Barbados
From CruisersWiki
An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Barbados.
| Barbados
| |
     
| |
 Map | |
 Flag | |
| Capital | Bridgetown |
|---|---|
| Language | English, Bajan |
| Currency | Barbadian Dollar (BBD) |
| Time zone | Eastern Caribbean (UTC-4) |
| Calling code | +1 246 |
Barbados is low lying island with its highest peak only 336 m (1102 ft.) high. It has an area of 431 km² and 279,254 inhabitants. It is the easternmost Caribbean island. It is an independent state and member of the British Commonwealth.
Charts
- BA
- 956 Guadeloupe to Trinidad
- 2485 Approaches to Barbados
- NIMA
- 25485 Approaches to Barbados
- Imray-Iolaire
- B2 Barbados
Weather
The climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season November to May, rainy season June to October.
Weather links
- Weather on Line Detail 7 day forecast charts for the Atlantic.
- Wind GURU A surfer's site with worldwide wind forecasts.
- Navtex Broadcasts List of all the Navtex broadcast times and frequencies (not kept up to date).
Passages
Communication
Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
Add any navigation notes such approaches, dangers etc here. If this section does not apply remove it.
Entrance
Arrival
First landfall in Barbados MUST be made at an official Port of Entry. Contact the port on VHF 16 or 12 for berthing instructions - do not anchor-off. At Port St Charles, you should contact Customs on VHF 16 or 77 - do not leave the yacht until the officials have come aboard. After clearing in at Bridgetown, you may move off to anchor in Carlisle Bay.
Be sure to obtain permission from the port authority if you wish to anchor/stop outside the official port of entry. The port authority can guide you as to where you may stop/anchor.
Departure
There is a departure tax of BBD 100 (approx. US$50) for yachts under 150ft.
Customs and Immigration
Customs
Chartering by foreign yachts is strictly forbidden.
Firearms and ammunition MUST be declared on arrival and will be held in custody until your departure.
PETS: An Import Permit must be obtained from the Chief Veterinary Officer before the importation of all pets. This Permit can be obtained by contacting the Veterinary Services at Ph: (246)4275073 or Fax: (246)4208444. A Veterinary Officer MUST examine the animal before leaving the Customs area. If pets come from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Jamaica, St Kitts-Nevis, Antigua, St Lucia or St Vincent, they may be imported directly but pets arriving from all other countries must first undergo a six month quarantine stay in Britain after which an Import Permit can be obtained. DO NOT take your pets ashore until they have been cleared.
Yachts with pets aboard must remain at anchor with the animals kept on board until clearance has been given and under no circumstances bring your pet ashore before that time.
Immigration
Passports must be valid for three months beyond the intended length of stay in Barbados.
Visas are not required for stays of up to six months for nationals of the EU, Argentina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Peru, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Venezuela, the United States, and all Commonwealth countries (except for South Africa, who may only stay for up to 30 days, and India and Pakistan, who require visas). Citizens of most Eastern European countries, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Cuba, may stay visa-free for up to 28 days. Visas are required for all others.
On arrival, you should state the maximum time you intend to stay in Barbados. Visa extensions (sometimes difficult to obtain) must be applied for at the immigration office. Ask the Immigration officer, on arrival, to explain this process. Crew changes are also a lengthy process - the immigration officer will explain this process.
Health and Security
Health
Submit any health warnings/information. Remove any of these sections do not apply to this particular country.
Security
In general it is prudent to lock your boat and dinghy.
Berthing
– port of entry || 
– needs data ||Ports
- Bridgetown | – port of entry |
Marinas
- Port St Charles | – port of entry |
Anchorages
Amenities
| Facilities | |
|---|---|
| Water |
|
| Electricity |
|
| Toilets | At the Port St Charles marina |
| Showers | At the Port St Charles marina |
| Laundry | In Bridgetown and at the the Boatyard in Carlisle Bay |
| Garbage | There are bins around the harbors |
| Supplies | |
| Fuel |
|
| Bottled gas | ? |
| Chandlers | None. Only fishing equipment at Bridgetown |
| Services | |
| Repairs | None. Only fishing equipment at Bridgetown |
| Internet | Internet cafe's in Bridgetown and at the Port St Charles marina |
| Mobile connectivity | Is there mobile telephone signal such as G4, G3, GPRS in the island? How strong is the signal? Are there any blind spots? |
| Vehicle rentals | ? |
Provisioning
Provision at supermarkets in Bridgetown. Make sure you purchase some of the famous Mount Gay Rum.
Eating out
-
Waterfront Café restaurant [[Barbados#Waterfront Café restaurant|Waterfront Café restaurant]] at the Careenage has good food.
Transportation
There are flights to England and to the US.
Tourism
History
The name Barbados comes from a Portuguese explorer named Pedro Campos in 1536, who originally called the island Los Barbados ("The Bearded Ones"), upon seeing the appearance of the island's fig trees, whose long hanging aerial roots he thought resembled beards. Between Campos' sighting in 1536 and 1550, Spanish conquistadors seized many Caribs on Barbados and used them as slave labor on plantations. Other Caribs fled the island, moving elsewhere. The British colonized the island in the 1600s where they established plantations of sugar cane. To work the plantations they imported many slaves from Africa. This went on until 1834 when slavery was abolished in the British Empire. The island gained its independence in 1966.
Places to Visit
List places of interest, tours, etc.
Friends
Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
- Barbados at the Wikipedia
- Barbados at the Wikivoyage
- 100 Best Things to do in Barbados
- Barbados - CIA World Factbook
References & Publications
- Jimmy Cornell, World Cruising Handbook: Covering All the Maritime Nations of the World, Adlard Coles Nautical; 3rd edition (July 31, 2001), ISBN 978-0713658279
- Ashley Scott and Nancy Scott, Cruising Guide to Caribbean Marinas and Services, Cruising Guide Pubns (February 15, 2003), ISBN I978-0944428603
- Chris Doyle, Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago Plus Barbados and Guyana, Cruising Guide Pubns; 3 edition (January 5, 2007), ISBN 978-0944428771
- William T. Stone and Anne M. Hays, Cruising Guide to the Caribbean, Sheridan House; Rev Rep edition (August 21, 1998), ISBN 978-0924486579
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Barbados and this page's details validated:
- February 2005 --Istioploos
Travels with S/Y Thetis
| This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly. |
 Contributors to this page |
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Names: Lighthouse, Istioploos, TaoJones |
