Anyone in Martinique or nearby just now? A friend needs help.

[webcraft]

A friend who was cruising the Caribbean has been flown back to Scotland with a suspected stroke and the boat has been left on anchor in Martinique. I don't have the time to fly out and move it just now, so we need someone local(ish) who could move it to a marina.

Am double-posting this on SB as well - please don't give me a hard time for that!

- Nick (Webcraft)

 

[SimonJ]

I am in Les Saintes (part of Gudeloupe) right now having left Martinique a few days ago. I am however in touch via the Ocean Cruising Club HF net each morning with a number of cruisers who are passing through the area of Martinique. It depends where the boat is: Marin, St Anne, Fort de France, St Pierre, Grande Ansed'Arlet or ? There are a huge number of boats around so accurate location & description will be vital.The principal Marina is in Marin where there are also moorings (official and unofficial). No doubt the marina will need assurance re payment & probably should be contacted direct. They will not be happy with a boat 'dumped' on them however appropriate that is. You can google the marina details. Leaving a boat ashore in French island is not a realistic option either as the boatyards are places of work not storage areas.
Note there is also a Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning cruisers VHF net through moving assistance could be obtained.
I appreciate there will need for some caution in advising some details - unmanned, 'abandoned' boat etc in an area where theft etc is not unknown, does not need too much advertising!
Let me know if I do anything to help.
Simon

 

[TQA]

I have passed the info on to someone in Martinique who says he will contact you directly.

However they have just had an unusual onshore wind and a boat is on the beach. If it is the boat in question then things just got more complicated.

 

[webcraft]

I have passed the info on to someone in Martinique who says he will contact you directly.

However they have just had an unusual onshore wind and a boat is on the beach. If it is the boat in question then things just got more complicated.

View attachment 62769

Tragic, but that is not my friend's yacht, which is confirmed still afloat. The Martinique cruisers group on Facebook have been phenomenally helpful, and I have been in contact with the marina and they are expecting her. Hopefully we will snatch a happy ending from this and who knows, I may just end up doing a W-E transat after all, as the boat will need to be moved before the hurricane season starts.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though - will post again on here when the boat is safe.

Nick

 

[SimonJ]

Good news that arrangements are in hand.
The extraordinary wind conditions,something that only very occasionally happens, where the wind blows briefly (& usually lightly) from the west rendering all the normal lee side of island open anchorages unprotected and uncomfortable (at best) have unfortunately caught some out. On this occasion the west winds came with a load of squalls (albeit forecasted if one was paying attention) and the tales of woe are starting to emerge. Here in Les Saintes it was uncomfortable for a while and very bouncy but the quality moorings gave us confidence, but some unfortunately had to be in difficult anchorage positions.

 

[webcraft]

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Does anyone know anything about the moorings in Anse d'Arlet ?

- Nick

 

[tcm]

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Does anyone know anything about the moorings in Anse d'Arlet ?

- Nick

No but they are somewhat out of the way... Le Marin is the place really on Martinique. I’m nearer than you but with this sort of thing you are either on the scene or “somewhere else” really. Good luck and let me know if me being er 3000nm nearer but still 200nm away is any use at all ... i suspect not...

 

[TQA]

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Does anyone know anything about the moorings in Anse d'Arlet ?

- Nick

The last time I was there the moorings were being removed as locals were using them for long term boat storage.

Marin is much safer and I would be happy to leave a boat there on a mooring or at a dock. Guardianage is available.

 

[webcraft]

No but they are somewhat out of the way... Le Marin is the place really on Martinique. I’m nearer than you but with this sort of thing you are either on the scene or “somewhere else” really. Good luck and let me know if me being er 3000nm nearer but still 200nm away is any use at all ... i suspect not...

The last time I was there the moorings were being removed as locals were using them for long term boat storage.

Marin is much safer and I would be happy to leave a boat there on a mooring or at a dock. Guardianage is available.

The boat was left on anchor at Anse d'Arlet after the engine threw its hand in on the delivery from St Pierre to Marin, but hopefully another skipper is going to sail it across to Marin tomorrow. It's all been remarkably fraught, and will make a good yarn in a pub one day if we ever meet up again Matt. Hope all is well with you.

Maybe - just maybe - I will be over in that neck of the woods in May to sail this boat back to her home port in the Canaries, but then again maybe not.

- Nick

 

[webcraft]

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Boat is now in Marin safely berthed in the marina.

My French has improved considerably.

- Nick