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05-02-2011, 08:24
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#1
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Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Antonio,TX
Boat: Robertson & Caine 4600 Cat
Posts: 81
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St. Barths Anchorage
Going down to St. Barts for a day/night next week. Understand anchorage in Gustavia harbor is very crowded & next to impossible to find a spot. Any recommendations on best alternative with an accessible dink ride to town dock.
Thanks
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05-02-2011, 09:11
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#2
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 51,756
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Anse Columbier; but not close to anything.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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05-02-2011, 09:29
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#3
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 31,258
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But if you've a rib with a decent motor you can zip through the 'cut' and be in town in 15mins....
__________________

You can't oppress a people for so many decades and have them say.. "I Love You.. ".
"It is better to die standing proud, than to live a lifetime on ones knees.."
Self Defence is no excuse for Genocide...
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05-02-2011, 10:39
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Boat: Prout 46
Posts: 166
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There is also a trail from the beach (about a 20 minute walk) to a road where you can thumb down a ride into town. GREAT anchorage! Wish I was there right now.
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05-02-2011, 12:24
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: On the boat - Carib, Chesapeake
Boat: 58 Taswell AS
Posts: 1,139
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Columbier is not an "anchorage" as it is a marine preserve and anchoring is discouraged but the moorings are free. You are supposed to check in at customs and imigration at Gustavia before going to Columbier but we have dinghied in to clear after picking up a mooring. Just tell them the boat is in the harbor - they never check. Nasty out there right now. Can't see Gustavia from my condo at the entrance to Oyster pond but is probably rocking and rolling.
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05-02-2011, 16:45
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Jeanneau 57
Posts: 2,369
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I was in Colombier four nights ago and prefer it over Gustavia. You can anchor there, but the wardens prefer it if you take a mooring ball. You can anchor between the two mooring fields in 15 feet or so of water in sand. The mooring balls have no pennants, which can make it difficult to pick them up; if you do go there take the northern mooring field as the southern one can get backwinded and I ended up getting tangled mooring lines there and had to cut them away!
There is lots of room in the Gustavia anchorages and the holding in 20-25 feet is excellent with sand and clear water (lots of turtles) but there is always a swell that can get uncomfortable. The inside med-mooring places tend to be reserved for the megayachts but you can get a slot there if you ask at the capitanerie, the prices are similar to alongside dockspace elsewhere.
See http://www.sv-zanshin.com/BlogPages/Blog2011-01-31.html for some pictures of St. Barths and Colombier
 (Zanshin is the blue boat close to the big rocky island, I was there just to clear in before heading to Colombier)
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16-02-2011, 10:45
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Punta Gorda/Kentucky
Boat: PDQ 32 LRC
Posts: 520
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I anchored in Gustavia twice last year, once in March and once in early Dec. Yes, it gets crowded, but it's a big area and I had no problem finding a spot.
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16-02-2011, 13:55
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Jeanneau 57
Posts: 2,369
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I was there again yesterday, both Gustavia and Colombier. The rule for Colombier is that you should take a mooring if less than 60' but if they are taken you can anchor between and outside of the two mooring fields, just no closer inshore than the inner line of buoys. Most nights one gets backwinded there, so make sure you have sufficient swinging room when anchoring.
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17-02-2011, 07:49
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#9
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanshin
I was there again yesterday, both Gustavia and Colombier.
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Good to see you last night back in St Martin.
Damn fine area for cruising
Theres meant to be a bit of northly swell for a few days up to 4 meters on Tuesday (for Americans 4 meters is 5,300 feet). How does St Barts go in northerlys?
Mark
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18-02-2011, 05:29
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Jeanneau 57
Posts: 2,369
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It isn't comfortable in northerlies - Gustavia outside only in a big catamaran and I'd tuck in on the north side of the Colombier moorings and might set a kedge since one gets backwinded most nights and sitting sideways to that swell won't be any fun.
I'm getting batteries at Island Waterworld today, installing them and escaping to the North Sound in the BVI tomorrow and that is always well-protected. I didn't look at next week's WindGuru or other weather, just saw that for the next 2 days the winds are light and the waves are 2m or more but with a 10 second period so the crossing won't be too bad. Where are you off to next? Perhaps I'll see you at Barnacle's tonight.
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18-02-2011, 06:29
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#11
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 31,258
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ
Good to see you last night back in St Martin.
Damn fine area for cruising
Theres meant to be a bit of northly swell for a few days up to 4 meters on Tuesday (for Americans 4 meters is 5,300 feet). How does St Barts go in northerlys?
Mark
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Mark... anchor in the Nth corner of Gran Case.... give yourself a pleasant change and you don't get the swell.... no pole dancers tho'...
__________________

You can't oppress a people for so many decades and have them say.. "I Love You.. ".
"It is better to die standing proud, than to live a lifetime on ones knees.."
Self Defence is no excuse for Genocide...
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18-02-2011, 06:31
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#12
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanshin
. Where are you off to next? Perhaps I'll see you at Barnacle's tonight.
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here till after the Heineken Regatta then St Barts and SAntigua for Sailing Week.
I'll be in the Yacht Club at 5pm for the 5.30 opening. If you have time come down there for a beer. Then probably Lagoonies is having an Open Mic night (younger crowd) or Barnacles. Later Soggy Dollar bar. A full night of fun and money wastage
Mark
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18-02-2011, 06:50
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Jeanneau 57
Posts: 2,369
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Hello Mark & see you at one of those watering holes! I'm in Marigot now and the swell is starting to kick in despite my being anchored close to the ferry terminal so I might finish my battery work, take a long nap until midnight and then do a night sail before conditions here making sleeping impossible.
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18-02-2011, 08:28
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#14
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Elvish meaning 'Far-Wanderer'
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boat - Greece - Me - Michigan
Boat: 56' Fountaine Pajot Marquises
Posts: 3,489
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61
Mark... anchor in the Nth corner of Gran Case.... give yourself a pleasant change and you don't get the swell.... no pole dancers tho'...
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I don't like Gran Case for an anchorage unless the weather is benign. Anse Marcel is much better imo. If the concern is a north swell, Pinel is the spot to be. Or, Simpson Bay.
Good luck Zanshin. I enjoyed the latest updates to your website. Mark, we'll be in SXM for the Regatta also. Maybe we'll see you around. Sounds like if we hang out in a bar long enough, you'll show up BEER = GOOD
__________________
Our course is set for an uncharted sea
Dante
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18-02-2011, 08:41
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#15
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Palarran
Mark, we'll be in SXM for the Regatta also. Maybe we'll see you around. Sounds like if we hang out in a bar long enough, you'll show up  BEER = GOOD
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Great!!!! See you when you arrive.
Mark
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