Martinique - Grenada Suggestions

[Jerry Woodward]

We chartered from Martinique in Nov, 2015, Mahe 36 for 2 weeks. We sailed to Tobago cays and back, stopping at both St Lucia and St Vincent, myself and first mate. We read all the dire warnings: watch out for the boat boys, they are aggressive/they will come back at night and rob you, they are con artists so don't trust them, etc. Instead, we went with an open mind, but used common sense as one should with any unfamiliar place in the world. We had a fantastic time with zero incidents. We dealt with boat boys in almost every anchorage, and considered them a fun and colorful aspect of the Windwards. We got ice from many of them, bought fresh Veggies, bought a live lobster in the Tobago cays, and let them help us tie up to moorings. For a more balanced description of boat boys, read the Doyle guide to the windwards. As for the advice to skip St Lucia and St Vincent, I think it is misguided. We stayed in beautiful anchorages on both islands with no incidents. In fact we will be doing a repeat trip this November. Go with an open mind and common sense approach to safety and security and enjoy!

[poiu]

Originally Posted by olianta

I concur to that opinion. On December 16th last year we (a crew of 3) anchored in the bay on my 37' Furia in order to check out and George was there to meet us and to indicate a good spot to drop our anchor opposite the local restaurant (happily no mooring balls in this bay). He was very social and offered to bring us some fresh fruit. I decided to go further and gave him 100 ECD to buy us some food from the restaurant It was getting dark. After an hour my crew was looking at me victoriously (as they betted against my belief in George's honesty) but soon George came back paddling his board bringing lots of food and fruit and cash to return. I left him the cash and he was thankful stating that it will be enough for the local dentist to fix his tooth. Food was abundant and tasty. Soon appeared his friend Fitzroy,another paddle board boy. I offered him some Irish whisky, he liked it. We chatted a lot, I taught them some geography about the place we were coming from (the Black Sea). Then I told them we were tired and wanted to rest so they both left us in the dark. Early in the morning, still dark, I heard some strange noise and jumped up in the cockpit to see a naked boy (neither George nor Fitz) trying to board from the stern. He has come by swim and carried a spear in his hand. He told me he was told to come here to take us to spearfish. I told him he has got the wrong boat (we were only two boats in the bay) and he swam off. Not long after I heard loud voices from direction of the other yacht which anchored off very soon. We stayed for the morning. Fitz came back and we chatted again. Talking about Laborie, the place on Saint Lucia we have anchored the previous week, he said it was the most dangerous place because of the local drug dealers who have organized cannabis growing in the high fields of Saint Vincent, selling it to Martinique from where purchased brand new cars (it was true we saw a lot of new SUVs in Laborie). By the way if you happen to anchor there choose the east side of the ancho are and pay a visit to Mama Tilly's small barbecue on the steer up from the small dock on a corner opposite the police station. The best and cheapest food we did have in the east Caribbean.

What I am trying to say is that in those less touristic places yachtsmen should be more careful and dealing friendly with the local people giving them some small money and things (I gave Fitz my iPhone earphones and he was happy).

Sorry for the long post.

Rumen


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Shouldn't the message be different? To be careful as despite a good encounter with Fitz you got boarded in the night by a swimmer, probably a thief, who you luckily managed to scare off before anything bad happened.

[belizesailor]

Paper work delays continue..."stuck" in Martinique (boo hoo, poor me). We did get in a nice 5 day cruise along the leeward side of Martinique, but will soon potentialy be a vessel without a country as registration is xfered (boat is flagged French, buyer is Brazilian...complicates matters), so may not be able to leave Martinique as planned.

Oh well, pass the wine and cheese please.

Quite civilized here, very different than the grittier W Carib to which Im accustomed. Haven't spent much time in "developed" countries in the past decade so this is a bit novel.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

We chartered from Martinique in Nov, 2015, Mahe 36 for 2 weeks. We sailed to Tobago cays and back, stopping at both St Lucia and St Vincent, myself and first mate. We read all the dire warnings: watch out for the boat boys, they are aggressive/they will come back at night and rob you, they are con artists so don't trust them, etc. Instead, we went with an open mind, but used common sense as one should with any unfamiliar place in the world. We had a fantastic time with zero incidents. We dealt with boat boys in almost every anchorage, and considered them a fun and colorful aspect of the Windwards. We got ice from many of them, bought fresh Veggies, bought a live lobster in the Tobago cays, and let them help us tie up to moorings. For a more balanced description of boat boys, read the Doyle guide to the windwards. As for the advice to skip St Lucia and St Vincent, I think it is misguided. We stayed in beautiful anchorages on both islands with no incidents. In fact we will be doing a repeat trip this November. Go with an open mind and common sense approach to safety and security and enjoy!

So the fact that you had no incident means it is safe? Who ever stated that there is a 100% risk of death or assault? Just so you know, by going again, you are doubling the risk you take and all we are saying is that these are the places where risk s significantly higher than elsewhere, with many cruisers assaulted, raped, killed.

About boat boys: they have an interest in more visiting boats and while they try to scam and probably some petty theft as well, I don't think you have to fear them at all. It is the junkie killers and rapists that one has to fear.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

So the fact that you had no incident means it is safe? Who ever stated that there is a 100% risk of death or assault? Just so you know, by going again, you are doubling the risk you take and all we are saying is that these are the places where risk s significantly higher than elsewhere, with many cruisers assaulted, raped, killed.

About boat boys: they have an interest in more visiting boats and while they try to scam and probably some petty theft as well, I don't think you have to fear them at all. It is the junkie killers and rapists that one has to fear.

+1

It's a bad judgement call.

There are incident hot spots. Crimes are committed again and again in those places. Ignore them at your peril.

[Jerry Woodward]

Originally Posted by poiu

+1

It's a bad judgement call.

There are incident hot spots. Crimes are committed again and again in those places. Ignore them at your peril.

Just so I fully understand, are you guys suggesting that I should sail from Martinique all the way to Bequia, skipping St Lucia and St Vincent altogether, about 90 miles?

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

Just so I fully understand, are you guys suggesting that I should sail from Martinique all the way to Bequia, skipping St Lucia and St Vincent altogether, about 90 miles?

That's what we will do. It seems even the marinas in St Lucia are dodgy.

[poiu]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

Just so I fully understand, are you guys suggesting that I should sail from Martinique all the way to Bequia, skipping St Lucia and St Vincent altogether, about 90 miles?

My post #13 copied and pasted for your convenience:
There's really quite a lot of poverty particularly in parts of these southern islands and more spots here that I feel uncomfortable in compared to up north. I keep it simple and avoid St Vincent and St Lucia now, maybe picking up a buoy at the Pitons if you daysail or maybe an overnight in Rodney bay.

Park next to others and leave all your deck lights on. A vigilant and street-wise attitude is needed everywhere. A shame Canouan has now problems as I don't feel intimidated there at all. I'll bet they get on top of it soon.

I'd spend most of my time in Martinique and between Carriacou and Bequia. All the main spots are good.

[belizesailor]

Finally got underway from Martinique. Skipped St Lucia & St Vincent, sailed directly to Grenada (Prickley Bay), now enroute back up to the Grenadines for about a week then back to Grenada.