Landfall in the Caribbean

[Sauntress]

That is exactly what we have in mind. The big racing mainsail is below decks. And to add interest we carry a square yard and sail a la Claud Worth. It works too.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Sauntress

That is exactly what we have in mind. The big racing mainsail is below decks. And to add interest we carry a square yard and sail a la Claud Worth. It works too.

the square sail will come in handy if going to tobago from the cape verdes with ENE winds,run the sheets back to the tiller and the boat should steer herself

[Sauntress]

It already has, 2000 nm from Galicia and used more often than not. Time for supper!

[Stewie12]

I would pass on Barbados and make for Bequia. You should be able to make that under sail. Protected anchorage.

[onavegador]

As Stewie wrote, I would also pass on Barbados. The anchorage is very well protected and it is not absolutely necessary to moor in the deepwater harbour for clearance. I now sailors who sailed with the dinghy carenage harbour and as pedestrian to the deepwater harbour. The officials are very friendly and helpfull as not often found on the Caribbean islands.
Fair winds and good luck.
James

[Sauntress]

Thank you for that.. I will research Bequia. At the moment head buried in charts and ,guides. Every bit helps.

[Dsanduril]

I'll respectfully disagree. I'm not a huge fan of the anchorage at Barbados (as noted above) but personally I find Bequia to have all of the same problems and none of the redeeming features that I found ashore at Barbados.

It's all personal opinion at that point, and I've offered mine.

If I wanted the absolute easiest approach, aside from the wallet, I'd sail into Mustique and pick up a mooring ($USD 85 for three days last year - same cost for one day). You have to take a mooring, and the shore facilities are for the rich and famous, but the approach is dead simple, it is quiet, and the officials were the friendliest we encountered in the Caribbean. The harbormaster will come out in his launch and lend a hand at the mooring, which could be a benefit under sail.

The island is not really my scene (I am neither rich nor famous), but for coming off a long passage and making a sailing approach it would be nice, quiet, and peaceful, not something I find in either Barbados or Bequia.

[doublewide]

These anchorages are dead-easy for an engineless boat to anchor off, and then dinghy in to customs:
Prickly Bay, Grenada
Tyrell Bay, Carriacou
Admiralty Bay/Port Elizabeth, Bequia
Rodney Bay, St Lucia
Le Marin, Martinique
Fort de France, Martinique
Terre d'Haut, Guadeloupe
Deshaies, Guadeloupe
Prince Rupert Bay/Portsmouth, Dominica
Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
(Jolly Harbour, Antigua may look easy, too, but is a false friend for an engineless boat as they require you to come alongside the customs dock in the inner harbour.)
Charlestown, Nevis
Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda
Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas
questions, feel free to PM me.
Cheers.

[Noisykate]

We stopped in Barbados, and checked in at Port St Charles, avoiding what can be day-long queues in Bridgetown, where the cruise ships check in. Anchor off (small marina for superyachts only) dinghy in to the welcoming and friendly yacht club; customs, harbour master, immigration and whatever the other one was all on the same building. Markets within walking distance. We did go on down to Bridgetown and anchored in Carlisle bay, but definitely recommend Port st Charls. We went back up there to check out.

[scallowayuk]

Mi leaving las palmas tomorrow for barbados.clear in at port st charles.much easier than carslile bay.ancour outside the harbour go in in the dinghy.there very friendly

[Sauntress]

That is helpful. Private marina inside I think?

[atoll]

Originally Posted by doublewide

These anchorages are dead-easy for an engineless boat to anchor off, and then dinghy in to customs:
Prickly Bay, Grenada
Tyrell Bay, Carriacou
Admiralty Bay/Port Elizabeth, Bequia
Rodney Bay, St Lucia
Le Marin, Martinique
Fort de France, Martinique
Terre d'Haut, Guadeloupe
Deshaies, Guadeloupe
Prince Rupert Bay/Portsmouth, Dominica
Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
(Jolly Harbour, Antigua may look easy, too, but is a false friend for an engineless boat as they require you to come alongside the customs dock in the inner harbour.)
Charlestown, Nevis
Simpson Bay, St Maarten
Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda
Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas
questions, feel free to PM me.
Cheers.

good list there!
probably the best guide you could get for you is one of the early ones by don streets,who describes sailing in to many anchorages in the cariibean engineless .

big problem you will find is many of the islands are quite high which creates a wind shadow behind many of the islands.

in the list above you will notice all those anchorages are either at the north or south end of the island ,or on a south coast where the wind is not blocked.
sailing about 5miles off or within a gunshot of the shore was don streets advice for enginless vessels.

[double u]

Can vouch for Tyrell bay, Carriacou end of 2018

[Sauntress]

Yes it is a good list. Take a while to digest. I have Don Street on the Cape Verde where we are and in that he has a bit on after the crossing including the pistol shot comment. So I will try to track down an early Street.

[maine50]

I don't think you have to come into the Jolly Harbor dock. We certainly didn't in 2018. We anchored outside in the anchorage and dinghied in. Also Jolly Harbor saves a lot of "park fees" charged at English/Falmouth harbor entry. Once you check in at Jolly you can then proceed to Falmouth and anchor omitting the park fees.