Five of us will be chartering in St. Lucia in March. Anyone with experience there? Anyone know which cruising guide to buy?
Bareboat Martinique and St. Lucia
- Thread starter David10790
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I have been to St. Lucia and can offer you some island info. Make sure you spend at least 1 day touring the island. Rent a car and go to the botanical gardens/roman baths in Soufriere early and get a guide to show you the volcano, Pitons, waterfalls, etc. We hired a guy named "Charles in charge". He took us to all the great places and showed us some remote waterfalls that the tourists typically don't go to. He also took us to his cousin's resturant on the beach under one of the Pitons for some local flavor. This one day made the whole trip.
Martinique is a large French island with modern looking highways and an airport accommodating 747s. Good food and wine for provisioning. Language is French, currency is the Euro. I flew into Fort de France and joined a boat there for a trip to Grenada. Along the way we stopped in Marin on the SE corner of Martinique, then went on to St Lucia. No tourist time on Martinique.
Concur with Tim on St Lucia's attractions, although that was a whirlwind stop for us as well. One night in Rodney Bay which was OK, and one night in Marigot Bay, which was beautiful. Note that St Lucia has two airports, one at each end of the island, with one for international flights and the other for inter-island flights, and they are a wild taxi ride apart if you have a close connection. (ask me how I know)
I'm in the owner's directory if you have specific questions.
Concur with Tim on St Lucia's attractions, although that was a whirlwind stop for us as well. One night in Rodney Bay which was OK, and one night in Marigot Bay, which was beautiful. Note that St Lucia has two airports, one at each end of the island, with one for international flights and the other for inter-island flights, and they are a wild taxi ride apart if you have a close connection. (ask me how I know)
I'm in the owner's directory if you have specific questions.
cruising guide to the windward islands...
...by Seaworthy Publications. It's fairly recent (2005?) and has good GPS waypoints. You could probably find it at amazon.com.
...by Seaworthy Publications. It's fairly recent (2005?) and has good GPS waypoints. You could probably find it at amazon.com.
Ed, we flew into the big airport in the south and stayed in Castries so I know that ride twice. You pass by the prison for the island and the fences are not very high. The driver told my the poisonous snakes in that area of the island deter escape attempts. Maybe the fence is more to keep the snakes out than the prisoners in
great charter
I had a great charter out of St. Lucia and headed south to the Grenadines, which were the highlight of the trip. I think Doyle's guide is what we used. The rainforest on St. Lucia is interesting. The Pitons are magnificent, but the local situation with the "boat boys" who take your lines ashore to moor can be difficult. I'd check with people who have been there recently.
I had a great charter out of St. Lucia and headed south to the Grenadines, which were the highlight of the trip. I think Doyle's guide is what we used. The rainforest on St. Lucia is interesting. The Pitons are magnificent, but the local situation with the "boat boys" who take your lines ashore to moor can be difficult. I'd check with people who have been there recently.
My wife and I spent a week in St Lucia before I started sailing. We stayed between the Pitons at Jalousie Plantation. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. I don't know the name of the bay but I saw countless anchor lights at night. If possible you should take a short cab ride to Ladera which is an resort with a great restaurant overlooking the Pitons. Tim didn't mention the sulfur smell driving up to those volcanoes. We also rented a car. The Island is quite big and you'd need a few days to explore but well worth it. We did drive into Soufriere and found it very difficult to find our way out. Very narrow roads almost like a maze with lots of people following you around with their hands out offering directions. I was really taken by the disparity from wealthy travelers and very poor natives. It may be the most beautiful Carribean Islands. Enjoy your trip!
Thanks for the suggestions
Thanks for all your help, repliers. I will post photos on my return in March.
Thanks for all your help, repliers. I will post photos on my return in March.
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