Suriname

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Revision as of 22:19, 7 July 2010

Suriname Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for yachts sailing to Suriname.

Suriname
Suriname
Flag
Capital:	Paramaribo
Language:	Dutch, Sranan Tongo, Hindi, English, Sarnami, Javanese, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Hakka, Cantonese, Boni, Saramaccan, and others
Currency:	Surinamese dollar
More notes about the country

Background

Suriname, formerly the colony of Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana, is a country in Northern South America. It has a North Atlantic Ocean coastline in the north and is surrounded by French Guiana to the east, Brazil to the south and Guyana to the west. It is the smallest independent country on South American continent. The relatively small population lives mostly along the coast.

Climate & Weather

Tropical, but moderated by trade winds. At 6 N you would expect a hot and humid climate, but the eastern tradewinds keep Suriname relatively cool. Temperatures on average: 31°C. Wind (on land, in general) E 5-10 kts

Suriname has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons, but in the dry seasons you can still expect some rain. Very welcome for most yachties!

• Short rainy season: December and January
• Short dry season: February until mid April
• Long rainy season: mid April until mid-July
• Long dry season: mid July until November

Charts

BA 517 Trinidad to Cayenne

NK 2017 Suriname: Cayenne tot Demerara

NK 2014 Suriname: Corantijn tot Surinamerivier

BA 99 Entrances to Rivers in Guyana and Suriname

Special Navigation Notes

Start your approach at the outer marker at LW. The trip to Domburg is, calculated from the outer marker, approximately 35 miles. You can do it in one tide if you start at LW. At that time the water level seems quite low, even in the channel, but you will never see less than 1.5 m below the keel (assuming a draft of 2 m). The channel is well buoyed and buoys are regularly moved if necessary. Even at night the approach is a piece of cake because they are all lit and... the lights are working! Keep red to starboard (IALA-B). Notify M.A.S. (Maritime Authority Suriname) on VHF12.

Local Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

M.A.S. (Maritime Authority Suriname) on VHF12.

Arrival/Departure procedures

Whenever you move your boat, call M.A.S. on VHF12.

Immigration

Visas and other is all available in centre of town Paramaribo (capital)

Visa at Henck Arronstraat opposite of De Surinaamse Bank. Bring tree copies of each: passport, passport photo's, crewlist (made by yourself), last departure form. Arrive before 10 am, complete the form and if you are lucky you can collect your visa the same day after lunch. Then you have to visit the Vreemdelingenpolitie (Immigrations), Jaggernath Lachmonstraat 167 for an entry stamp (bus #8 in Steenbakkerijstraat). It is here were they need your crewlist. Very friendly people. Be sure you are in time as the office closes early in the afternoon (2 PM).

Customs

Yachts normally don't check in or clear with Customs.

Health

Healthcare is fully available in Surinam and good. There are at least three good hospitals in Paramaribo and in many villages are medical clinics. Medical specialists from The Netherlands visit regularly to educate and assist in medical treatments in the various hospitals. Many well-stocked pharmacies.

No fear of malaria in the coastal region. Only in the deep south it is sometimes advised to take precautions. Malaria pills available if needed. Vaccinations: hepatitis-A, typhus, yellow fever.

Security

Suriname is very safe, probably the safest country in South-America. But still: don't invite criminality. Act responsible and don't overdo in wearing conspicuous golden necklaces etc. As everywhere, lock your dinghy and outboard.

Ports & Popular Stops

• Domburg Domburg is the place where most yachts go. Moorings available and many facilities such as: local bus to town, taxi, police office, medical clinic, tailor, barber, ATM, post-office/internet, 2 smaller groceries stores, a dayly fresh market, and several kiosks/restaurants for food and drinks. Every evening you can enjoy the cosy atmosphere/environment chatting with other sailing friends and the local people of Domburg.
• Paramaribo (Port of entry) Anchoring in front of Paramaribo is done sometimes, but the holding is not perfect, use all your line if you leave your boat. In front of Hotel Torarica (sometimes they charge USD 50.- a day, sometimes nothing) you may use their facilities and enter through their gardens. In the long run the anchorage of Domburg (there are also some moorings) is much better and from there it is a 30 minutes bus ride to Paramaribo.
• Braamspunt A nice beach at the entrance of the Surinam river where you can anchor to wait for the tide or just for fun. Nice place to explore and watch the fishermen drying their shrimp and small fish.

Offshore Islands

There are no offshore islands.

Cruiser's Friends

• sy Witte Raaf, Petra & Jan Willem Versol, e-mail: [email protected]

References & Publications

Books, Guides. etc.

Links to CruiserLog Forum discussions

Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum

External Links

• http://www.witteraaf.info

Personal Notes

• Petra & Jan Willem Versol (sy Witte Raaf): We arrived in Surinam in February 2006 and liked the country so much that we bought ourselves a home here. We sailed twice to the Caribbean and back to Surinam (5 or 6 days against wind and current) and recently keep our boat on the hard in Trinidad during the hurricane season.

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