Martinique - Grenada Suggestions

[ian_martin]

Originally Posted by poiu

Well, I was burgled there. By the security guards I suspect - so much use they are. They tried to extort protection money from me and to shake me down faster they constructed a break-in when I was away. I left the matter with the management to deal with. I haven't been back.

Like I said, I think I've been fairly lucky. It's a nasty business to be burgled by the people supposedly looking out for you.

What about Marigot? I seem to recall that was OK?


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[belizesailor]

Damn, maybe I'll stay in Guatemala where its safe!

If we want to stick with a day sail schedule, are there marinas in St. Vincent/St Lucia where security doesn't shake you down?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by poiu

The only incident I know about is at Frigate Island, where a cruiser anchored alone was brutally and pointlessly attacked by moronic youths with a machete. They caught the attackers, who are in jail now. It shouldn't happen again there, at least not by the same vermin who did it last time.

I know of nothing and can find no records of anything happening in Chatham Bay and no murders in these places.

You can't find everything on the net. Chatham Bay has been (and may still be) intensely used by drugs smuggling operations. There have been armed groups active there for a long time. There was a shooting the last time we anchored there, but I read that it has calmed down since end 2013.

Here's some extra info, read down the page past my post: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-112685-4.html

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Damn, maybe I'll stay in Guatemala where its safe!

If we want to stick with a day sail schedule, are there marinas in St. Vincent/St Lucia where security doesn't shake you down?

Just skip them BelizeSailor... the risk is not worth it. Bequia, then the Tobago Keys, Clifton Harbor, Sandy Island @ Carriacou, Tyrell Bay, then down to Grenada.

Edit: Rodney Bay to Bequia is a daysail, just leave t sunrise.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Just skip them BelizeSailor... the risk is not worth it. Bequia, then the Tobago Keys, Clifton Harbor, Sandy Island @ Carriacou, Tyrell Bay, then down to Grenada.

Edit: Rodney Bay to Bequia is a daysail, just leave t sunrise.

Sounds like a better plan. An early departure for Bequia...then a little cruising in the Grenadines.

[monte]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

So even your own friends have been boarded and robbed one night before you came and just because you escaped that you now recommend it as "It's ok" ? That is really hard to understand for me... or is it that being robbed and running the gauntlet is "ok" for you?







Not agree on Rodney Bay. Some of the most gruesome rapes, tortures and murders have happened there and cruisers are the specific target.



On Union Island, both in Chatham Bay and Frigate Island, multiple cruisers have been murdered. Clifton is okay.



The rest from your list I agree with

Yes Jedi, some things fall in the acceptable risk category.. If we stayed away from every anchorage or town that ever had a boarding, robbery or assault we'd likely be drifting mid ocean wondering where to make landfall. There are bad elements in all societies. One of the problems with the islands is that a lot of locals want to leave and make a life in the USA. When they get a chance to go if they are convicted of any crimes there they are deported back to their island, which increases the criminal ratio per capita. The decent locals are also frustrated with the crime/drug situation and are also victims of the same crimes as cruisers.
If anyone stops at Chateaubelair they will likely be greeted by the only boat boy George on his paddleboard. He's a decent kid and pretty funny to talk to. He tries to keep an eye out over the anchorage, but he's a kid so he can only do so much.
Most boardings are opportunistic. They just want to steal some cash and electronics so it's not a bad idea to keep those locked and out of site. Most of the robberies follow a similar MO. Charterers anchor or pick up a buoy, all jump in the dinghy and head to a restaurant for dinner and return to wet footprints and missing cash and iPhones. The other MO is to swim out after lights out, sneak in the saloon and steal cash/electronics and steal a paddleboard to get back to the beach. Both those situations can be dealt with pretty well by locking hatches and doors before heading to shore and keeping the companionway hatch secured at night and valuables out of the cockpit. We usually leave the cockpit light on and have some tethers attached to the hatches to limit opening to a few inches.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by monte

...
Most boardings are opportunistic. ... Both those situations can be dealt with pretty well by locking hatches and doors before heading to shore and keeping the companionway hatch secured at night and valuables out of the cockpit. We usually leave the cockpit light on and have some tethers attached to the hatches to limit opening to a few inches.

Or having a german shepherd aboard!

Hard to beat K9 security. I dont cruise with a dog, but have 5 at home in Guate...never a problem.

[s/v Jedi]

Ah I see it now, one has to go to an anchorage where it's likely to be assaulted because these criminals also assault the good people who live there.

[monte]

its not looking great for heading south on the 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th at this stage...ugh..

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by monte

its not looking great for heading south on the 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th at this stage...ugh..

Well, boats and schedules.

Im not arriving until late on the 6th. We will have a couple of days of prep to do. Hopefully by then conditions will look better. If not, at leasts its only short distances.

[belizesailor]

Paper work delays. Starting our travels toward Martinique today, but won't likely get the deal closed till next week.

[belizesailor]

SIM chip suggestions? Is there a carrier that covers more islands than others or is it necessary to get a new SIM in each country on this route?

[olianta]

Originally Posted by monte

If anyone stops at Chateaubelair they will likely be greeted by the only boat boy George on his paddleboard. He's a decent kid and pretty funny to talk to. He tries to keep an eye out over the anchorage, but he's a kid so he can only do so much.
.

I concur to that opinion. On December 16th last year we (a crew of 3) anchored in the bay on my 37' Furia in order to check out and George was there to meet us and to indicate a good spot to drop our anchor opposite the local restaurant (happily no mooring balls in this bay). He was very social and offered to bring us some fresh fruit. I decided to go further and gave him 100 ECD to buy us some food from the restaurant It was getting dark. After an hour my crew was looking at me victoriously (as they betted against my belief in George's honesty) but soon George came back paddling his board bringing lots of food and fruit and cash to return. I left him the cash and he was thankful stating that it will be enough for the local dentist to fix his tooth. Food was abundant and tasty. Soon appeared his friend Fitzroy,another paddle board boy. I offered him some Irish whisky, he liked it. We chatted a lot, I taught them some geography about the place we were coming from (the Black Sea). Then I told them we were tired and wanted to rest so they both left us in the dark. Early in the morning, still dark, I heard some strange noise and jumped up in the cockpit to see a naked boy (neither George nor Fitz) trying to board from the stern. He has come by swim and carried a spear in his hand. He told me he was told to come here to take us to spearfish. I told him he has got the wrong boat (we were only two boats in the bay) and he swam off. Not long after I heard loud voices from direction of the other yacht which anchored off very soon. We stayed for the morning. Fitz came back and we chatted again. Talking about Laborie, the place on Saint Lucia we have anchored the previous week, he said it was the most dangerous place because of the local drug dealers who have organized cannabis growing in the high fields of Saint Vincent, selling it to Martinique from where purchased brand new cars (it was true we saw a lot of new SUVs in Laborie). By the way if you happen to anchor there choose the east side of the ancho are and pay a visit to Mama Tilly's small barbecue on the steer up from the small dock on a corner opposite the police station. The best and cheapest food we did have in the east Caribbean.

What I am trying to say is that in those less touristic places yachtsmen should be more careful and dealing friendly with the local people giving them some small money and things (I gave Fitz my iPhone earphones and he was happy).

Sorry for the long post.

Rumen


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[AZ_Zoner]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

SIM chip suggestions? Is there a carrier that covers more islands than others or is it necessary to get a new SIM in each country on this route?

We just picked up a digicel sim in Beguia. The rep said it was good to use down to Grenada and back north to St Lucia.

Craig


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[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by AZ_Zoner

We just picked up a digicel sim in Beguia. The rep said it was good to use down to Grenada and back north to St Lucia.

Craig


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I picked up a DigiCel SIM in Martinique. Having trouble getting data to work on my phone, but Voice & SMS work.