Trinidad - Tobago
From CruisersWiki
| Trinidad - Tobago
| |
 Trinidad and Tobago | |
 Flag | |
| Capital | Port of Spain |
|---|---|
| Language | English, Spanish |
| Currency | Trinidad and Tobago Dollar |
| Time zone | Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) , DST: not observed |
| Calling code | +1 -868 |
Trinidad and Tobago are southeasterly islands of the Antilles or West Indies, situated between 10° 2' and 11° 12' N latitude and 60° 30' and 61° 56' W longitude. At the closest point, Trinidad is just 11 kilometres (7 miles) off the Venezuelan coast. Covering an area of 5,128 square kilometres (1,979 sq mi), the country consists of the two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands – including Chacachacare, Monos, Huevos, Gaspar Grande (or Gasparee), Little Tobago, and St. Giles Island.
Trinidad is a popular location among yacht owners/cruisers. Most anchor in the Chaguaramas area on the far northwest side of the island. The Trinidad and Tobago Sailing Association provides services to boaters.
Some notes about cruising/sailing in the region?
Charts
- Source
- Chart Number - Chart Name
- Chart Number - Chart Name
- Source
- Chart Number - Chart Name
Weather
Trinidad and Tobago are located south of the 12° parallel, outside the active hurricane belt, resulting in insurance premiums throughout the year that are significantly lower than in other Caribbean locations. The rainy season is from June to November.
Weather links
Passages
List popular passages/routes, timing, etc.
Islands
– island || 
– port of entry || 
– harbour || 
– marina || 
– anchorage || 
– needs data ||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
Be sure to arrive in Trinidadian waters in normal office hours to avoid a fine. Call "Coastguard Control" on VHF 16 to advise of the vessel's arrival and an ETA in port.
On arrival, vessels must clear in at either Chaguaramas in Trinidad or, Scarborough or Charlotteville in Tobago. (Only use Port of Spain in an emergency as this is a commercial port). Chaguaramas is the best clearance port for yachts
On arrival. the skipper must report to Immigration (even if this is after hours and a fine will apply).
Vessels moving from Trinidad to Tobago must have the "Arrival Form" endorsed by Customs in Chaguaramas. Present this form to Customs on arrival in Charlotteville or Scarborough. The same applies for the reverse passage.
Yachts must clear out of one of the two ports above by visiting Customs, Immigration and the Port Authority.
The skipper must notify the authorities of the vessel's intended itinerary to cruise around the islands and permission must be obtained before sailing. Permission must be obtained from Customs for any movement of the yacht, between ports or cruising the coasts of Trinidad or Tobago.
Immigration
All visitors to Trinidad and Tobago require a valid passport with at least 6 months validity. A visa valid for 3 months will be issued on arrival and this may be extended for a further 3 months. One week prior to the expiration a further extension may be requested upon payment of an extension fee of between $TT100 and $TT150.
Immigration requires a Medical Certificate for persons who wish to remain in Trinidad & Tobago for periods exceeding 1 year. A declaration by the applicant must be made in the presence of the Examining Medical Officer.
NOTE: Tourist visas do not permit employment. In order to work, one must obtain a work permit for the job and there must be no suitably qualified nationals to fill the job.
Customs
- Firearms and ammunition must be declared on arrival and these will be taken and held in custody at the nearest police station.
- PETS: - If you have pets aboard they must be declared to Customs on arrival. See http://www.agriculture.gov.tt for details of the full list of regulations regarding pets.
- Fruit, plants and plant material aboard must be declared and inspected by the Quarantine officer on arrival.
- Yachts can stay for a reasonable period of time. Yachts stored for longer periods must be in the care of an approved yard. Formalities regarding this must be completed at Customs, and must include a full inventory. If you wish to leave a yacht unnattended, formalities for "temporary importation" must be completed at the Chaguaramas Customs office.
- Marine Radios - Provided your radios are part of your boat's equipment and licensed by your home country, you should not have any issues bringing these in. Bringing these in other than installed in boats could result in them being seized.
Visas
A 90 day visa will be issued on arrival and this can be extended for further 90 days
Health
- A yellow fever inoculation certificate is required if arriving from an infected area in South America, etc.
- The islands do have mosquitoes and isolated cases of dengue fever have been reported.
- The tap water is generally safe to drink, though many visitors prefer bottled water because the public water often has a strong chlorine taste. Use your best judgement if in an area where homes collect rain water from the roof, but very few problems are reported.
- HIV/AIDS is prevalent but not widespread so as to reach epidemic proportions. The best advice is to use caution and use protection if engaging in sexual activity.
- If you need prescription medication, it is best to bring enough with you for the duration of your trip. There is no guarantee that what you need will be available. American OTC drugs are often available in many pharmacies, however, don't expect everything to be available. They may also be under different names.
Security
Generally, it is best to travel with the sun. When it sets, make sure you are in a safe place with people you trust. This is more important in Trinidad than in Tobago. In Port of Spain, areas east of Charlotte Street become increasingly unsafe (but this shouldn't be considered an absolute boundary -- on some east-west streets you can go a block or two further). Stay out of East Dry River, Belmont, and Laventille. It is best to conceal your valuables in public places. Pickpockets and chain snatchers, while not common, are present, especially in Trinidad. Foreign currency, jewelry and portable electronics (cameras, iPods etc) in particular tend to attract thieves.
In an emergency dial 999 from any telephone for the police. Dial 990 for the fire department and ambulance. These calls are free of charge from any telephone, including payphones (no coins or cards required).
- Safety & security notice for cruisers - Information on Trinidad and Tobago.
Berthing
Ports
– island || – port of entry || – harbour || – marina || – anchorage || – needs data ||Marinas & Yacht Clubs
See each port above.
Anchorages
See each port above.
Amenities
See each port above.
Provisioning
See each port above.
Eating out
See each port above.
Transportation
List transportation (local and/or international.)
Tourism
History
Give a short history of the island.)
Places to Visit
List places of interest, tours, etc.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
- Tobago Sailing and Cruising Discussions on Cruisers Forum
- Trinidad Sailing and Cruising Discussions on Cruisers Forum
Links
- Trinidad - Tobago at the Wikipedia
- Trinidad - Tobago at the Wikivoyage
- Boaters' Enterprise
- Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago
- Free Cruising Guide to Trinidad
References
Books, Guides, etc. Use the Reference template or not at your discretion. For example:
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{{Reference|Rod Heikel|Greek Waters Pilot|Imray|Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire (2010)|9780852889718}}, expands to - Rod Heikell, Greek Waters Pilot, Imray Laurie and Wilson, Cambridgeshire (2010), ISBN 9780852889718
- Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number
- Author, Title, Publisher, ISBN ISBN number
You may want to remove the above entries and use instead a link to the Country or Region that lists the relevant references. If so enter, after removing {{MagentaText|xx}}, the following:
See [[Country or Region#References_&_Publications|Coutry or Region]].
If you do not use the above link, please remove it.
Comments
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