Advice for Customs in Grenadines/Grenada

[RIglehart]

One more question for all who have experience in that area. Is Petite Martinique worth stopping at? It looks very authentic. Stopping there is the main reason I can't make it out of Grenada in 24 hours (From St. Georges) if I stop there.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Covers most of the islands.

https://sailclear.com/index

Good info. It looks very convenient.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Whenever I see outdated information on Noonsite I send them an e-mail and update it. I hope that's what you've done so that they have correct data. That's the concept behind free sites like this. I'm not a member.

except it's no longer free.

[Zanshin]

@capn_Bill - they (noonsite) recently changed their layout and content policy. I no longer use them.

[barant]

Hope I can add a few questions to this conversation.


I'm taking a bunch of friends down the Grenadines in November starting in St. Vincent.



During the work week I plan on crossing from Union Island to Carriacou and back again 3 days later.


Was wondering if the below points can be confirmed:


- You can now check into Carriacou and clear out at the same time?
I've read you can get 3 days (72 hours) and then don't have to come back to clear out.


- I've read that you have to go to Tyrell Bay. However, I have seen a recent video on youtube with the boat clearing at the police station in Hillsborough. Hillsborough would be my preference. A superyacht website indicated Tyrell Bay M-F, Hillsborough S&S. If anybody can clear this up would be appreciated. As government websites are lacking, and main info that pops up online is from private Tyrell Bay website.


Any general guidance would be much appreciated. I'm familiar with the islands, but it has been a few years since visiting.

[JimmyZ]

Yes you can do that. Avoid Union Island at all costs, and if you must anchor & don't trust the buoys.

The Customs officials refused to approve us without an agent, the same agent who happened to be sitting outside the customs office. It was a total scam-job between the two, but we still ended up paying an unofficial bribe just to enter the country.

The passengers really hated Clifton, it was full of beggars and children incessantly pestering for cash. It was fine at first, but them more came; and the same lot hit up our passengers on the return through to town!

Really a bad stain on a great trip.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by JimmyZ

Yes you can do that. Avoid Union Island at all costs, and if you must anchor & don't trust the buoys.

The Customs officials refused to approve us without an agent, the same agent who happened to be sitting outside the customs office. It was a total scam-job between the two, but we still ended up paying an unofficial bribe just to enter the country.

The passengers really hated Clifton, it was full of beggars and children incessantly pestering for cash. It was fine at first, but them more came; and the same lot hit up our passengers on the return through to town!

Really a bad stain on a great trip.

This is borne out by the Trip Advisor Reviews, boardings, robberies and scams.

[Zanshin]

Originally Posted by barant

Hope I can add a few questions to this conversation.
...
- I've read that you have to go to Tyrell Bay. However, I have seen a recent video on youtube with the boat clearing at the police station in Hillsborough. Hillsborough would be my preference. A superyacht website indicated Tyrell Bay M-F, Hillsborough S&S. If anybody can clear this up would be appreciated. As government websites are lacking, and main info that pops up online is from private Tyrell Bay website.
...

The only port of entry in Carriacou is the office at the older yard/marina in Tyrell Bay; not in Hillsborough. The dock in Hillsborough was at the top of my "worst dinghy dock" list last year as it was falling apart and the rusty iron stairs were close to rotting through. This year it has gotten even worse, with yellow caution tape on both ends (which people have already cut through).
I found the procedure for clearing in/out to be quite quick in Caribbean standards; but don't know about clearing in/out at the same time for a longer stay.