Southwest. I have avoided Kingston due to it's dangerous reputation, but can recommend the others. MoBay is the most tourist-intensive, as is Negril at the West End. Port Antonio is an interesting mix of Old Jamaica and the emerging tourist scene. The only time in over 20 years I lost anything to theft was on Admiralty Island (Errol Flynn's Island) in Port Antonio, but we never felt unsafe there. |
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Re: why there isn't much talk about cruising Jamaica:
One of the main reasons for Jamaica not being a "cruising ground" is that it is such a pain for a cruiser to spend days (and nights) beating back to the main cruising grounds to the east. Easy getting there but a pain getting back by boat. You will find that a lot of cruisers who have spent some time in the Caribbean and who are heading to the Canal and the big pond beyond, stop off in Jamaica en route. Some of those that have done so do report high crime and high fees whilst others have not been bothered and enjoy themselves. |
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JAMAICA, AUGUST, 2003
... Jamaica on first view is a lush green tropical paradise. Sailing into the [Port Antonio] harbor we passed a private island once owned by the infamous Erroll Flynn. Tall coconut and palm trees rose their bush heads up from the deep green jungle foliage, and red, yellow and orange flowers peppered the trees and hillsides. The water color was a rainbow spectrum of blues and greens with patches of gold and brown where the underwater reefs lurked. Instead of our usual antics of pirouettes and high speed tacking through the anchorage, we dropped the sails and motored to the dock like 'civilized' yachties. Before even the officials could come aboard to clear us in we were attacked by a barrage of boat boys with offers to clean, sand, paint or varnish the boat, offers of tours and excursions, offers of any goods or services we may need, want or desire. One young man brought a tall bunch of bananas and swiftly, with his razor-sharp machete, sliced us off a few hands which we hung in the rigging to ripen. The officials we had to deal with in Jamaica were, to put it kindly, a little inept. When we cleared in with immigration our passports were stamped with the wrong date, several months in the past. However when we cleared out a week later the correct date was stamped. This showed that we had been in Jamaica for over eight months. We didn't notice the mistake until we were on our way once again. When the customs agent came aboard the boat to clear us he told us we should take down the 'Q' flag, the yellow quarantine flag every yacht is required to fly until it is officially cleared in. And so we did. The following day a big angry Jamaican in clunky brown leather shoes calling himself the quarantine officer paid us a visit, stomped black marks all over our clean white deck, then berated us for removing the Q flag before he had come aboard. Never mind that he was a day late, never mind that we had no idea we had to deal with a quarantine officer - whatever that was - never mind that we had been told by another official to remove the flag. This man's puffed up self-importance and anger were comical, but it was making me angry too. I told him I would call customs so he could take this matter up with his colleague. This quieted his grumbling a little and he proceeded with the redundant paperwork. When that was completed he just sat there sucking his teeth and tapping his ugly shoes on the deck. Offers of coffee and food were turned down and we didn't know why he wouldn't leave. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence he said, 'Captain, I think you should give me a little something for my time.' I couldn't believe it. This rude man was waiting for baksheesh. Jack was shocked too. No official ever has just asked us for a bribe. Sailors are generally counseled ahead of time by marina staff or other sailors if something extra is required, or the bribe is concealed in superfluous paperwork. Nobody ever just asks for a bribe. We knew that not giving him what he wanted would only cause trouble for us. 'How much?' Jack asked. 'Oh whatever you can afford,' he said casually. It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut. Jack gave him $10 and he and his shoes finally got off our boat. We had several offers of taxis from the boat boys to take us to town so I had thought it would be a long walk from the marina. It turned out that 'town' was a only a short two blocks from the marina entrance. I thought that we were just getting hustled, but when I got to town, I could see why everyone was so hungry for the Yankee dollar. Poverty in Jamaica is the rule rather than the exception. We were told that the unemployment rate is over sixty percent. It is a grinding and ugly poverty, much more discernable here in Port Antonio than anywhere else we had visited so far. There were beggars in rags in the streets, and on the dirty sidewalks filthy children sold rotting fruit and vegetables. There were clapboard shacks falling under the weight of rusty corrugated tin roofs, and shredding plastic tarps and lean-to's provided a semblance of shade for prematurely aged women selling akkie, mangoes, fish and bananas. Shop windows were covered in so much dirt that you couldn't see what was being sold inside. Trash and squalor were everywhere. All along the waterfront in Port Antonio a major construction project was underway. The government was building a huge marina and resort complex. We saw flyers and pictures of the proposed completed project and couldn't understand how there can be such a contrast, such decadence and wealth separated from such grisly poverty by nothing more than a stone wall. I hope that the completed project will provide a few more jobs for the people of Port Antonio. The Jamaicans I met were mostly very friendly to me; the women at the laundry, the girls at the grocery store, the shopkeepers I visited. I sat for a while and chatted with an old woman on a stoop, she gave me a banana and wouldn't take any money for it. It seemed the women had most of the jobs while the men lazed around under trees drinking and smoking. I was harassed by one filthy-haired Rastafarian with a shiny denim jacket, smelled like it was a very long time since his last bath. He kept following me, trying to chat me up. I tried to be pleasant and shrug off his attentions but he wouldn't go away. "Let me give you some good Jamaican loving," he slurred while holding his crotch. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. I turned to him and told him not so pleasantly what he could do with his smelly self and his 'good Jamaican loving' and he slumped back to his shade tree cursing me. One night during our stay there was a mini-festival in town. There were street venders selling jerk chicken and ribs, baked breadfruit, boiled peanuts and beer. The smell of ganja perfumed the air and reggae music blared out from speakers in front of shops and bars. There were young girls dressed in sexy clothes and Rasta men in colorful but droopy attire. There were families gathered on the corners, children playing on the sidewalks, and a general feeling of good cheer was in the air. One raggedy old man performed contortionist tricks for us while we sat on a dirty stoop eating street food. There was a parking lot that had been boarded off for a concert but we didn't attend - the music playing was rap and hip-hop, not our style. Most of our time in Jamaica we spent on board fixing this and that, varnishing the teak, and getting ready for the next leg of our trip to Columbia. We did a little dinghy exploration but we didn't take much time exploring inland. No trips to the rivers and waterfalls, no trips to Kingston or Montego Bay, we didn't even trespass on Errol Flynn's island to raid the mango trees. Many of our yachtie neighbors went on various excursions and tours but we just weren't in the mood to join them. That was about it for our stay in Jamaica. The poverty we found here was really depressing to us and we were anxious to get going. |
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I enjoyed Jamaica, but I have been to better places. We were there for 8 days. By the end of the trip, we
were ready to leave. I had always heard how inexpensive things were, but I didn't find it to be
that much cheaper on a lot of things. You can get local fruit, etc. very cheap, but other items
are expensive. We were in one of the bigger tourist areas (Ocho Rios). Lots of cruise ship
traffic. The scenery is beautiful. Make sure you see Dunns River Falls in Ocho Rios. The people are
extremely friendly and helpful. There is a major crime problem, especially in the cities. The
countryside is not so bad.
I had planned to do some sailing while we were there, but the charters were just too expensive. The diving and snorkeling were pretty good. |
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| [From Montego Bay:] Try the White River Raft trip ... unbelieveable. Bring your beverage of choice. |
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I was in Jamaica April/May 2005. I cruised the north coast from east to west before heading to the
Caymans. There ARE places you don't want to walk around at night if you're white, this is true
(Kingston comes immediately to mind), and one "anchorage" where you don't want to stay overnight
(San San Beach, east of Port Antonio). But for the most part, the northern coast is not bad,
certainly not nearly as bad as Kingston.
I'd recommend Port Antonio (I walked around there at night with no problems, no feeling of being an intruder or outsider), Montego Bay (extremely touristy), Bogue Lagoon (great shelter for frontal passages), and Falmouth. Oracabessa and Ocho Rios are also good stops, Ocho Rios being very busy with lots of day charter cats and jet skis running around until late in the afternoon, while Oracabessa possessing a tiny protected anchorage near the main highway. |
| I have been to Jamaica four times since 1984. It has gone downhill fast. The last time I went was about 6 years ago [approx 2000]. I told myself then that I wouldn't be back until they cleaned things up a bit. The crime rate has gone up a lot in the last 10 years. I used to feel safe there. It's also gotten very dirty. The government needs to give some of the tourist income to the locals instead of keeping it all. They also need to clean up the streets of garbage and crime. If I went back, I would stay in the mountains at a resort and away from the tourist beaches. |
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| Stopping at T+C was, I think $5 for about 10 days, but after that $50/person for Visas, which in our case was waived while we waited weather at South Caicos. If possible, unless you are SCUBA diver, avoid T+C, not a cruiser-friendly place. Caicos Banks are a DEATHTRAP of uncharted reefs and corals. Much worse than anything in the Bahamas. Charted routes do not work to avoid obstructions. |
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$5 per boat to stay for 7 days; all paperwork done at the South Dock port; exact change required.
South Dock is very busy with large ships; best not to dinghy over to it.
From Sapodilla Bay, I landed the dinghy at the wooden dock at "The Point", walked
down dirt road and then turn right and right and through gate into port; about 3/4 mile total.
Office is at back-left corner of port area; opens at 9 AM.
No questions asked about radio licenses; no request to inspect the boat.
To stay longer, at end of the 7 days, go back to the office at the port, hand in your old paperwork and they'll give you a cruising permit, then go to Immigration office in town and pay $50/person for 30-day Visas. More about the "7 days": Don't delay after the end of the 7 days before getting the 30-day visa; you might get fined $100/day for each day you're in the country without clearance. It's not clear to me if you're supposed to do the 30-day visa on the 7th or 8th day you're in the country; I did it on the 8th (cleared in on Thursday; did 30-day visa on next Thursday) and didn't have a problem. The "Immigration office in town" is in the "SAMS" building, next to Island Price supermarket, in the "downtown" area. Start at the Immigration office on the second floor, where you'll have an interview with an officer. I was asked for a "crew manifest", but it seemed to be no problem that I didn't have one. After the interview, they send you to the Immigration office on the first floor, to get a "receipt". Then you leave the building, go past the Island Pride supermarket, to a Treasury office in the Island Pride building complex, where you pay $50. Then back to the first building, to the Immigration office on the second floor again, where you hand in your paperwork and then get passport and part of the paperwork back again, and you're done ! Took me about 90 minutes. I believe the maximum stay is 90 days. Then you have to go to another country, but can come right back and start another 90 days if you wish. Not sure about this. |
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Canal de la Mona (Mona Passage), 61 miles wide between the W end of Puerto Rico and the E end of Hispaniola,
is one of the principal entrances to the Caribbean Sea. Three small islands are located in the passage:
Isla de Mona and Isla Monito about midway in the S part, and Isla Desecheo about 12 miles W of
the extremity of Puerto Rico in the N part.
On the W side of Canal de la Mona, a bank extends from Cabo Engano, the E extremity of Hispaniola, for 23 miles, with a least depth of 26 fathoms. Depths of 5 to 20 fathoms have been reported on the bank about 7 miles SSE of Cabo Engano. Strong tide rips and heavy swells, caused by the meeting of contrary currents, are visible for many miles and mark the position of this bank. On the E side of the passage, an extensive bank makes off from the W coast of Puerto Rico extending up to 15 miles offshore. Tidal currents set generally S and N through Canal de la Mona. Varying nontidal flows, depending to a great extent upon the velocity and direction of the wind, combine with the tidal current. An average nontidal current of about 0.2 knot setting approximately NNW is generally experienced during all seasons. In summer, when the trade wind has slackened and blows more from the E and ESE, a strong countercurrent sets E off the S coast of Hispaniola. This countercurrent occasionally induces a N set in the passage. A 3.5-knot current, setting approximately WSW, has been reported in the passage N of Isla de Mona. Observations made on the NW edge of the bank about 13 miles W of Punta Guanajibo, Puerto Rico, gave a velocity of about 1 knot for both S and N strengths. The tidal currents also set with considerable velocity, especially near the shore S of Cabo Engano, where they have been reported to set with a velocity of 3.5 knots during the month of May, with ebb currents setting NE for 3 hours and flood currents setting SW for 9 hours. The duration of these currents has also been reported to be the reverse, and at other times to be of the usual duration of 6 hours. The passage presents little difficulty in navigation, except that caution must be used in the vicinity of Isla Saona off the SE coast of Hispaniola, which is low and foul. This island should be given a berth of at least 6 miles. Heavy squalls may be expected in the passage, particularly in the summertime. ... Isla de Mona, 6 miles long E and W and 4 miles wide, lies in the middle of the S part of Canal de la Mona. Temporary anchorage and landing can be made in places on the S and W sides of the island during good weather, but on many days anchorage and landings are impracticable. The attendants for the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources and a State police detachment are the only inhabitants of the island. With a strong wind from any direction, the sea draws around the island and generally into all the anchorages. Anclaje Sardinera, on the W coast, is the best anchorage during SE winds, and Anclaje Isabela, just S of Punta Arenas, is good during NE winds. Boat landings can be made at Anclaje Sardinera and Playa de Pajaros. |
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1) St. Martin and Anguilla - Lots of fun, beaches, snorkeling, plenty of eating/drinking options, etc.
St. Martin very busy place especially dutch side but easy to get flights into ... french side quieter and Grand Case a very quaint town with great food options. Anquilla - quiet, laid back, great snorkeling and beaches, no crowds ... did not sample too many land spots beyond Road Bay. But we used our dinghy lots of places. St. Martin - if you charter from there ... no requirements moving between french to dutch sides. Anguilla - pretty easy checking in (charter co will help and Doyle's guide has info) ... but it is a little fee happy if you want to travel beyond Road Bay = they charge a cruising fee and nat'l park fee. Fun Time. 2) Guadeloupe and Dominica - very different ... more land based activities, language factor, less snorkeling, beaches mixed. a) Guadeloupe - big island - actually 2 shaped like a butterfly ... French speaking ... you can get by but knowing french would be an asset. One half is very green and with mountains ... the other half flat with beaches. Food was pretty good but Grand Case in St. Martin was better. Sailed to Marie Galante - small, poorer, a few nice beaches yet it was raining when we were there and Les Saintes - feels like France, the people, the look of the town ... cute, some rocky beaches ... worth a stop. b) Dominica - Lush is the only way to describe ... mountains and green from end to end ... with every sort of fruit / vegetable growing. We anchored off Portsmouth. Poorer country but very nice people and english-speaking. There are "boat boys" here which can be annoying. Tours, hiking, waterfalls and other land base stuff abound. Food was simple but good. Sampled fruit falling off trees during island tour + public market. We never made it to Roseau (capital) or southern beaches which are better for swimming + snorkeling ... great visit. Checking in/out - Guadeloupe = laid back just have boat papers and crew list ... I did not even bother in Les Saintes on my way back from Dominica. Just did it when I got back to Point a Pitre. Dominica - biggest thing there was finding it ... customs separate from immigration (never bothered) ... Customs will check you in and out at same time if you are staying for less than 14 days. They are just slow (ilon time) and use their own forms with more carbon paper than I've seen in years. Plus they handle more comm'l ships than yachts ... office is adjacent to comm'l dock. |
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> Can you dinghy to Sandy Island for free, > or do you need a cruising permit ? As of two years ago it was fine to dinghy to Sandy Island, but things change so quickly and Anguilla is so cruiser-unfriendly in the fee structure this might have changed. |
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French-side fees have increased 1/2009: 5 Euro upon arrival,
20 Euro upon departure,
.35 Euro/meter/day for the boat; Euro is about $1.30 1/2009; works out to about $7/day for my 44-foot boat.
Port Authority Hours: MTWRF 0800-1200 and 1400-1600, Saturday 0800-1200. Marina Fort Louis office is on Marigot waterfront opposite Marina Fort Louis; department is named DISSILEC, and hours are MTWRFSS 0700-1900. May be additional fee for using this office ? |
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5/2008 we checked in to the Dutch side on a 47-foot boat, and paid a $40/week "harbor fee", plus tax.
Fee schedule says 47-footer will be $5 to clear out, and would be $60 bridge fee to enter the Lagoon. Items from (Dutch, Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority) fee schedule 5/2008: - Harbor fee: $20/week or portion of week for 8-13 meters long, $40/week for 13-18 meters. No mention of monthly or seasonal rates. - Harbor clearance fee: $5 for 1-99 gross tons. - Bridge fee to enter the Lagoon: $10 for 8-13 meters long, $30 for 12-15 meters, $60 for 15-18 meters. - Office is just outside the Simpson Bay bridge; open every day (including Sundays and holidays) 0800-1800. Dutch side is proposing to install moorings in the Lagoon and forbid anchoring ? |
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Wi-Fi is always available at Shrimpys as well as information, morning net on vhf 14 at 0730.
Happy hour at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club 1630 till 1730, no need to be a member,
right next to bridge.
> One thing I couldn't figure out from the guidebooks: > if I arrive at Marigot, can I go through the French > bridge and anchor in the lagoon BEFORE checking-in > at Customs ? Or do I have to check in before I can > go through the bridge ? I see no problem with that, Customs is pretty easy there. |
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Chartered a Moorings 405 out of Grenada in late May 1999 and sailed
north to the southern Grenadines. Loved it! Great sailing. There is a
reason they call it the WINDWARD islands. We had 12-15 knots constantly
every day AND night. The drawback to this is that a lot of the anchorages
are protected from the ocean swells by reefs but not protected from the wind.
Although 15 knots doesn't sound like much, It was kind of nerve-wracking
at night in a crowded anchorage with an unfamiliar boat and unfamiliar
ground tackle. Nonetheless, it was a blast! DO NOT miss the Tobago Cays!
The week we were there, there was a big catamaran regatta going on.
Lots of naked frenchmen (and women) on huge cruising cats everywhere.
... Mayreau/Tobago Cays was as far north as we went, so I can't speak to anything north of there. The passages between the larger islands can get kind of rough during those periods when the tidal current is flowing against the trades. On the ~10 NM hop from Grenada to Carriacou we hit it at just the wrong time and had very short-steep 6-10' seas. Not too comfortable but exciting. |
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Sailing in The Grenadines:
Strong winds are more common in the winter months 'Christmas Winds' The channels are quite exciting; not dangerous but best be prepared for 2 - 3 m seas, a 2kt current to the west, and squalls. Petit Bayehaut (sp?) north of Kingstown is a good stop: Rolly but so is everything else, a mooring is free with a dinner booking, go see the bat cave. Chateau Belair is about the northernmost stop for most (charterers) heading north, but I would not go there: stern tie to a tree and roll all night; lock your boat! St Lucia is going to be a long sail any way you cut it but well worth it. Motoring to the falls of Baleine or even more to the East is what we had done in the past and hope for a good E wind to the Pitons. There you get becalmed about 80% of the time. Staying 3 miles west to avoid the blanket won't work either. Going south Bequia is a favorite of many. Easiest customs in the entire chain. Good shopping and eats in town. The channel has a steep chop but it's a short trip especially heading south. You won't make Grenada in two weeks but Carriacou is definitely worth the trip from Union or the south cut from Tobago Cays. If for no other reason than to visit Sandy Island before the next hurricane blows it completely away. Great snorkeling and diving. Clear customs at Hillsborough: still the flavor of the Caribbean 20 years ago. If rolly with NE wind go to Tyrell with all the liveaboard yachties. Try Virginia's BBQ chicken at the Rum Shack: $5EC takeout! |
| Prickly Bay, whilst convenient for the bus into town, marina, shops etc, can be very rolly. Hog Island anchorage is so well protected by reefs, that even in the strongest winds, it's always calm. |
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Tobago is lightly populated and lovely, but not many cruisers go there because there
are few facilities and it is a hard slog upwind and up-current from Trinidad. Chaguaramas harbor in Trinidad has lots of great marine facilities, but it is deep, holding is poor, it's crowded, the bottom is foul with things including a radio tower and a Jeep, and there are strong currents that even create breaking waves in the anchorage sometimes. Tobago: Scarborough: anchorage is small. Store Bay: good anchorage. Parlatuvier: nice view from ashore, but rolly bay. Charlotteville: protected but deep anchorage, good provisioning. |
| We have a sea chest rather than a bunch of separate seawater intake thru-hulls. After just 3 weeks here in Trinidad, the intake to our sea chest became totally solid with barnacles. We have found that the intake needs to be dived on and cleaned out about every 2 weeks. We have never seen barnacles grow so quickly and prolifically as they do down here. |
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... Around Delgada Point, we went north of Gasparillo Island into the large industrial
Chaguaramus Bay, wending our way through the hundreds of yachts, fishing boats, barges,
oil supply vessels, tugs, and other anchored ships to the farthest inlet, to the
Immigration and Customs dock at Crews Inn Marina. I thought of anchoring and taking
the dinghy through the hodge podge of vessels, but the regulations are quite strict
and no anchoring for any reason is allowed before checking in, regardless of the
time of night or day, or day of the week. We had heard horror stories of boaters who
were fined for not reporting in directly. At least we were reporting in during regular
working hours and did not have to pay the overtime charges.
... The check in was reasonably efficient with only one form to be completed in each (Immigration and Customs) office, in quadruplicate using carbon paper. We then anchored in the midst of the conglomeration of yachts, some on their own anchors and others at YSATT mooring buoys, in about 30 feet of water. We were quite nervous for the first day or so to be sure we had enough swinging room to avoid the other yachts anchored and at moorings nearby. The combination of weird currents, tides, and variable winds would cause the vessels to swing every which way, often pointing them in opposite directions and swinging them (and us) perilously close. The waters were noisy, dirty, oily, and rough, with wakes from dinghies, water taxis, tugs and fishing boats added to the currents, winds, and tides, stirring the anchorage in what has been described as the unpredictable pattern of a washing machine. Love it or hate it, Chaguaramus has all the haul-out and storage facilities, marinas, chandleries, metal shops, rigging shops, sail lofts, electronics, fibre glass, and inflatable repair services a cruiser could want; not to mention dinghy docks, bars, grocery stores, internet and WiFi facilities, tour agencies, car and DVD rentals as well as a handy bus route and maxi-taxi service into downtown Port of Spain. Because of insurance restrictions on being outside (south) of the hurricane zone from June to November, Trinidad has become a cruisers' Mecca, with thousands of boats spending months or years in the area. One of the several yachting magazines (Compass) indicated that over 1400 boats were located in Trinidad by June of this year. Yachting is big business in the Caribbean and especially in Trinidad. We heard so many horror stories of cruisers being robbed, boat invasions and murders, that we were quite apprehensive about being here. There were so many dinghies stolen over the past few months that the cruisers organized their own anchorage watch with three boats sharing the night hours to patrol the anchorage and keep a lookout for any security problems. We volunteered our services for the 0300 to 0600 shift on Sunday nights for the couple of weeks we were there. We were asked to just keep a lookout over the anchorage and shine a spotlight periodically around to deter any suspect security violators. Since this system has been in place over the past few weeks, no thefts have occurred. If any violators were identified, VHF channels could be used to warn other boats and to contact police or coast guard, as well as sounding our air horn to alert other boats, and shining spotlights in the direction of the problems. There is a VHF net at 0800 each morning, not unlike that we had in Grenada. It extended through Chaguaramus, Scotland Bay, Carenage Bay and even over to Chacachacare Island. ... |
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Was reading about your concerns about Venezuela. My neighbor is from Trinadad,
which is supposed to have the highest crime rate in the area right now.
Frank, my neighbor, said what is going on is the little mafia of sorts is kidnapping
cruisers and holding them ransom. Usually one to five thousand or what ever they can get.
Usually not hostile and if they can't contact your family for a ransom they often let
you go because they don't want to feed you. Frank says if you go ashore don't
wear any jewelry or watch. Dress down and look like you don't own anything and
they will leave you alone.
Venezuela is another story. Stay away from the pass between Trinadad and Venezuela, on the southwest side of Trinadad. Pirates are bold in this area, and while they haven't killed anyone yet, they do sometimes ruff you up. Go in a group of 3 to 4 boats at a time and you should be fine. Pirates don't like confrontations or witnesses. They seem to pick on single boats. Other than that if you look at the statastics you stand a greater chance of getting car-jacked in New Jersey when you go home for the holidays. I say go and enjoy. Can't wait to get there myself. |
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I am sorry to have to inform everyone that we had a serious incident here last night involving cruisers.
Things had been very quiet for several months now, until last night.
An armed robbery took place at Tropical Marina's restaurant. It was BBQ Rib night so there had been a large crowd of cruisers present. At about 9:30, after many cruisers had left for the evening, several armed men robbed the restaurant and many of the remaining cruisers. The robbers came from the water side of the marina and therefore bypassed the gate guard completely. The restaurant manager and several cruisers were pistol-whipped and had to be taken to the hospital. Authorities have been notified including the US Embassy which is requesting the Police Commissioner provide them with the status of the investigation. |
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I got heavily involved in trying to get some positive response out of the marina owners and government while in Chagauramas,
Trinidad concerning the crime and immigration situation there. It was very frustrating, particularly the attitude of the marina
owners who were spending far more money trying to cover up the crime situation there than spending even a dime to
try to improve the situation. The situation did improve but mainly because of the efforts of a few (too few) cruisers who formed a harbor watch.
We are now in St Lucia and WOW!!! what a difference. St Lucia has done an absolutely incredible job of improving the security here and many of the improvements have occurred in the last six months. Now some may say they had to do something after the rape incident here back in the summer, and you're right. But they have responded in very positive ways, unlike Trinidad, who just doesn't get it. We had been warned not to go to Soufriere, but found it to be a charming place and everyone was so friendly and helpful. Customs and Immigration officials, were not only pleasant, they were down right neighborly. Benny, at Harmony Beach, reminded me so much of Jesse James in Trinidad. He even put a guard on our boat and patrolled the moorings while a bunch of us ate at his restaurant. Would Crews Inn or the Bight, etc ever consider doing such a thing? Not on your life. The boat boys in St Lucia are the most professional I have seen and it is obvious that many of them have now had training, with their ID cards and what amounts to a script when they talk to you. It's kinda funny, but, Hey, they're trying. Rodney Bay has police patrolling in the bay and lagoon nightly and these guys are serious. A fellow cruiser, near Pidgeon Island the other night got up to check his anchor. The next thing he knew there was a blue light flashing and a spotlight on his boat. It was 0300 and the police wanted to make sure he was not a thief. Since leaving Trinidad in November we have seen a number of security improvements on many of the islands and it has made us realize just how bad the attitude is in the Trinidad government and with YSATT. We now have seen what can and will be done when people realize how important cruisers are to their livelihood. One last comment. I continue to hear people talk and write about incidents which occurred as much as ten years ago and use those incidents in their decisions not to visit a particular place. The other day I read an article that went even farther back than that. Is this really a good thing to do? Just 6 months ago I would not have come back to St Lucia because of the crime situation, but with the dramatic effort I have experienced in the last 2 weeks I would recommend any part of the west coast to anyone. So I recommend you use current information in deciding where to cruise, not ancient history or "CNN" redundant reporting. There are lots of good, safe places to cruise in the Caribbean. |
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After leaving our catamaran for six months at Aikanes Boatyard in Chaguaramas, Trinidad last year,
we have a lot to say about the yard, the nearby port, the available services and especially about the Immigrations and Customs officials of Trinidad.
There are lots of details on our blog (look for posts from about mid March until early April, 2007),
but the summary is as follows:
Aikanes Boat Yard: Pronounced "eh - caines". A medium-sized boatyard specializing in catamarans, with very good yard security (I would argue it was the best in the area) and the ability to address pretty much any boat maintenance issue, refit, or rebuild project you might have. We found the owner/manager Philip, and boatyard staff (Jimmy, Frank, et. al.) to be excellent; honest, hardworking and quite knowledgeable. We did have significant problems with the office staff, who were horrible about returning our calls, providing proper communications, directions or handling emails or wire funds transfers, but that was the only negative in dealing with them. Our recommendation would be that if you have a catamaran, this is the place to bring it in Trinidad. Their rates were reasonable, the work they did on our boat was superb, and the advice and help they offered was always forthright, professional and of the highest quality. Our only reservation is in dealing with their office - our advice would be to demand Philip's direct cellphone number and bypass his office staff. Also, double-check everything that comes out of the office, and do not count on it ever being right. Crews Inn Marina: Probably the most upscale place around; very, very pricey with a host of marine service shops located directly behind the hotel. While the hotel itself was quite nice (gorgeous pool, great restaurant, convenient shops), and the marina staff did their best to make our stay pleasant, I'd advise against staying there if you are having work done or are awaiting parts from any of the shops associated with the complex. We experienced ourselves (and observed and were told by many others as well) of mysterious delays and/or very slow responses from any of the vendors located on the back property. Now this might all just be absolute coincidence, but we heard it enough times that it bears mentioning. Work that was done by the other yards, or from independent shops seemed to always be done better, faster and cheaper. TTSA: Just in between Aikanes and the T&T Coast Guard station, this small bay contains a yachting center with about a hundred mooring balls for smaller ships, areas for anchoring (although we found the bottom to be of poor holding) and limited protection from the ocean swell. It did get a bit bouncy when the winds picked up in the afternoon. There is a small pool, restaurant, laundry, bar and other services. The folks were very friendly and helpful, and if we could have arranged it differently, would have spent more time there than we did. Boatyards in general: We spoke with many, many folks who, in general, seemed to find the yards satisfactory, the prices reasonable, and the service adequate, at a minimum. We met lots of folks who thought they got great work, prices and service there as well, only a few who complained, but never noticed a trend about any specific yard. Nothing was fabulously cheap, at least by our S.F. Bay area standards, but it was usually available somewhere. Customs and Immigration: Probably the worst Customs officials I've experienced, with agents who were discourteous, arbitrary, demanded "presents" and who seemed to believe that since we appeared to be on an expensive boat we should therefore not mind being charged unreasonably. Having equipment shipped in was always an issue, the agents were never easy to deal with, and any equipment delivery dates should add at least a day when dealing with them. I hope to never have to visit this country again, solely because of the despicable behavior of their Customs officials. While Trinidad is supposed to be the place to go in the Caribbean for parts and repairs, I would caution you that the red tape and Byzantine layers of bureaucracy will play a factor in your experience. Immigrations was only marginally less of a hassle, perhaps the process has less wiggle room for corruption or incompetence, but it didn't stop them from randomly detaining my arriving crew, each for differing reasons, demanding that they didn't have the required paperwork. In all cases the identical paperwork they provided was supplied by myself, which required a two hour trip to the airport and back. If you don't rent a car, expect expensive cab rides if your crew is meeting you there. Chaguaramas: Overall the port was relatively easy to enter by sea, although finding a reasonable anchorage was less than easy. The "free" area is usually very crowded, quite small, and in about sixty feet of poorly holding bottom - at least as was described to us by numerous other cruisers who tried. To get there from the airport allow yourself anywhere between thirty minutes and two hours, depending on the phase of the moon and other mystically determined factors. Trinidad: Hope you like KFC, cause there are more chicken stands than gas stations. Overall the folks were friendly, but crime was a constant issue, there were areas described as "no go" sectors, and although the situation has improved dramatically, it was still not the safest place to be. Do not leave anything unattended, unlocked or unchained. Everyone we spoke with brought their dinghy up on deck and/or locked it with heavy anchor chain. Apparently this problem only started occurring within the last decade (many of the old-timer cruisers bemoaned the loss of the good old days) and this issue seems to be related to the problems coming out of Venezuela, as well. Every day we read the local newspaper and there were always complaints of armed robbery, or kidnapping for ransom, or some other such issue from the locals. It isn't clear if this is a real issue getting worse, or a trend in decline. Time will tell, but be careful and observant when traveling about there. |
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Don't anchor in Chaguaramas; anchor near TTSA and pay $50/month for dinghy-dock privileges there.
The dinghy dock is secure, and maxi-taxis pick up right outside the marina gate.
Nice grocery store is an easy ride to the south; boatyards and marine stores are a ride
to the north near Chaguaramas.
The serious crime is in the city of Port Of Spain; there's a drug-murder per day there. |
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| We had planned to stay a couple of weeks but the boat anchorage is very inconvenient, far from town, far from grocery store, far from internet, insane prices for laundry, high-priced everything. |
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Forget about anything that you may have heard
about the political problems in Venezuela. All of
that goes on the capital Caracas. Here at Puerto
la Cruz life goes on as normal as it can be.
We have many marinas and haul outs in town. The quality of work here is outstanding: paint, fiberglass, canvas, woodwork, stainless steel, electronics , engines, etc. We also make the famous Caribe dinghies here so prices are unbeatable. ... Your dollars will carry you very far down here (and even further if you exchange on the black market). We also have very close to here Margarita Island which is tax free, where you may send all the equipment you need and avoid paying all the taxes that you would have to pay in mainland Venezuela. I run a ship agency Sailboats and Yachts here at Puerto la Cruz (Charlie Alpha Marine Service) and I can tell you that we have had no low season this passed two years due to the exchange. Most of my customers were at Trinidad and Grenada and the reference that I have from them is that they are much happier with the the quality of work that they got down here compared to other places. Also remember we have never had Hurricanes here. All the coast is beautiful and safe (except for the North Peninsula of PARIA eastward coast close to Trinidad). |
| When traveling along the northwest coast of Venezuela, stay 50 miles offshore. 25 miles is too close; pirates can see you from shore and come out to intercept you. Don't use running lights at night. And avoid the Puerto Santos area completely. |
| Diesel is about 17 cents a gallon ... but TWO DAYS before we arrived they passed a really screwed up law that foreign vessels have to go through many hoops of paperwork and even a wire transfer of money in prepayment at the world market price before a fuel dock will sell. The law was aimed at large vessels buying 100's of thousands of gallons, but the legal geniuses who wrote the law made no exception for foreign pleasure vessels -- so, it's not as easy as it was. |
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... all prices have nearly doubled or tripled in the last two years. ...
... some yacht clubs in Venezuela do not want to offer any more shelter in their marinas to us foreign cruisers ... they are sick of us, of our [bad] behaviour, of our know-it-all attitude ! |
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There have been food shortages on goods that the government has "price fixed"; mainly
eggs, meat, milk, chicken, butter, cooking oil, and sugar have been in short supply.
There had not been a regular sugar supply in Puerto La Cruz for almost a year when we left [6/2007].
Boat parts are extremely hard to come by and difficult to import due to Customs fees. We strongly urge cruisers to bring all necessary boat parts with them for anticipated repairs in any of the yards. |
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Haven't been to VZ this year but visited in 2006 and summer 2007.
... we heard the same type horror stories before we reached VZ each
time we visited, and found nothing of the sort once we were there.
Common sense is definitely required. One does not ever anchor alone
anywhere (except Chichiriviche was very safe as visitors there are a
real novelty and the locals get excited about having you there. In
fact, Chichiriviche was the highlight of the entire Caribbean for
us.). Cumana has been known for crimes for years and should only be
visited in groups of boats, not just a couple of boats. We skipped Cumana.
The only crime this year that I have heard about that surprised everyone was a shooting in Los Testigos. There had never been any problem in Los Testigos prior to this incident. I find it extremely doubtful that La Guardia Costa in Los Roques are robbing boats. Sounds like just another rumor. La Guardia Costs was quite professional in their actions when we were there. The only boats that had any problems were the ones that had already cleared out of VZ but stopped in Los Roques enroute to Bonaire and stayed weeks. Can't do that. Or they did not pay the Park fee -- again because they had already cleared out of VZ. La Guardia Costs does check boats daily in Los Roques just for this reason. Los Roques is a popular vacation destination for wealthy Venezuelans and the local law enforcement is well-provided for, unlike many places on the mainland. Sailing without lights is downright stupid. Friends did exactly that in VZ waters in Sept 2006 because they had heard all the bad rumors and thought it would be safer to be unlit. Radar picked up a target closing on them, so they diverted course; and the target diverted also to follow them. This happened several times and our friends began to panic. They finally decided to light up and also took the big flashlight and lit the sails. Then the radar target zoomed up near them. It was La Guardia Costa simply checking on the unlit boat because drug smugglers travel unlit down there. No problem at all for our friends and they resumed sailing with proper lights. ... [Re: news story about USA cruiser shot and killed 12/2008:] ... These 2 boats had left the marina in PLC and were anchored at Isla Borracho intending to stay only one night and clean their hulls before departing for Bonaire the next morning. I have no idea why they chose to anchor there because that area has been known to be very dangerous for at least a decade. Even the old guidebooks warn sailors not to anchor there. It is very close to the mainland. Very small boats have easy access since the island is so close, making it very easy for criminal element to search out victims in secluded anchorages. Isla Tortuga is a different situation because it is much farther from the mainland. We thoroughly enjoyed VZ in 2006 and 2007. Although since attacks have escalated in VZ this summer, I doubt we will be returning there until things improve. |
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We've been in Venezuela the past two seasons (currently in Golfo de Cariaco, hauled-out yesterday)
and this season things have gotten much worse. We lost our liferaft, 200 feet of nylon anchor rode,
and 3 large fenders, off our boat in Porlamar one evening while at a bonfire/singalong.
One of the strange things, several long-term cruisers who regularly anchor in Porlamar,
continue to suggest the theft are "petty thefts". We do not consider our losses as petty!
Boardings have become more common, even in the middle of crowded anchorages. We no longer feel that Porlamar is one of the two safe anchorages in Margarita. Now, as far as Margarita's concerned it's only Juan Griego that's reasonably safe. We still feel safe in the Golfo de Cariaco, but people here are much more wary and certainly aware of the increased activity in the Margarita area. Talking with other cruisers here, more and more of them are arming themselves. It's only a matter of time before some banditos are blown away. I hate to say it, but maybe that's what's necessary to slow the increased crime lately. On a slightly different note, we hear that the weekend sale of used nautical gear in PLC is busy with pinero's coming in loaded with dinghys, outboards, etc. Wonder where they're getting the loot? |
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From Eric in Salinas PR: ask about charts at headquarters of "The Boca" newsletter in Trinidad.
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Going east (the hard way) from Panama to the Windward islands, from Kitt Kapp:
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Places we enjoyed [in trip to northwest Caribbean]:
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We've just returned from a 6 month cruise in the western Caribbean to
Mexico, Belize, Guatemata and Honduras. I've saved as computer files all the
tracklog waypoints that our GPS (ICOM GP-270ML) saved. There are about 20
files that map out the whole trip.
Since the charts for this region are not the best or even very accurate, it necessary to have waypoints for the various reef passes, sand bars and anchorages, etc. These are passed from cruiser to cruiser in lists and over the SSB or from one of several cruising guides. Another source is from tracklog waypoints. Tracklog waypoints are automatically saved by the GPS or by a computer program such as Nobeltec and represent where a boat has actually gone as compared to waypoints for routes the people have entered, possibly incorrectly. One use of these files would be for planning a trip by seeing where another boat has gone. You could create a route for a computer navigation program such as CAPN, Nobeltec or MaxSea to see where another boat has gone. These files were downloaded from my GPS and saved by my GPS interface program as computer files. There is one line for each waypoint and the values on the line are separated by semi-colons: Description; waypoint name; latitude deg; lat min; lat dir; longitude deg; long min; long dir The files are available for downloading from: http://users.mo-net.com/normandpaula/TrackLogs.html |
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I am currently in Guatemala, having sailed through Belize. I would
agree that the charts are not accurate, nor are the only two available
pilot guides. In fact, they often say different things and neither are
what we actually saw with our own eyes, which are the only navigation
tools to use around here.
Some of the reef passes are very narrow and shallow. San Pedro, N Belize is an example. There are two passes within 100 yds. One is 6 ft deep and clear of coral, the other is 5 ft deep and full of coral. The pilot books say line up with such and such a building, but San Pedro is currently a building site and the skyline bears no relation to the pilots. In S Belize we ran aground following Nigel Calder's exact route and he recorded 20 ft min (we draw 4 ft). So if you rely on GPS you will indeed need actual waypoints from someone who has gone before. But I think it is better to go extra cautiously and pretend you have no chart at all. |
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I've visited Costa Rica several times (not in the boat, though)
and always enjoyed it. It is a neat place. I spent a month teaching
a course down there one time (computer programming) and taking Spanish
lessons. The train ride from San Jose down to Limon was the best part
of the trip, with a weekend trip to Montezuma running a close second.
So far as telling you about Rio Dulce and Belize, I can do that, if you keep in mind that I was last there in 1997, so things may have changed somewhat. The absolutely best place to start that trip is from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, which is a great anchorage and lots of friendly boaters. Almost any place like that which has a "semi-permanent population" (by which I mean that people will anchor there for several weeks and sometimes several months) will have a VHF radio net -- usually in the morning. It is always a good idea to listen to that net, even if you do not wish to participate, since there is a lot of valuable information passed around. When I went to Isla Mujeres, I started from Key West, Florida (I live in Florida) went over to Cuba, and then followed the Northwestern coast of Cuba down to the end. There is a good anchorage there, and one can wait for weather to make the crossing across the Yucatan Channel to Isla Mujeres. Unfortunately, though, I think going to Cuba may no longer be an option, so now one would have to either go from Key West to Isla Mujeres or from Tampa to Isla Mujeres. It is not a bad trip, but you have to keep watch because lots of cruise ships, as well as other traffic. When you get to Isla Mujeres, no matter which route you take to get there, you want to stock up just as much as possible with provisions while there. Take the ferry from the island (Isla Mujeres) over to Cancun and there are lots of good, large supermarkets to shop in. Good prices too. Do NOT plan on buying anything other than the absolute necessities in Belize. For one thing, they do not have much, and for another thing, what they do have is very expensive. Be sure and fuel up in Mexico, and I always believe in taking a few extra containers of diesel fuel along, strapped securely to the stanchions. When you leave Isla Mujeres, heading south, remember that the barrier reef runs all along that coast, and that you have to stay outside the reef to travel. The catch is, you cannot stay outside too far, though, because then you get into the swift Yucatan Current, which is flowing north (and you want to go south). So you have to stay close enough to the reef to be out of the current, but not so close as to hit anything. The charts are not real reliable, so you just have to watch for white water (in the daytime) and keep a sharp eye on the depth indicator. The reef generally runs straight, but every now and then there will be a renegade piece which is sticking out further. Hitting a reef can spoil your whole day. :-) There are several places along the Mexican coast which have breaks in the reef, and you can go in, anchor behind the reef, and spend a day or so taking a rest. One beautiful place is at Tulum,Mexico, which is also the site of an old Mayan temple. The temple is on a cliff, and when you are anchored in the crystal clear water behind the reef, with the temple on a cliff above your head, it is pretty otherworldly! There is also a nude bathing beach there, and lots of backpackers go there. As well as people who are seeking kind of "mystical experience" from the Mayan temple. Hey, maybe they get one, I don't know. Once you leave Mexico, the next stop is Belize. You can check in with Customs at one of the little barrier islands there at the very beginning (Ambergris Caye). Just keep in mind what I said about having your boat stocked with food before getting there, though. Sailing Belize is a beautiful experience -- you can sail inside the barrier reef, and there is nice clear water, usually nice wind, and lots of interesting things to see. Placencia is a good place to stop and rest and eat out for a change. Once you leave Belize, the next stop is Guatemala. Now, Guatemala is a dangerous place, and you have to recognize that going in. The only place you want to go there (in the boat) is up the Rio Dulce, to Lake Izabal. There are several good marinas up there, nice people, and lots of friendly cruisers. So you go across the shallow bar to the little town of Livingston and check in with Customs, and then proceed up the Rio Dulce. It is better to spend the night anchored in Livingston and get an early start in the morning, since you can get to Lake Izabal in one day. Now, of course I do not know what kind of person you are and what your interests are. Cruisers generally come in to Lake Izabal and spend the summer there (or at least their boat does, anyway) to wait out the hurricane season. There is a lot of card-playing, TV-watching, reading, basket-weaving, whatever, all of which I myself find fairly boring. So I left the boat there and took the bus (nice air-conditioned bus) to Guatemala City and then to Antigua, rented an apartment for the summer, and took an extensive course in Spanish. I rode the bus back every few weeks to check on the boat, but a good marina will take good care of it for you. [A tip for Guate (Guatemala City) -- do not wear a fanny pack. They cut them off and sometimes the knife slips. Friend of mine got killed that way when the knife went into his stomach and punctured something. Keep money in a money belt, underneath your clothes.] |
| I doubt you will find any updated (accurate) charts for the Caribbean coast of Panama in any form. But an absolute must-have is The Panama Cruising Guide, Third Edition, by Eric Bauhaus. Don't get first or second edition but 3rd edition is fantastic. The satellite imagery with grid is dead-on accurate and the GPS waypoints are accurate. We had electronic raster and vector charts but neither were accurate, but all that was really required was the Bauhaus guide and a large scale paper chart. |
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Well, the San Blas Islands of Panama did not live up to the hype of the cruisers
we met in Cartagena (Columbia) and along the way, all of whom insisted that there
was no place other than the South Pacific that could match the superlative cruising.
Our first anchorage on the extreme eastern end of the archipelago, near the
Panama-Columbia border was near perfect – clear water and good protection.
The Kuna (Indian) village of Caladonia was a rewarding cultural experience.
The village was neat and clean and sized for the very short (five feet or less)
Kuna. However, we were soon to be disappointed as we cruised on westward and
the villages got larger and a bit more civilized. Two things stuck in our
throats – a fee of $5-10 dollars for EVERY anchorage even though only a
few miles apart, and a fee of $2 to walk the islands. That is $2 to
go east around the island, $2 to go west around the island, $2 to go
up the hill, $5 to go up the river, $2 to take a picture.
Also the reefs near the villages were totally stripped of life – dead.
NO edible fish in sight bleached and/or fished to death.
Tom Zydler, in his Guide to Panama, lauds the Kuna for their sustainable existence, living minimally from the forest and jungle along the rivers, which part is true. However, their crowded villages packed sardine-like on tiny islands have outhouses on stilts out from the waterfront all around the circumference. On a calm night if one anchors near a village, as Tom suggests, the eau de outhouse can nearly gag a fellow. The kids swim, play and fish right next to the outhouses – they must have great immune systems. Once you get south and east of the Turks and Caicos Islands you discover that our Caribbean Island friends have no regard for their environment whatsoever, and true also of the San Blas, WHATEVER is not needed or wanted is thrown into the ocean. Trash abounds around every village and shoreline from the Dominican Republic to Grenada, Venezuela, Columbia and Panama. I could have started a shoe store – if you needed only the left or right; never have I seen so many shoes in the ocean! Plastic bags are going to kill our oceans. In the 9 years since we were last in the West Indies we have seen a marked decline in the number and variety of fish of fish on the reefs and a decided increase in the amount of junk on the reefs. Rules and regulations are increasing in the islands, but of course, they only apply to the cruiser. The locals pay no mind to any rules or laws. To snorkel or scuba off your own boat in Soufriere, St. Lucia, for example, you must hire a guide or pay a stiff penalty. The reef quality is pretty grim at best. The sailing skills of the Kuna Indian population are well known as they paddle or sail their narrow dugout log canoes many miles across relatively open bays. Why, I watched this Kuna fellow paddle his deep draft, 8 inches, canoe from one island a quarter mile to the next, everyday. Everyday he ran aground on a small sandbar with deep water 30 yards to one side. Everyday in the same place he was grunting, pushing and shoving his canoe across the bar. Shows you what hundreds of years of finely honed sailing skills will do for you. The Kuna have a matriarchal society – the older ladies have a way with words, though I could not understand them. They get up close and shout in your face "bakke mola", which means "buy a mola". One older lady walked by me as I was standing aside a path, she raised her fist and shook it in my face, scowled and snarled something at me – "nice day to you, sir" I think is what she was saying. Actually found out that there is a great deal of hostility towards all white people by the older ladies since they feel that the "white" influence is degrading their culture – their young women sometimes don't wear traditional dress. Actually the men carry car batteries to town and charge them, bring them back to their huts and watch TV on little AC/DC portables. Oh, by the way, be sure to have super-shiny topsides before you get to the San Blas. After the hundred or so canoes are crunched into the sides you will have an artistic mosaic of pretty red, yellow, blue and black marks. You see, every lady in every village just knows you will buy a mola from her. If you bought a mola from each one you would sink the boat in short order. The guys are more polite, they just crash into the side of your boat and try to sell you a big crab, lobster or octopus, then they go away, maybe – or not - they may just stay alongside for an hour or so and stare into the boat and at you. As a general rule staring is the national Kuna pastime. If they aren't looking in your portholes, they may just stand off a few yards and stare at your boat for an hour or so – no kidding, really true. Now, a really good point – the kids – are just totally too cute and friendly and may even speak some English. Of course, when you tie up the dinghy to the dock they politely stare at you until you are out of sight then they all jump into your dinghy, sand, dirty feet and all. Kids paddle their own 8 or 10 foot log canoes to school, sometimes several miles. Every village has a school, so the literacy rate is high. Cruisers are their own worst enemy by handing out little "gifts" to the kids – how nice, now you've made beggars out of them. They will come to the boat and hang around for hours expecting something for nothing. It is fine, in my opinion, to give them a little payment if they do something for you, otherwise not. At first many of the kids came to the boat and asked for "pills", in Spanish of course. We had no clue – finally another cruiser said what they wanted was candy. There are a few islands away from the Panama mainland standing out into the Caribbean and, yes, they do have clean water and pretty coconut palms and little beaches, but no fish – all gone. The locals catch and eat anything of ANY size. We were told that folks from the Smithsonian Institute tried to educate the people regarding conservation. They responded that if the fish were gone from one place they would just fish at another. The Smithsonian no longer operates in the San Blas. Now, what about the rest of Panama, that is westward from the Comarca de Kuna? Better, much better. Islas Grande and Linton are excellent. The Canal zone is, well, the Canal zone – and Colon is just the anatomical part it seems to be named after. But, even still farther west, about 130 nm, one hits some real cruising ground. Laguna Chiriqui and Bahia Almirante, two large landlocked bays with dozens of anchorages, mostly clear water (if you are not near a river outflow), and the touristy village of Bocas del Toro – remember that name – you will want to cruise there. Except for the anchorage off Bocas del Toro, we had every anchorage to ourselves. BTW stuff in the San Blas is expensive, stuff elsewhere in Panama is cheap – live it up. So far we have been in Panama for three months and actually like it a lot. We have seen parrots, monkeys, toucans, sloths, and every possible kind of tropical plant and flower (or so it seems), and wild orchids for starters. One of our favorite activities is to take the dinghy up the rivers. We have seen the real jungle up close with its associated flora and fauna. Some of the rivers are cold, clear, clean and swift-flowing. The Rio Chagres is clean, deep, scenic and we took Daydream upstream for 3 miles. In the rainy season (October) some of the rivers are chocolate-colored. We probably will return to the Bocas del Toro area in the future. We spent a few days in Isla San Andres, a Columbian possession. We are in love – clean, prosperous, duty free, many up-scale shops with world-class goods, clean anchorage, nice clear water with snorkeling nearby, and a well protected anchorage. Goods and services are cheap. Hard to get here but super when you do. Sixty miles to the north is Providencia, also Columbian, and about as opposite from San Andres as you can get; mountains, rural, easy-going. The Bay Islands of Honduras are still good, did some excellent snorkeling and diving. We are in Florida for the holidays, left the boat in the Rio Dulce of Guatemala, still a nice place though much grown. |
| This discussion lacks perspective, altho' there is IMO much truth ... The whole time I've been sailing (3 decades) this same "paradise is spoiled" view has been expounded on ... and to a degree, justified. But things are hardly black and white and, as Paul points out, there are great cruising grounds even in small bodies of water like the Caribbean. ... |
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Cruising Honduras:
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| We don't recommend the months April, May and June for being on the river. There's a change in the trade winds at that time which causes a stillness in the air. |
| For 5 years I always lived on the hook, but this last year (on the Rio Dulce, in Guatamala) I lived in a marina. It is safer in Guatemala to live in a marina because otherwise you may get robbed at gunpoint. Also the marinas are Cheap, and the one I live in has a workshop out back that you can work in, and they have realy good help that you can hire for about 1.85 an hour. These people really know their trade. Also it's a beautiful place with a breeze in the afternoon and a family-type atmosphere. It costs me 130 bucks a month when I live there and 110 bucks when I just store the boat. |
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[Re: Leaving boat for hurricane season:]
The Rio Dulce in Guatemala is a great place to store a boat. Most marinas have ventilation services and there are two forms of 'haul-out' services for bottom jobs or repairs. One is Abel's and the other is Carlos. The area is constantly growing and there are so many places to travel and see that it takes a few weeks to see it all. Also, the plus side of the Rio Dulce is: 1. better filtered water systems, 2. fresh water (no salt water) 3. very friendly local people and other cruisers. The slip fees range from $120 USD per month up to $200 USD per month. |
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I do have a few additional questions:
1) It seems the marinas in the Rio are quite reasonably priced. Do many people anchor long-term or do most cruisers stay in a marina? Is it necessary to make reservations much in advance? 2) When you say most marinas have ventilation services do you mean that they rent air conditioners? If not, should we look at purchasing one before we leave the US? How hot does it get? 3) How much rain can we expect in the summer/fall? 4) What charts do you recommend for the river - my cursory search so far has only turned up a chart for the entrance to it. |
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My husband and I have been living here in the Rio Dulce for over a year now
and plan on longer. Last year's rainfall wasn't much at all, unusual.
The rain isn't that bad really, mostly off and on with mostly sunny days.
As far as ventilation, the owner's housekeeper, wonderful woman, opens the boats
many times a week to let the air flow through it, keeping the mildew away
when boats are stored here. Most marinas offer that sort of service.
As for a/c, it's definitely helpful if living on your boat in the summer here.
A window unit in the companionway or a carry-on over a hatch do a good job.
The highest temperature last summer was about 96 degrees F.
And most boats are in marinas. A few anchor here and there near the marinas.
But since the cost of slips are so low, most just reserve a slip with a marina.
The most important item as far as charts go is to have the cruising guide by Freya Rauscher. She has hand-drawn charts in the book. The funny thing about her charts is they say "not for navigational use". Ha ha! 90 percent of all cruisers who have come down to the Rio Dulce say her charts are the only correct ones available. We are part of that 90 percent. Although the book was last revised about eight or nine years ago, they are better than most Chartplotters, GPSs, and paper charts. Freya has a lot of info in her guide from the Yucatan down to Guatemala. When you get close to Livingston, Guatemala you will see the buoy (the exact coordinates change due to many things, but isn't that far off) then you will see some little black flags to your starboard as you get even closer. The flags should stay to your starboard. (Keep clearly left of them, that's shallow there.) A good high tide is 1.8 and boats with almost seven feet of draft can clear that. The Port Captain and Customs stand by on VHF channel 16. Raul at the customs office speaks English fairly well. When you get to Livingston you can anchor outside the Texaco Fuel Dock and radio the Port Captain. Don't leave your boat until they come and clear you in. They'll take your passports and papers into town and process them. Meanwhile, you can tie your dinghy to the fuel dock and wander around town for a bit. Enjoy the hill. You'll earn a drink or a beer after that. (You'll see ;-) ) And yes, reservations are necessary! Each year the marinas get full earlier and earlier. Right now [April] Catamaran is full, Mario's has only moorings left, Monkey Bay has only a couple of slips left, and several others are full or almost full with reservations! That's a month earlier than last year. Especially after the horror of last year in Florida. |
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When we visited Fronteras [in 2005], we discovered that the road was paved and lined with all sorts of new businesses,
including three banks, five ATMs, a large supermarket, and -- best of all -- several Internet cafes.
Fronteras is no longer the sleepy little town we remembered from eight years ago.
Land-trips in Guatemala:
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> ... recent news story about a sailing couple in Guatemala who > were attacked and robbed. The husband died from his injuries > and wife was badly injured. > News story There's been a rash of petty thefts and even a few belligerent attacks on tourists in the Rio Dulce over the past four or five years. This particular event might have ended in some robbers getting away with some cash, but unfortunately Mr. Dryden resisted. According to his wife, he got out his own machete to fight them off, but was overwhelmed. Dan and Nancy Dryden, retired couple from Alaska, 67 and 66, were fairly new to the cruising lifestyle. They had bought the boat, Sunday's Child - a Southern Cross 39 - in Rio Dulce in February 08. They'd hauled it out at a local yard for a while, then spent some time in El Relleno Marina. The night before the attack, they had anchored in a little cove between two marinas on the Fronteras side of the river. This cove was known for petty thefts, but the Dryden's evidently weren't aware of that problem there. They were fixing dinner just after dark when the bad guys swam out and climbed on board. They may have been after the dinghy or motor - at first, but Dan Dryden confronted them on deck and they forced him back below decks. Nancy Dryden said the attackers seemed to know their way around the boat, because the first thing one of them did was go right to the electrical panel and turn off the cabin lights. The maleantes (bad boys) had flashlights and the Drydens didn't. Mrs Dryden said they then went to her jewelry box, knew where it was kept, and then demanded US dollars, not Guatemalan quetzales. When the Dryden's said they didn't have any dollars, the malenates started stabbing them with machetes. I guess from there it got worse, when Mr Dryden grabbed his own machete, but it was 4 to 1. When the maleantes left, Nancy Dryden got on the VHF and called for help. There must be dozens of cruising boats within five miles, so help arrived pronto. They got them into a hospital nearby but he was already gone. ... I asked a very knowledgable Rio Dulceña what she suggests cruisers should do to prevent such attacks. She said, if you hear something suspicious out on deck, lock yourself in down below immediately. Don't go out on deck and confront them if they're already on board. Think how many seconds it would take you to lock yourself in. Maybe add some slide bolts. Other solutions? Make use of the cruisers' nets, so you don't anchor alone in troubled spots. Buy an inexpensive motion sensor rigged to the lifelines, or an AIS perimeter alarm, or radar perimeter alarm, take your dog cruising, sleep on deck? |
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Belize new fees:
I'm sure you've heard the negative publicity on Belize from the NW Caribbean Net -- we're going to try and cruise the islands there, but have no idea what impact this new national reserve system will have -- the NW Caribbean net has a list of the islands in each part of the country we CAN stop at with no charge (Belize Fee and Non-Fee Areas). Reports are the reserves are charging $10 US per person per NIGHT to anchor -- includes such places as South Water Caye, Pelican Cayes, all the best places to stop. |
| The time I spent in Belize was wonderful. Found no difficulty getting ice, a cold beer, or a local to share it with. Very nice people. Try to avoid Belize City after dark, or walking there alone at any hour if you are a female. All other areas (Cayes, smaller towns, etc) are generally safe. |
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Enter at the english cay lighthouse (belize city) unless you have a very calm day and are guided
through the ambergris cay cut by a local who knows. The reef is not very visible from the windward
side and the entrance doglegs.
The entrance at english cay is huge and well-marked. You can then
traverse the country with relative ease either south along the 60 ft channel between the mainland
and cays or north carefully (mud, no coral) in 7-10 ft depths for 30 miles to ambergris cay and san pedro.
Freya Rauscher's guide is good and accurate (particularly south of belize city). Caulker cay, st george cay, south water cay, placencia, hunting cay are all good anchorages where you shall have no problems. Belize is a dream, and depending upon the time of year, you may see few or no other yachts outside of ambergris cay and placencia. |
| Belize is english-speaking, an advantage for USA sailors; great reefs - diving. Good sightseeing inland and relatively safe towns (not including Belize City!). |
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I've been there twice, once in '95 and again spring 2003.
There are some really great Mayan ruins in the jungles,
plus some eco-resorts which provide river trips, rafting, etc.
As far as the islands go, I stayed on Ambergris Caye in '95, and Caye Caulker in 2003. Ambergris is the more "developed" of the two, but even then you're just talking nicer and more hotels. The streets are still sand and there are no high-rises. You'll have a variety of places to stay and can rent sailboats, snorkel gear, and book day trips, river trips, jungle trips etc to anywhere from there (or Caye Caulker). Caye Caulker was great, sleepy to the point of being almost unconscious. It is very undeveloped by Caribbean standards, mostly cheap guesthouses that cater to the backpacker crowd, though there is one really nice modern Inn called the Iguana Reef on the leeward side of the island. Iguana Reef Inn has lots of good information. There is maybe two cars on the island, otherwise it's bikes and golf carts. My primary reason for going was to dive, and that was great. A trip out to Turneffe Atoll was a highlight. Lots of great marine life. I did venture inland for for day trips, driving across to the Guatemalan border to see some jungle areas and ruins, but didn't spend enough time out there to recommend anything. I hear the southern part of the mainland is also very nice. That's my next trip. Belize City itself is probably to be avoided, except for transiting as the airport and water taxi to the cayes are there. The country is still somewhat in it's infancy with regard to tourist infrastructure, but that's what I liked about it. Expect some fun getting around; for instance our plane to Caye Caulker was a 6-seater, the airport was a small metal building, and the taxi was a golf cart. The water taxis were crowded souped-up speedboats but good fun and inexpensive way to get from the mainland to the Cayes. Almost everyone will speak some English, if that's a concern, and it's still a very safe destination in my own opinion. It's been attracting many expats from the USA who like the lifestyle down there. |
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Belize fees update:
Sapodilla Cayes: $20 Blz per day or $50 Blz per week Port Honduras: $10 Blz per day or $30 Blz per week Gladden Spit: $20 Blz per day or $50 Blz per week ($50 Blz per day at the whale shark zone) Laughing Bird: $20 Blz per day Glovers Reef: $10 Blz per day or $30 Blz per week Caye Caulker: $10 Blz per day or $30 Blz per week Hol Chan: $20 Blz per day Bacalar Chico: $10 Blz per day or $30 Blz per week Blue Hole: $60 Blz per day [Currency: $1US = $2Blz.] The above are the government-approved entrance fees. The persons collecting the fees are reserve rangers. You can ask for identification but the rangers are now using a fisheries uniform with the government of Belize logo on the shirt pocket. Visitors are urged to obtain a ticket. The ticket is a receipt. However, when any company buys tickets in bulk they get another official receipt for accounting purposes of the purchasing organization. The fees collected will be used directly for the management of the protected areas. ... ... The fees are per person. ... |
| Several cruisers report the fee is per boat, per night. In some of the [other] Cayes they are charging $10 (USD) per night per boat to anchor. |
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Re: chartering in Belize:
I would leave Belize for your last place to charter. We were there and left from Placencia; absolutely nobody around for days. We finally met 2 cats sailing together after 10 days and then didn't see a vessel until we went back to the base. It's not the easiest place to sail and I would not do it if I was a novice. The coral and reefs can create big problems. You need someone on the bow whenever you are sailing or motoring and observe the color changes in the water so you don't ground the boat. The GPS/Chartplotter is not very accurate and puts you on islands and some of the names don't match the charts. |
| My wife and I chartered there a couple of Februarys ago and really liked it. ... The boat was a little beat up. I think they have a hard time getting parts down there. ... Chartering Belize is all about anchoring behind these little islets and being totally out there alone. It has kind of a Water World feeling to it. It's HOT, which I personally like. Very pretty water and coral, not much land-based activity. |
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We chartered with TMM out of Placencia about 3 years ago. Everything that is being said about remote sailing is true.
It is pretty easy to navigate and find where you want to go. Not many places if any to go ashore and dine in the south.
We liked Placencia.
At that time TMM was allowing you to go to the Rio Dulce. That was one of the best parts of the trip. Entered at Livingston and stayed at La Marina just about a mile up river. Make sure you clear out and in at Punta Gorda, not Hunting Cay. There is a ragtag Military post on Hunting and they tell you they can clear you out. Stamp your papers and all but it caused issues in Livingston. The trip up the Rio Dulce was WELL worth the trouble. Livingston is a neat town and only accessible by water. Just managed to day trip up to the first lake and the rainforest park but the cut through the mountains was spectacular. 7 miles with 300- to 600-foot cliffs on both sides. TMM's operations are on a little island with a really unique resort on it. Individual huts with thatched roofs. Cool setting. You dink across a small channel and you are right in from of one of the best local bars. Good exchange rate and friendly people. We wished we had gone to the Rio first and then out to the reef. Stay away from Belize City. |
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DOMESTIC CLEARING IS OVER IN MEXICO!
... the Mexican government published a notice in the official newspaper that says mariners will only be required to check in with a port captain when they are coming from or going to an international port. This means that 'domestic clearance' - clearing in and out every time you enter a new port captain district inside Mexico - is history! Boatowners will now only have to let a marina know when they arrive, and the marina only has to have a record of who comes and goes." ... |
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The following is info we have acquired about the check in procedures for Mexico.
Upon arrival you must call the Port Captain on VHF and notify them that you have arrived. They should make arrangements for Sanitation to come to the boat to do their inspection. No crew should go ashore until that is done. Once they have inspected, the Q flag can come down and you can proceed. There is no charge for this. Next you go to Immigrations with your passports. They fill out a short form and stamp the passports. They will give you a form to take to the bank to pay the Immigration fees. They were $21 US per passport. The bank stamps the form and returns it to you. Don't lose that form. Next stop is the Port Captain. Upon our arrival we were told we must hire an agent. We had been expecting this. We informed them that we were aware of the change of law and that an agent is not required. They told us the law here in Isla Mujeres is that an agent is required. We knew that was not true. We had a copy of the December issue of Latitude 38 stating all of the changes for clearing under Reglamento 69 passed and signed in to law by President Fox which applies to ALL of Mexico of which Isla Mujeres is part. Our next contact was to Tere Grossman of the Mexican Marina Owners Association. She was instrumental in getting this legislation passed. She is in constant contact with the Director of Port Captains in Mexico City on just these issues. By the end of the day we received a email from her stating that she had passed our email on to the Director and he was to call the Port Captain here and inform him that he was not to require an agent. When we returned to the Port Captain office we were processed with no problem but we had been told that they were only doing this for us and others would have to use an agent. The charge depends on the size of the boat and was $26 US for Sea Trek which is 40 feet. You still must have or acquire the Importada for the boat and that is another process. Under Mexican Federal law it is illegal for a Port Captain to require a PLEASURE boat to hire an agent. It is also illegal for a Port Captain to charge additional fees to check in to other ports after you have cleared in to Mexico officially. Tere Grossman can be contacted at "grossman at sancarlosmarina.com" and welcomes anyone that is having problems. It appears that the Port Captains in Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos on the Atlantic side are the only ones not in compliance. We hope our actions and that of other cruisers will change that. We emphasize that through this entire process we remained friendly and courteous and believe that helped move the situation along. They know this is wrong but don't want to let go of the old ways. They acted as if this was something they knew nothing about. There was a meeting in Mexico City of all Port Captains to explain the new law when it was passed. |
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Mexico - check in and procedures:
One word -- CHAOS! I realize that Mexico has supposedly always been in a state of chaos on immigration, customs and general entrance procedures, but the law changed in August 2004 and now NO ONE knows. When we checked in to Isla, we were required to obtain an agent -- the Capitania del Puerto sent us to the Pemex station and would not deal directly with us. It's EXPENSIVE and a bit of a hassle, but went sort of as follows: when we arrived we went to Marina Paraiso because we thought it might be easier to handle our first cruising check in from a dock -- and that was true. First a lady showed up from ??? wanting to see our passports, boat papers and listas tripulantes (crew lists). She needed like 4-5 copies of everything. She had us fill out a form and then signed everything, stamped everything, gave us back our copies and told us Migracion would come to us and for us to stay on the boat -- this was a Tuesday. Wednesday mid-morning the Sanitation guy showed up, inspected our boat -- went through the freezer and fridge, wanted to see all our food and made sure our trashcan had a lid. Then Jose from the marina came and told us Migracion couldn't come and we needed to go there asap. Migracion was easy and straighforward -- he checked our passports, gave us our tourist cards and papers to take to the bank to pay our 216 pesos each -- we asked for and got 180 days, but it was slightly more expensive than our friends who only asked for 90 days. After the bank, Migracion sent us to the Capitania del Puerto, but when we arrived, he directed us to the Penex station and the agent, Enrique Jima. This part took 2 hours and cost us $214 US. We're unclear on what the charges were actually for -- we know we paid 163 pesos for the boat importada - good for 10 years, we paid to have Customs from Cancun come to take the boat's photo, we paid the agent and we paid other fees. Other cruisers checking in paid similar fees. We were told to come back manana after 3 PM. Wednesday at 3 PM we stopped at the agent's office and were told that Cancun rejected our paperwork, but that it was their fault, something filled out incorrectly and we needed to sign the forms again and come back manana -- Thanksgiving Day. We finally got our forms back approved on Thanksgiving Day, but were told to be at the boat on Friday at 5 PM for Customs to come, take a boat photo and give us our boat importada paperwork. So we started on Tuesday and were "official" on Friday. But after Tuesday and a total of $256 US, we were free to come and go as we pleased. One thing I would strongly recommend in Isla -- Miguel at Marina Paraiso is now an agent also -- his fees are about $20 US less expensive than Enrique Jima at the Pemex station. He'll handle everything and let you know what you need to do whether you're anchored or in the marina -- he also speaks excellent english and the agent we used spoke nada ingles -- and I speak limited espanol! I did understand from my conversation with Enrique that all these procedures are new and even he doesn't know what's what. We'll head south from Isla on the first weather window after we get back in early January -- but we're not planning to stop at ANY other points of entry. The word is that even though we SHOULDN'T have to pay the entire entry procedure again, other cruisers have experienced going through the entire same process again at every port. Puerto Adventuras apparently is now considered a port of entry -- via Cozumel -- there are NIGHTMARE stories about it. Originally we were going to go there and leave the boat for Christmas, but opted to stay in Isla instead because of all the negative info on the checkin/out process. Miguel told me before we left that it will cost us approximately 441 pesos to clear out -- we're a 37' sailboat. |
| Isla Mujeres has holding ground made up of layers of sand sandwiching rubble, which may be OK during mild weather, but can be a full-fledged disaster when the wind [gets strong] ... Isla is exposed to the northwest ... During the past night and day [of NW 25 wind] we've seen seven boats drag through the harbor, including two who'd had their anchors down for a few weeks. ... |
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[Someone asked if there is decent water available in Isla Mujeres.]
They have good water. And Isla Mujeres is a great place to stop into.
The only drawback is that you, like many other cruisers, may not want to leave.
The one place we found to be a great place to explore mangroves was about 40 nm south of Cozumel, a place called Punta Allen, Mexico. It is a neat place to stop and anchor for a rest-up before Belize. Punta Allen, however, has no water, fuel, or even ice for sale. Belize and Guatemala have good water and fuel. |
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