St Lucia
From CruisersWiki
An online cruising guide for yachts sailing around St Lucia.
| St Lucia
| |
 Map | |
 Flag | |
| Capital | Castries |
|---|---|
| Language | English (official), French patois |
| Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
| Time zone | (UTC−4) |
| Calling code | +1 758 |
Saint Lucia is part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. It is an independent country and a member of the British Commonwealth. The island population is 160,145 and covers an area of 620 km2. The island was originally populated by Carib Indians.
The island is steep with very lush tropical vegetation. The scenery, especially near Soufrière is dominated by the dramatic presence of the twin peaks: Gros Piton and Petit Piton, 615 m (2019 ft.) and 750 m (2461 ft.) tall.
Charts
- BA
- 956 Guadeloupe to Trinidad
- NIMA
- 2521 St. Lucia
- Imray-Iolaire
- A4 Guadeloupe to St. Lucia
Weather
The climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August.
Sources of weather forecasting:
- Weather on Line Detailed 7 day forecast charts for the Atlantic
- Wind GURU A surfer's site with worldwide wind forecasts
- Navtex Broadcasts List of all the US Navtex broadcast times and frequencies.
Passages
Communication
- Rodney Bay 0830 VHF 68 Monday-Saturday
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
Approaching Saint Lucia is straight forward and presents no hazards.
Entrance
Vessels MUST clear out at an official Port of Entry so as to obtain a clearance certificate.
Warning: Be aware that the authorities will request and hold a document showing that the yacht has been cleared for the previously visited country. Since many countries do not automatically issue such documents be sure to request one.
Immigration
The up-to-date visa requirement information is available on the St Lucia Website and Online Application Forms (download)
Visas are not required for the citizens of Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Venezuela and the US. "Arrival Visas" (at US$50) will be granted to citizens of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Panama, Poland, Portugal and Sweden. Arrivals from the Russian Federation require a visa obtained in advance.
A six week stay is granted when clearing in, with a possible further 30 day extension that can be obtained in Castries.
Some of the countries (including St Lucia) in the Caribbean use an electronic method for pre-registering your arrival in the country. When it works, it eliminates the need to fill out the customs forms in quadruplicate. It sometimes works. In general, The Customs and Immigration service is a throwback to the good old days of bureaucracy, when masses of paperwork is generated at great inconvenience for no apparent benefit. And remember to wear a shirt.
Customs
Firearms and ammunition MUST be declared to Customs on arrival.
PETS: Pets must have a Veterinary Import Permit before entering St Lucia. Cats and dogs must be microchipped, have been vaccinated against Rabies and have been treated against ticks and fleas within 48 hours of arrival. Animals (and their documentation) MUST be inspected by the Veterinary Officer before being allowed ashore. For full requirements and information: St Lucia Veterinary Office Email. Forms can be downloaded in advance from Pet Travel
It is possible for visiting yachts to stay for up to 6 months (crews are subject to immigration rules).
Health and Security
Health
Submit any health warnings/information. Remove any of these sections do not apply to this particular country.
Security
It is advisable to lock your boat and dinghy.
Berthing
Ports
= Port of entry, 
, 
= Marina, = Anchorage, 
= Needs data.
Facilities
Also see each port above.
Water
Give details on water for any ports that provides it. If there are no water outlets just enter "None".
If you have the GPS coordinates of a water outlet. Please provide them along with any applicable telephone numbers etc. If you do not have the GPS coordinates, remove the "|lat=" & "|lon=" entries,
Port1 [[St Lucia#Port1|Port1]]
Port2 [[St Lucia#Port2|Port2]]
Electricity
Give details on electricity outlets for any ports that provides them. If there are no electricity outlets enter "N/A (Not Available)".
If you have the GPS coordinates of the electricity outlet area. Please provide them along with any applicable telephone numbers etc. If you do not have the GPS coordinates, remove the "|lat=" & "|lon=" entries,
Port1 [[St Lucia#Port1|Port1]]
Port2 [[St Lucia#Port2|Port2]]
Toilets
?
Showers
?
Laundry
?
Garbage
?
Supplies
Fuel
Give details on water for any ports or nearby stations that provides it. If there are no fuel pumps in the island just enter "None".
If you have the GPS coordinates of a fuel station. Please provide them along with any applicable telephone numbers etc. If you do not have the GPS coordinates, remove the "|lat=" & "|lon=" entries,
Station1 [[St Lucia#Station1|Station1]]
Station2 [[St Lucia#Station2|Station2]]
Cooking gas
Give details on cooking gas (Camping Gaz, butane, propane, etc) suppliers. If there are no suppliers in the island just enter "None".
Suplier1 [[St Lucia#Suplier1|Suplier1]]
Suplier2 [[St Lucia#Suplier2|Suplier2]]
Chandlers
Submit addresses and contact details of chandlers and other marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers. If there not any in the island just enter "None".
Submit addresses and contact details of chandlers and other marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers. If there not any in the island just enter "None".
Chandler1 [[St Lucia#Chandler1|Chandler1]]
Services
Repairs
List repair services. If no or limited repair services are available on the island write "None" or "Limited".
If repairs are included in every port pages, the following line is appropriate, otherwise remove it. Also see each Port.
If repairs are specific ports or by individual mechanics provide specific information as follows:
Yard or Mechanic's name [[St Lucia#Yard or Mechanic's name|Yard or Mechanic's name]]
Internet
Are any internet or WiFi connections available in the island? If so where?
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
Are cars, motorbikes, and bicycles available for rent? If so give the name, location, tel number of the rental outlets.
Rental establishment [[St Lucia#Rental establishment|Rental establishment]]
Provisioning
Give the names and locations of supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, etc..
Store name1 [[St Lucia#Store name1|Store name1]]
Store name2 [[St Lucia#Store name2|Store name2]]
Transportation
There are flights to England and to the US via Barbados. Also there are ferries from Rodney Bay to Martinique.
Eating out
Give the name of recommended restaurant, tavernas, pastry stores, etc.)
- Location1
-
Name [[St Lucia#Name|Name]]
- Location2
- Name [[St Lucia#Name|Name]]
Tourism
History
The Europeans first arrived in the 1550s led by the notorious buccaneer Francois le Clerc, a.k.a. Jambe de Bois, or Wooden Leg. Peg-Leg le Clerc set up a fine little base on Pigeon Island, from whence he issued forth to prey upon unwitting and treasure-laden Spanish galleons. The island is named for the Roman Catholic Saint Lucy of Syracuse. Around 1600, the Dutch arrived, establishing a fortified base at Vieux Fort. Then the English colonists arrived in the 1600s. The French also settled in Soufrière in 1746. The British and the French contested the island throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. Despite this long English rule, the island's French cultural legacy is still evident in its Creole dialect.
Places to Visit
See individual ports.
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
- St Lucia at the Wikipedia
- St Lucia at the Wikivoyage
- CIA World Factbook - St. Lucia
- St. Lucia Official Guide
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, Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands, Chris Doyle Publishing; 2013-2014 edition (September 30, 2012), ISBN 978-0944428948
- 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.
- Despite the dramatic beauty of the island and its many attractive anchorages, I found our stay rather unpleasant. We were continuously harassed by an endless procession of money hungry young men. --Istioploos
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to St Lucia and this page's details validated:
- February 2005 --Istioploos
- 2013/14 Auditdata
| 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 |
|---|
|
Names: Lighthouse, Istioploos, TaoJones, Robwithers |
