Charter in St Lucia?

[neil1967]

Thinking of chartering a 36' monohull in St Lucia for 2 weeks in late April for the two of us. Any thoughts/experiences of the area or companies? We have chartered in Turkey and the BVIs before. Looking for good sailing with reasonable distances (20-30nm) and relaxation

 

[dk]

1 week south to Grenadines - NB avoiding St Vincent (sometimes dodgy at anchor, certainly in Wallilabou Bay). Best stops: Bequia, Mustique (not overnight - too much swell), then all islands to Carriacou, stopping at Union overnight for an early start to the Tobago Cays in the morning. Wouldn't bother to go further down to Grenada as it's a long slog to the south of the island - probably the only bit worth visiting.
Then back up to Martinique for 4-5 days, before returning to St Lucia.
Charter cos: Sunsail, Moorings, Dream Yacht Charters.

My favs: Bequia, Mustique for lunch, Petit St V anchorage, Petit Martinique, Carriacou, coves in SW Martinique.

 

[RichardS]

1 week south to Grenadines - NB avoiding St Vincent (sometimes dodgy at anchor, certainly in Wallilabou Bay). Best stops: Bequia, Mustique (not overnight - too much swell), then all islands to Carriacou, stopping at Union overnight for an early start to the Tobago Cays in the morning. Wouldn't bother to go further down to Grenada as it's a long slog to the south of the island - probably the only bit worth visiting.
Then back up to Martinique for 4-5 days, before returning to St Lucia.
Charter cos: Sunsail, Moorings, Dream Yacht Charters.

My favs: Bequia, Mustique for lunch, Petit St V anchorage, Petit Martinique, Carriacou, coves in SW Martinique.

I would agree with all that ..... except that my favourite was Tobago Keys coupled with an overnight at Saltwhistle Bay (dinner at the stone tables by the beach served by the restaurant up the hill) also some nice anchorages on Union Island plus a day snorkelling at Palm Island.

We didn't get as far as Petit Martinique or Carriacou because we ran out of time although we did spend a night at Canouan on the way back up although I probably wouldn't bother with that stop again.

Richard

 

[RupertW]

I would agree with all that ..... except that my favourite was Tobago Keys coupled with an overnight at Saltwhistle Bay (dinner at the stone tables by the beach served by the restaurant up the hill) also some nice anchorages on Union Island plus a day snorkelling at Palm Island.

We didn't get as far as Petit Martinique or Carriacou because we ran out of time although we did spend a night at Canouan on the way back up although I probably wouldn't bother with that stop again.

Richard

Agree with both recommendations above apart from the baffling but common recommendation not to overnight at Mustique as we always spend two nights there as a highlight and never so far with any noticeable swell. Saltwhistle Bay is another highlight and it's there that we've seen the worst swell more than once with monohulls' masts swinging like crazy. We moved round the corner to Saltine? Bay that time and hired a catamaran each time after that.

But unless you fancy an overnight sail from the Pitons (and we really did as a warm night sail going in and out of shelter in inky darkness is a highlight for me) then I'd base myself in the Grenadines from start to finish)

 

[RichardS]

Agree with both recommendations above apart from the baffling but common recommendation not to overnight at Mustique as we always spend two nights there as a highlight and never so far with any noticeable swell. Saltwhistle Bay is another highlight and it's there that we've seen the worst swell more than once with monohulls' masts swinging like crazy. We moved round the corner to Saltine? Bay that time and hired a catamaran each time after that.

But unless you fancy an overnight sail from the Pitons (and we really did as a warm night sail going in and out of shelter in inky darkness is a highlight for me) then I'd base myself in the Grenadines from start to finish)

I agree Rupert.

We also spent two nights just opposite Basil's Bar, where we had dinner on the first night, and had a great time with no swell. On the second morning we hired a golf buggy (Basil helpfully called the company for us) and spent a fantastic day visiting most of the beaches on the island. We had dinner the second night at Firefly which turned out to be excellent food with beautiful views from the balcony .... but was one of the most expensive meals we have ever had on holiday. You need to reckon on at least £50 a head with a drink. :ambivalence:

Richard

 

[RupertW]

I agree Rupert.

We also spent two nights just opposite Basil's Bar, where we had dinner on the first night, and had a great time with no swell. On the second morning we hired a golf buggy (Basil helpfully called the company for us) and spent a fantastic day visiting most of the beaches on the island. We had dinner the second night at Firefly which turned out to be excellent food with beautiful views from the balcony .... but was one of the most expensive meals we have ever had on holiday. You need to reckon on at least £50 a head with a drink. :ambivalence:

Richard

I think it was close to that for lunch at Firefly for us, with Cotton House restaurant at, I think about £350 between us for dinner. So definitely the expensive bit of the holiday that time, but well worth it.

Just seen a posting on Facebook about more violence against sailors in St Lucia (a colleague's boat was attacked there about 3 years ago while they were at anchor and her husband murdered). This time not so serious, 4 armed men boarding a charter boat from a dinghy and taking their phones, wallets and passports.

 

[capnsensible]

Its a wonderful cruising area wherever you go.

One point to be very careful with on the charter. They will dive the boat after your charter and may come up with some old bunny about damage.....

Friends of ours have chartered there a good few times but had the try it on twice. Happily, the are the owners of a PADI dive school and invited the charter companys to do one at a rolling doughnut. Be careful.

 

[RichardS]

I think it was close to that for lunch at Firefly for us, with Cotton House restaurant at, I think about £350 between us for dinner. So definitely the expensive bit of the holiday that time, but well worth it.

Just seen a posting on Facebook about more violence against sailors in St Lucia (a colleague's boat was attacked there about 3 years ago while they were at anchor and her husband murdered). This time not so serious, 4 armed men boarding a charter boat from a dinghy and taking their phones, wallets and passports.

It's usually St Vincent that has the reputation for violence ..... but these days I guess you have to have your wits about you almost everywhere.

Richard

 

[RupertW]

It's usually St Vincent that has the reputation for violence ..... but these days I guess you have to have your wits about you almost everywhere.

Richard

Oddly we found St Vincent people delightful the one time we were there, but we tend to have good experiences almost everywhere - the only island in that area where we had difficult times on multiple occasions was Canouan.

 

[TQA]

In your position I would either do a one way charter from St Lucia to Grenada or charter out of Blue Lagoon St Vincent.

The leg from St Lucia to St Vincent or direct to Bequia will be a long one 55 miles or so. The return will be nasty if there is any North in the wind. I have a fairly fast 44 ft cutter that points well and this is one of the passages that I wait until the wind is well south of East. I no longer consider any of the anchorages in St Vincent North of Young Island Cut to be safe. On a 36 ft boat with charter company sails you are unlikely to make it into St Lucia in daylight even leaving at first light unless you are very lucky with conditions. This will not be laid back sailing especially beating back up to St Lucia.

Bequia Petit Nevis on the South side of Bequia has great snorkeling. Canouan [rent a golf cart] Tobago Cays plan on at last 3 days Petit St Vincent [lunch!] Petit Martinique Union Island Ashton Harbor Chatam Bay Young Island Cut on St Vincent and have a sundowner on Young Island resort.

NB 36 ft mono hulls are getting scarce in charter fleets.

But the downside of chartering out of St Vincent is the that no major airline flies into St Vincent so you will need a puddle jumper from St Lucia or Barbados.

 

[KellysEye]

F or the best price go to www.latesail.com they handle 700 charter companies around the world and have around 7,000 boats on the site, it is still a buyers market too many yachts available. My favourites were Tobago Cays and the market in Bequia.