Marinas and Anchorages of the Windward Islands: Martinique, St-Lucia, St-Vincent and the Genadines, Grenada

By Roland Nyns

This guide of anchorages and marinas in the Windward Islands provides detailled information on where and how to anchor or dock your boat, what formalities to comply with, where to get supplies or technical support, what to visit on the island and where to eat and drink.

A must have to plan your future adventures. This ebook contains lots of information on the islands you intend to visit, including administrative and emergency adresses and phone numbers.

This guide is essential to plan your cruise in the Windward Islands, with original photographs and chartlets of all anchorages and marinas. It includes sailing instructions on the approaches, waypoints, information on what services to expect as well as contact information for local restaurants and much more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mambo Tango
• Release date: Oct 6, 2017

Book preview

www.sailpilot.com

Contents

Contents

Introduction

General advice to sailors

Martinique to Grenada in a nutshell

Martinique

In a nutshell

Practical information

Saint Pierre

 Fort-de-France (Baie des Flamands)

Pointe du Bout Marina

Anse Mitan

Anse Noire

Grande Anse d'Arlet

Petite Anse d'Arlet

Sainte Anne

Cul-de-Sac du Marin

 Cul-de-Sac des Anglais (also Baie des Anglais)

 Le François

Le Vauclin

Saint-Lucia

Introduction:

In a nutshell

Practical information

Rodney Bay

Marigot Bay

La Soufrière

 Pitons Anchorage

 Vieux Fort Anchorage

Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction:

In a nutshell

Practical Information

Château Belair Bay

Cumberland Bay

Ottley Hall

Kingston

Young Island and Blue Lagoon

Bequia

Introduction:

In a nutshell

Practical Information

Admiralty Bay

Friendship Bay

Petit Nevis

Mustique

Introduction:

In a nutshell

Practical Information

Grand Bay

Canouan

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Charleston Bay

The Pool

Maho Bay

Baliceau and Battowia

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Landing Bay

Mayreau

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Saline Bay

Saltwhistle Bay

Union Island

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Clifton Harbour

Chatham Bay

Frigate Island

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Petit Rameau

Baradal

Carriacou

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Hillsborough

Saline Island

Sandy Island

Tyrell Bay

Watering Bay

Palm Island

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Palm Island Anchorage

Petite Martinique

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Petite Martinique's Anchorage

Petit Saint-Vincent

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Island Anchorage

Morpion Anchorage

 Grenada

Introduction:

In a Nutshell

Practical Information

Adam Island

Clarkes Bay

Port Egmont

Saint Georges' Harbour

Old Calvigny Harbour

Prickly Bay

St. David's Harbour

True Blue Bay

Introduction

The Lesser Antilles form an arc stretching from Puerto Rico to Venezuela which is a sailor's paradise: distances from one island to the next never exceed a day's sailing, the climate (from November to May) guarantees safe conditions, the wind is regular, anchorages are many, harbours and marinas are easy to access and charming.

Most of the islands have regular and charter airline connections with the United States and Europe, and a number of charter companies operate from bases on almost all the islands.

The languages spoken by the local population are English and/or French with their own exotic flavour, the aboriginal inhabitants having been virtually exterminated (with the exception of Dominica) and replaced by African slaves and European settlers.

General advice to sailors

Navigation in the Lesser Antilles is straightforward: good visibility, no tides, weak currents, regular winds and coasts are generally clear of dangers.

Variation: Magnetic variation is +/-14° W, which you'll need to add to the true heading to instruct the helmsman.

Buoyage: Virtually inexistent, it conforms to the Region B convention relative to lateral marks. I.e. red to your right when returning to the harbour. Cardinal marks are the same in both Region A and B.

Lights are rare and their functioning is haphazard. It is not advisable to sail at night as unlit fishing boats may also be encountered. However, around the French islands such as Guadeloupe and Martinique, the navigational lights are reliable.

Sails: The islands are oriented in such a way that you'll be sailing mostly close hauled or abeam with a moderate to fresh breeze (5 Beaufort). A symmetrical spinnaker is rarely of use. A gennaker or a small genoa are the ideal foresails.

Anchorage: Ports and marinas are rare and most boats will be anchoring in one of the numerous natural harbours of the western coasts of the islands. There are also a few on the East coasts that are protected by coral reefs, such as Tobago Cays, some harbours of Martinique and Non Such Bay on Antigua.

These anchorages should always be approached by good visibility with the sun high in the sky and behind you (preferably before 4 o'clock). They are generally quite deep and require that you pay out a lot of chain. In some cases Bermudian anchorage is recommended, and in others a land line is required.

Tide and currents: Tides are slight, similar to the Mediterranean. But beware of tides and currents in the south of the Grenadines.

The current is usually west-oriented and goes from 0 to 2 knots in the channels between islands.

Winds and waves: In the trade wind belt, the wind is 4 to 6 Beaufort ENE to ESE the year round. It is more irregular from June to November which is also the hurricane season.

The sea is slight to moderate leeward of the islands and rough to very rough in the channels between the islands.

Swell from the east is frequent, but slight during the good season. A northern swell may be quite strong and make many anchorages uncomfortable or even unsafe.

Hurricanes: The hurricane season is from June to November with August to October being the most dangerous months. There's an average of 7 hurricanes or tropical storms a year and many web sites will provide information as to their route and strength.

Marine charts: Admiralty, Imray and US, as well as French (Shom) editors supply good charts of the area.

Martinique to Grenada in a nutshell

Fourteen islands covering 55 marinas or anchorages. Five may be considered hurricane-safe.

Distances:

From Saint Lucia to Grenada there are 120 miles;

Martinique is 18 miles from Saint Lucia;

From Saint Lucia to Saint-Vincent count 25 miles;

Saint-Vincent is 60 miles from Grenada;

Barbados is 80 miles from Saint-Lucia.

Passages:

In this area the sailing distances are usually quite short. During the winter there is little swell. The currents carry westward and are generally weak in the Grenadines but may reach 2 to 2.5 knots in the channels between Martinique, Saint-Lucia, Saint-Vincent and Bequia.

From Martinique to Saint Lucia make sure you start off from the east (i.e. Le Marin) in order to make a crossing abeam. It is safe to make landfall in Martinique (Fort de France or Le Marin) or Rodney Bay (Saint-Lucia) at night.

From Saint-Vincent to Saint-Lucia, the crossing will most likely be close hauled. Landfall may be made at night in Castries or Rodney Bay.

Martinique

History:

The very first inhabitants of the island were Saladoid Indians who arrived around 180 AD from South America. They were driven off by the Arawaks, who were peaceful fishermen from the banks of the Orinoco River around 300 AD. The latter were in turn invaded by the fearful warring Carib Indians from the Amazon region, who had the unpleasant habit of eating their enemies whilst keeping their women as slaves.

That is how, on discovering the island in 1502 during his fourth voyage, Christopher Columbus found a people where men and women spoke different languages. The Carib men called the island Madinina which means island of flowers.

The French began settling there in 1635 and this fertile and well administered island soon became the richest French dominion in the Antilles, due to the sugar cane plantations. After a short English occupation from 1794 to 1802, France abolished slavery in 1848 giving 72,000 black African slaves their freedom. Martinique became a French département in 1946 and is since integral part of France.

Geography:

The volcanic island has three distinct parts. The North is mountainous with volcanic mountain ranges, high cliffs and magnificent trees, topped by