Barbados

doctormilner

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13 Mar 2009
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does anyone have advice for parking the boat 47' in mid Dec.best offer; I can stay in P St Charles for $1300 for 3 weeks BUT me and my crew cannot live on board!!
could be Carlisle bay for me. serious enquiry, answers aknowledged.

Bob
 

Bajansailor

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Hello Dr M,

Are you planning on an enforced stay here for 3 weeks after arrival (I presume from across the pond) in mid December?

$1,300 (I presume you mean US$ rather than BDS$?) sounds like a lot for a sub-let of a berth in PSC (www.portstcharles.com) for 3 weeks - even if it is BDS$ 1,300 that is still a lot more than what the 'standard' rate seems to be (I don't think that sub-letting of berths there is officially approved).
The only visitors berths at PSC are on the outer breakwater, and they are designed for larger yachts - in fact yachts under 50' generally seem to be discouraged from taking up space there unless they do not have any larger boats wanting berths.
They are allowed to live on board there though......

When you check in with Customs & Immigration, ask them for the official lowdown on 'cruising' along the coast, and staying at different anchorages over night.
They will probably tell you that you have to get permission in advance for anchoring everywhere apart from off PSC and Carlisle Bay.
You should be able to use the dinghy dock at PSC if you are anchored off there.
Its then about a 15 minute walk into Speightstown where there is a supermarket and various restaurants and bars.

Carlisle Bay is less than 10 minutes walk from the centre of Bridgetown, which has a better variety of places to spend money in.
Be aware though that there is the rather noisy 'Harbour Lights' night club on the beach at Carlisle Bay - it sounds as if the music is being played on board your boat (sound travels well over water, and they are upwind), and they usually do not turn the dbs off until the early hours.

You could go and anchor off Sandy Lane Hotel (http://www.sandylane.com/ ) and ogle all the poor punters ashore who are paying US$ 1,000+ per night to stay there.
You dont want to go drinking there though - last I heard (a few years ago) was that a bottle of beer in their bar was BDS$15, whereas it is about $3 in a rum shop (or tourist bar at happy hour) for the same type / size of beer......

If the wind is north of east you should definitely sail down to Oistins (at the southern end of the island) at some stage and spend a night there (but tell the Customs & Immigration folk first).
They have a jetty to land on at Oistins (although it is rather high from a dinghy, especially at low tide), but in a NE wind it should be calm enough to beach land your dinghy there.
Lots of little restaurants on the waterfront selling excellent fried fish dinners, and it is always heaving with humanity on weekends (with fairly loud music....).
It would be very rolly and uncomfortable to be anchored here though if the wind has any hint of south of east in it.

There is only one bay (Consett Bay) on the east coast that a yacht could get into, but it has a rather narrow Z shaped channel through the reef which you would definitely want to have a local pilot for!
Its calm in here at low tide (protected by the reef) but gets choppy at high tide.
And you are on a lee shore. Hence much easier to visit with a hire car by road (it is a very pretty wee bay, with quite a few fishing boats out on moorings).

If you have any other questions, please do revert.

PS - have a look at http://www.doyleguides.com/barbados.html for some more info about Barbados from a yachtsman's perspective.
 
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