St Lucia

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WorldNorth AtlanticCaribbeanLesser AntillesSt Lucia
St Lucia
13°53.725'N, 060°57.911'W Chart icon.png
Saint Luciamap.png
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Map
Saint Luciaflag.png
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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
The Pitons in St. Lucia

Weather

The climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August.

Weather links

Passages

Communication

  • Rodney Bay 0830 VHF 68 Monday-Saturday

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Navigation

Approaching Saint straight forward and presents no hazards.

Entrance

Arrival

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.

Customs and Immigration

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: see pet reqiurements St Lucia Veterinary Office Email. Or get Form St. Lucia for pet passpor.

It is possible for visiting yachts to stay for up to 6 months (crews are subject to immigration rules).

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 a great inconvenience for no apparent benefit. And remember to wear a shirt.

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

Key to symbols: |Port of entry icon – port of entry |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |Needs data icon – needs data ||
  • Castries Castries/wiki/Castries Port of entry icon – port of entry |Needs data icon – needs data |
  • Marigot BayMarigot Bay/wiki/Marigot_Bay_St_Lucia Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • SoufrièreSoufrière/wiki/Soufriere Port of entry icon – port of entry |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Rodney Bay Rodney Bay/wiki/Rodney_Bay Port of entry icon – port of entry |Marina icon – marina |Anchorage icon – anchorage |
  • Vieux Fort Vieux Fort/wiki/Vieux_Fort Port of entry icon – port of entry |Needs data icon – needs data |

Marinas

Amenities

See individual ports.

Provisioning

See individual ports.

Eating out

See individual ports.

Transportation

There are flights to England and to the US via Barbados. Also there are ferries from Rodney Bay to Martinique.

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

References

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
  • links to the government site and to visa form (both links in immigration section) are broken.

Working links are: Visa requirements list per country at - http://www.govt.lc/media.govt.lc/www/resources/publications/visa-requirements3.pdf Visa form is at - http://www.govt.lc/media.govt.lc/www/resources/forms/SaintLuciaVisaApplicationForm.pdf

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to St Lucia and this page's details validated:



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.


SailorSmiley.gifContributors to this page

Names: Lighthouse, Istioploos, TaoJones, Robwithers


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