A break in the caribean

30boat

30boat

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Hi

I need a break from Europe,so I was thinking of sailing my boat somewhere in the Caribean,stay there for a year or so and then sail back.I have a friend living in Bonaire and she says imigratiion laws are very restrictive there.I assume this applies to most islands.
Can anybody recomend a nice place where this would be feasible?
Thanks
 
Re: A break in the Caribbean

I think that most of the smaller islands will usually give you a 1 month stamp (at the most) in your passport. If you are (say) laid up ashore, and cannot sail off to another island, then they are usually happy to extend the stamp by another month, although it does usually involve much form-filling-out.

But one advantage of having a mobile floating home is that you can (usually) just sail to the next island, perhaps only 10 or 20 miles away, and check in there. Even if you only spend a day or 2 there, and then sail back to your previous port, that should be OK with the Authorities.
 
Bonaire...

If you have the opportunity, visit Bonaire - it has the most exquisite snorkelling and diving you'll ever see.
 
A lot of liveaboards congregate in St Maarten and seem to be able to stay there for long periods. Another place people tent to spend a long time is Grenada.
 
St Lucia will stamp up three months, as will Antigua, Guadaloupe and Martinique are both French Provinces so you could stay there as long as you like.
As others have said you can island hop for a few days and then go back - beware though St Lucia because they charge you for a cruising permit, then a fee to hang off the bouys around the pitons.

MAKE sure you check into Dominica and out properly they get really cross if you don't. Be prepared to wait around a lot in Portsmouth as it is in the commercial port area and the nice man like to stamp/check/stamp/go to lunch etc..

Get a stamp made up with the vessels name on - best in red -
British Registered Vessel Part 1 # 78786878 Registered Southampton England 14 Tonnes international callsign and any other B.Sh1te you can think of because the guys out there love officialdom,
I stamped one officials book of triplicate forms and it seemed to make his day.

Alsoi do a ships letterhead have a crew manifest last port - destination etc..
and sign it Captain AND take in the log book showing where you've been.

Ian
 
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