Caribbean travel advice needed.

[Seti]

I'm planning on taking 3 months next year to sail around the southern Caribbean - probably around this time of year.

The boat is moored in St Vincent so I plan on spending the first 3-4 weeks to explore north towards Martinique and St Lucia before heading back down to Trinidad and Tobago (weeks 4 - 8) and then heading west to Curacao (weeks 8 to 12).

Does anyone have any experience of this area and, if so, can they recommend any good places to visit / avoid?

I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has sailed the region and how they found it.

Thanks.

[Seti]

Surely someone here must have been to one of these places................or are you all just ignoring me?

[h0b0]

Try the boats section of this site as there are many wh do this for a living.

[Seti]

Thanks - will do

[turbolucie]

While in St. Lucia last year a lady swam up to me and we chatted for ages. She and her husband sold everything to buy a boat and sail around the Caribbean for 4-5 years. Her blog is quite cool, she might be able to provide some advice if you message her, she's lovely.

http://www.galleywenchtales.com/p/places.html

[Seti]

That's an interesting blog - thanks for the link. I'll try and message her.

[Rum Runner]

There is a lot to do in St.Lucia...I lived there for a good while and x charter skipper. St.Lucia ( Pitons ) from Blue Lagoon St.Vincet is early morning start and arrive still in the light at the Pitons. Remember to do customs when checking in and out of territories I.e St.Vincent and Grenadines to St.Lucia otherwise you will and up with all sorts of issues. St.Vincent coast is o.k and there are few stops like Wallabalo were they filmed the first Pirates of the Caribbean, but they are average and there has been the odd problem in the past.

Spend Plenty of time in St.Lucia the Pitons is fantastic...do Ladera hotel for lunch at the to between the Pitons and stay on the mooring ball there. Good at Marigot Bay and superb at Rodney Bay, which is the best place to get thing done and provisioning, again anchor off. You need a good dinghy in the Carib that will plane with a number of people in. Spend time at Pigeon Island and Reduit Beach etc, get a hire car and drive around. In fact last night my mate who's folks own the main beach bar in Rodney bay was staying with us in the U.K ( Bad head this morn ).

Martinique..Le Marin in the south has good services and plenty going on and a good anchorage and port of entry, on the west side before Fort-De-France there are some nice bays, Anse D' Arlet.
Dominica is stunning, the best real good anchorage is in the North, Portsmouth, take a trip up the Indian River etc.
Beyond Guadeloupe and Antigua, I could go on but the best thing in world is the Chris Doyle Marine Guide Books, these are worth there weight in gold. http://www.doyleguides.com/guides.html

There are also a brand of papercharts, not Imray or Admirialty which have far more detail..can't remember the brand off hand. Only do tricky anchorages in good day light as there is lots of eye ball nav.

When you go south to the Grenadines make sure you go to Petit St.Vincent.

Edited by Rum Runner on Tuesday 21st May 15:34

Edited by Rum Runner on Tuesday 21st May 15:37

[Seti]

Thanks RR - another really helpful post.

My boat is currently with a yacht charter company in Blue Lagoon but I've not been there yet so looking forward to visiting it and will take your advice on the Chris Doyle guides.