Is the Caribbean a solution to 90/180?

[BurnitBlue]

If it was one of mine email me michael@michaelbriant.com and I will refund you

Very kind of you. It may have been. I paid £36,000 for it.

Just kidding. It would be a coincidence if it was your book. It may have been some one elses web page. Did you really write a book about a South American river?. If so by "outraged" I meant pleasantly surprised that the borders of my knowledge had been extended.

 

[Sea Devil]

Very kind of you. It may have been. I paid £36,000 for it.

Just kidding. It would be a coincidence if it was your book. It may have been some one elses web page. Did you really write a book about a South American river?. If so by "outraged" I meant pleasantly surprised that the borders of my knowledge had been extended.

So relieved! My PayPal only has 35,000 in it!~ Happily I did not write about a South American river..

Visited Venezuela once and went by canoe up to Angel Falls which was a good experience including camping out in hammock in the jungle.. sadly for the economic reasons rather than covid probably no longer possible...

 

[BurnitBlue]

So relieved! My PayPal only has 35,000 in it!~ Happily I did not write about a South American river..

Visited Venezuela once and went by canoe up to Angel Falls which was a good experience including camping out in hammock in the jungle.. sadly for the economic reasons rather than covid probably no longer possible...

Brave man. Sleeping outside in the jungle. Were you not afraid of those Anaconda snakes? So big they could swallow a Volkswagen.

 

[Sea Devil]

Brave man. Sleeping outside in the jungle. Were you not afraid of those Anaconda snakes? So big they could swallow a Volkswagen.

The alternative was a tent with some rather smelly male students...

 

[Gary Fox]

I think that is pretty well my experience but there are lots of very accessible alternatives which is what I did...

Not to mention Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico, the ABC islands... as well.

I kept Bambola in Trinidad each hurricane season for 3 years and flew back to the UK out of Tobago.. The total costs of all this were less than keeping a boat in the Med... I agree one beach bar and set of boat boys is like another in every island but... I am desperately tempted to go back next winter which has welled up since I finished editing and published

Brilliant, thanks. I'm meant to be in the Cape Verdes right now, but still in the Solent due to the kung flu. Fingers crossed for next year..

 

[Bajansailor]

Yes. I downloaded a sailing book allegedly about the Caribbean. I was ouraged when it turned out to be a sail up a wide river for dozens of miles in a country called Costa Rica. I was expecting tiki punch stuff in Martinique.

Costa Rica has got a Caribbean coastline as well as a Pacific coast...... which side did the river flow into?
If the Pacific side, then your rage is justified.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Costa Rica has got a Caribbean coastline as well as a Pacific coast...... which side did the river flow into?
If the Pacific side, then your rage is justified.

Definitely the Caribbean side. But if it wasn't Costa Rica it was the country north of it. Guatamala? It was a big river with a large town and a big liveaboard community. I did not pay much attention. Not into snakes and fever. Seemed unhealthy and prefer the wind cleansed islands. Are you writing a guide book of the area, if you need to know I can look through my external discs to locate it.

 

[Sea Devil]

Brilliant, thanks. I'm meant to be in the Cape Verdes right now, but still in the Solent due to the kung flu. Fingers crossed for next year..

I need a Hydrovane and will get one VAT free in Guernsey next spring - summer... Might see you down there''' fair winds

 

[Bajansailor]

Probably the Rio Dulce in Guatemala?
I have never been down that way, apart from a brief visit to Costa Rica once 21 years ago, by air, to visit a ship on the Pacific side.
I would agree that the little coral windswept islands to the east are probably much nicer!

 

[john_q]

Probably the Rio Dulce in Guatemala?
I have never been down that way, apart from a brief visit to Costa Rica once 21 years ago, by air, to visit a ship on the Pacific side.
I would agree that the little coral windswept islands to the east are probably much nicer!

Rio Dulce facts
Boat
You can keep a boat legally in Guatemala for up to 2 years, then you have to take it out of the country for 3 months before returning.

Visas
You get 3 months on entry then you can get an extension for 3 months after that you have to leave the country for 72 hours (Effectively means Belize or Mexico) then you can return. If you are late there is a £3.00 daily fine per person

Marinas
From from £146 - £220 a months + electricity

 

[capnsensible]

Probably the Rio Dulce in Guatemala?
I have never been down that way, apart from a brief visit to Costa Rica once 21 years ago, by air, to visit a ship on the Pacific side.
I would agree that the little coral windswept islands to the east are probably much nicer!

I had been contracted last April to deliver a yacht from Guatemala to Uk but that fell foul of bat flu. Unfortunately a couple of months ago the owners circumstances changed and they had to sell the boat. Was looking forward to that.

 

[Zing]

Caribbean or wherever a group of countries group closely enough to allow day hop between 90/180 areas. Flight times, cost and airport access are reasonable. 6 hours to an island rather than three hours to Greece. I did it for two years once. Paris to Martinique. Wonderful sailing in the winter. Enjoy summer in UK. Clear seas, adventure, 3,000 miles of exotic islands between Trinidad and Miami. Take your pick.

Compare that with 90 days a year in the very hot windless Mediterranean, pay expensive storage for 275 days a year for a boat you are simply not even allowed to visit. Except for a useless cold winter visit to use the second 90 day allowance.

As a free human being living in a free world, that word "allowance" does my head in.

What Americans call a no brainer.

That is my plan for 2021, made while sitting comfortably in the proverbial armchair.

This is what I have done for 10 years now. Happy with the choice. This year excepted.

 

[BurnitBlue]

This is what I have done for 10 years now. Happy with the choice. This year excepted.

Do you mean you commute to your boat in the Caribbean from your home in Europe. If so, it would be apreciated if you could give details. Which airports on which islands, direct flights from London or via Paris, best time to travel. Cost and entry paperwork like visa if any. The sort of information that would help those of us who considering a similsr thing. This would be recieved with heaps of gratitude.

 

[Zing]

Do you mean you commute to your boat in the Caribbean from your home in Europe. If so, it would be apreciated if you could give details. Which airports on which islands, direct flights from London or via Paris, best time to travel. Cost and entry paperwork like visa if any. The sort of information that would help those of us who considering a similsr thing. This would be recieved with heaps of gratitude.

I am based alternately in Antigua, St Lucia and Trinidad and the US in various places. All have direct London flights. If you want to go via Paris or Amsterdam you can add St Martin, Guadeloupe and Martinique and the ABCs to that list. Visa costs are negligible and in the airline ticket price.

The nicest season is when it is crap here. Like now?, which makes it a good way to escape our winters. Some keen sailors even have a summer boat here and a winter boat there. You can go in summer. It is quiet, hot and sticky and sometimes very windy indeed. Most people move out or haul out then.

Grocery costs are 50% more to double UK costs. Restaurants hugely variable, say on average a little more. Boat costs ditto, but on average in the range of a cheaper south coast UK boatyard/marina. All boatyards are online.

For country info and customs rules and most of your other information start with noonsite.com

 

[Sea Devil]

Do you mean you commute to your boat in the Caribbean from your home in Europe. If so, it would be apreciated if you could give details. Which airports on which islands, direct flights from London or via Paris, best time to travel. Cost and entry paperwork like visa if any. The sort of information that would help those of us who considering a similsr thing. This would be recieved with heaps of gratitude.

I did - and it's all on the net (excluding these difficult times) If you keep your boat laid up or in a marina in Trinidad in Chagaramus Bay you fly in and out to London/Paris via Tobago.. Have a look at Peakes or Powerboat for their prices. Trinidad Cruisers - Chaguaramas; Yards, Marinas, and Anchorages

From Tobago there is a little shuttle flight or a boat to Trini.
Trinidad is out of the hurricane zone as are the ABC islands which are Dutch... There are some really cheap deals out of Amsterdam to them and there are marina's in all three..

You probably do not want to be sailing between July - September into the hurricane zone north of Trinidad but to the West it's fine... Have a look at my video for more weather info

 

[BurnitBlue]

I am based alternately in Antigua, St Lucia and Trinidad and the US in various places. All have direct London flights. If you want to go via Paris or Amsterdam you can add St Martin, Guadeloupe and Martinique and the ABCs to that list. Visa costs are negligible and in the airline ticket price.

The nicest season is when it is crap here. Like now?, which makes it a good way to escape our winters. Some keen sailors even have a summer boat here and a winter boat there. You can go in summer. It is quiet, hot and sticky and sometimes very windy indeed. Most people move out or haul out then.

Grocery costs are 50% more to double UK costs. Restaurants hugely variable, say on average a little more. Boat costs ditto, but on average in the range of a cheaper south coast UK boatyard/marina. All boatyards are online.

For country info and customs rules and most of your other information start with noonsite.com

Thanks a million, especially for suggesting the two boat option. With that 2-boat option I suppose it is possible to buy a boat out there rather than sail one across. 90 days in the Med or UK in boat #1, 90 days at home under a roof, 180 days in the winter,Caribbean in boat #2. What on this earth could be better. Any permatation of your suggestion would be fantastic. I hear that boats in the West Indies are half the price of same model in Europe. So if sold back in Europe, not even a financial loss. Win win.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Just rembered that I already own two boats. One in Sweden, the other in Greece. The one in Sweden is actually surplace to requirements because sailing times are in conflict for same season use. A new line of thouhjt and a brand new decision to agonise over. Which boat should I sail over there. The Moody 34 or the International Folkboat. Right now my gut feeling is to keep the Moody 34 in Greece because she is EU vat exempt. Oh goody goody, a bright light solution to my own dilemma. Thanks.

 

[BurnitBlue]

@ sea devil.

Thanks for the link and suggestion to look around the web for boatyard storage stuff. I have heard that the a,b,c, islands are very restrictive these days. No anchoring allowed, limited number of yachts allowed to enter. To protect the coral, and reefs. Good thing i suppose. Plenty of other islands.

 

[Solent Cruiser]

This is a really brilliant and informative thread - for two liveaboards who were planning the Med last year, but now from April, and now have doubts re the S factor as well as covid...so the Caribbean point is of real interest. Our issue is that our boat is our only home. A lot of the comments re the Caribbean ( which we were thinking, originally, in 5 years after the Med) relate to returning ' home' to the UK for six months. What if you can't do this? What are cruisers experiences/ recommendations on strategies?

 

[Bajansailor]

@Solent Cruiser I have some friends (an English couple in their 70's) who are living on board their catamaran here in Barbados, and they are blissfully happy here right now - they certainly have no intention of returning to high latitudes in a hurry, or of going to other islands at the moment that are awash in Corona.
Things could change here, quickly - it is touch and go as to if Corona will take off after an outbreak last week - but so far it is looking good re the outbreak being contained.

Edit - re @atol post below - my friend's cat has been here since March - they were initially given 6 months, but due to Covid the rules have been relaxed, and nobody is telling them that they have to leave. They are welcome to stay much longer here.