Chartering in St. Lucia, Martinique?

[Contango]

Anyone have experience or advice for chartering in St. Lucia? I'm considering "DSL Yachting," which is a small company run by 2 Austrians. Anyone know them?
Any anchorages in St. Lucia or Martinique that are 'great,', 'horrible', etc?

[Faster]

Can't help you with the Charter outfit, but a "can't miss" anchorage on St Lucia is in the shadow of the Pitons.. There's a restaurant there and they manage a series of mooring buoys for reasonable rates, (free, I think, if you patronize the restaurant). The nearby town of Souffries (sp?) is another possibility, but our hosts/guides were not keen on it. They also tend to avoid Rodney Bay due to rumoured theft and vandalism of late.

On Martinique a "must see" is St Pierre - the city devastated by the eruption of the still-impressive Mt Pele... recovered and vibrant, there is still much evidence of that cataclysmic event. The tour of the DePas rum distillery is worth the walk up the hill too. There are numerous small bays in addition to Le Marin which is a major marina and resupply point, but the anchorage just south of there off the village of St Annes is quieter and more pleasant.

[Contango]

Thanks, Faster. Know of any reasonable hotels on the south end of St. Lucia? We arrive at 9:00pm and have until the next afternoon to get to the charter company in Rodney Bay.

[Faster]

Sorry, can't help there.. we have only ever stayed on board at St Lucia and in fact have generally mostly passed through there.

[Yorksailor]

Stayed at Bay Garden Hotel in Rodney Bay last week for $75/night. DCL's boats look in reasonable shape...we were on a dock near them last week.

From the Pitons we always miss out St Vincent and sail down to the Grenadines clearing in Bequia because of the reported crime in St Vincent...

Bequia, Union Island, Mustique and Tobago Key are lovely especially Tobago Key which is my grandson's 'favoritist place in the word" and should not be missed. Happy Island in Union is one of the most unique bars in the Caribbean...not only did Janti, the owner, build the bar he built the island it is sitting on!!!

What happened to Union and Janti

The Grenadines are easily done in a week if you make Rodney Bay or Pitons/Bequia in one run and the anchorages are mnore cruiser friendly than St Lucia.

If you leave the Pitons at dawn you get to Bequia at a reasonable time and the passage between St Lucia and St Vincent is a great sail.

[Faster]

I'd agree that the Grenadines are great destinations, and that the trip from the Pitons through to Bequia is a terrific passage, watch for stronger winds when passing the north end of St Vincent, and possibly large swells in Bequia channel if the trades are up.

FWIW we've spent time in a small bay (Petit Bayou?) on St Vincent, as well as Wallillaboo Bay without incident, and cleared SVG customs at Chateaublaire also without incident. Plenty of evident ganja plantations at the north end, though, so no doubt there's a bit of a drug culture there...

If you head that way, though technically not in the Grenadines, Carriacou is delightfully laid back.. kind of like Domineca South.....

[Yorksailor]

Chateaubelaire is now on the 'security nets' avoid list because of a recent armed robbery on a boat at anchor.

[Faster]

Originally Posted by Yorksailor

Chateaubelaire is now on the 'security nets' avoid list because of a recent armed robbery on a boat at anchor.

Thanks Yorksailor.... that's good (current) information - just goes to show situations are always in flux. We're heading down in a month, but hanging around Antigua/Barbuda for a couple of weeks.

[TQA]

Martinique Avoid Fort de France as an anchorage it almost always rolls. The south side of the bay is better.

Grande Anse D'Arlet just south of Fort de France is one of my all time favourite spots. Dinghy in at 6.55 walk up the road and get a fresh baguete for breakfast. Good snorkeling off the south side point.

If you are in St Lucia on Friday go to the "Jump up" at Gros Islet after climbing the steps to the old Fort at Pidgeon Point and watching the sunset.