Clearing Customs Windward and Leeward Island Chains

[Moontide]

FL JIM has a good point. The leg from BVI's to St Martin can be bouncey, but only one day.

If you go to Antigua it is a lot cheaper to check in at Jolly Harbor than English Harbor. Go figure.

Some charge overtime for weekends, some don't and others,are clised. Don't frwt. Most are not sticklers and as long as you ck in arrival day or tge next they normally won't care. Just make sure you smile and say hello before talking business.

Another thing to keep in mind is duty if you have friends bring parts. French islands are free. Island with English heritage can be a lot (I've heard 31% in Grenada). If in a yard sometimes you can get a letter (reduces to 2-1/2% in Grenada, but may have to hire an agent).

Get a copy of the Doyle cruising guides. Pretty complete and tell you which ports you can clear in to. Some countries let you clear in and out at the same time if no crew changes and not staying too long.

One other thing is make sure you have plenty of empty pages in your passport. One season can fill half of it.

Mainly, don't sweat it. Your going to be on island time.

Bill

[MamaKube]

When in the Grenadines, you must plan at least one night stop at Happy Island off of Union Island. A man literally made this little island out of conch shells one dinghy full at a time. Then he built a cabana bar. Enough said.

[zstine]

Maybe I missed it, but did anyone tell the OP to look at noonsite.com? that will tell him all the hours and fees for customs/immigration and what places, if any, require a zart or any other non-standard paperwork.

[hellosailor]

Beagle-
A number of the vloggers on Youtube have commented recently on clearing in and out of some of the islands. Sometimes you will pay extra, dearly, for clearing in outside of normal business hours. Sometimes, you will be told to comeback tomorrow if there are too many folks ahead of you. And of course, "appropriate" dress may be required, or back you go.
Best bet is to try getting specific recent information about each stop you plan to make.
Noonsite.com would typically be the first place to start, unless you can find the specific web pages from each government.

[antilles]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Everyone is open 7 days/week.

Don't count on St kitts and Nevis being open 7 days a week or after 4 pm

[antilles]

I live on Nevis and suggest you don't count on St. Kitts and Nevis or Montserrat being open 7 days a week or after 4 pm for that matter

[Beagle123]

What a wonderfully useful source of information you all have been ...BEAGLE 123 appreciates all your comments very much..... . Thanks for the additional sites and local knowledge and suggestions....now I just have to get the folding prop, the solar panels and the fridge better insulated and I will be ready (these should be completed by mid November haul-out)