Ok, we got there, got the food/drink, got the boat – so now it’s time to get going. The sailors will be interested in this stuff – so let’s get that done while we save the Touring, Eating & Drinking for the next installment

Customs & Immigration: - Just Part of the Adventure
Since we were visiting St. Barths, Nevis/St. Kitts and Statia, this would be a necessary duty at each stop. Make sure you have the boat papers (we used a copy but had originals too and Moorings also gave us a summary sheet with all the key boat data). I also copied other Captain ideas = Crew data sheet – just Passport elements organized onto one sheet which saved digging thru passport every time while filling out forms. Yes, you will have to use their forms so don’t worry about copies of yours. So here we go.

1)Gustavia, St. Barths – The easiest & most pleasant
Met 2 agents both very efficient & friendly. Bruno on the front end was mentioned by Bow in his info to me was extra friendly and even inquired how we enjoyed our visit when he passed by as we were checking out with the 2nd agent.
You can’t miss the modern building at the dock (see cruising guide) with the sign Captainaire (sp). We arrived after they closed on Sat (5/23) afternoon, so we showed up early Sunday (5/24) – Bruno handed us a couple of forms, we filled them out in the air conditioned comfy lobby area. Returned them to Bruno, It was done in less than 15 mins including getting a stamp (our request) in our passports. No $$ were collected up front and since we were not exactly sure when we were checking out – he said, no problem just come back when you are ready. Check out (5/25) was simple even when we were not actually leaving until the next am……Cost = $22.30 euro and a breeze to get done. Vive La France!!!

The marine park office & fees are a separate deal. But their hours are limited and honestly we never connected.

2) Nevis – Talk about ilon time.
Once again we arrived late in the afternoon and this time after a long sail, so we decided to wait to the next am. I recommend getting plenty of sleep before tackling this task at this island. Honestly, I give them a little benefit of doubt because the computer was down plus they had a very unhappy (barefoot & cursing too) Captain off a small commercial boat that was a distraction throughout the process.
We were 3rd in line when arriving bright & early at the office which is within the ferry dock area of Charlestown and noted in the cruising guide. About 40 mins later, I (Captain only) finally got in to start the process. That would only be step one in a 4 step process. Step 2 was walking to the Police Station to complete Immigration. Step 3 was the Port Authority office (back at Ferry complex) to take care of Mooring fees and then Step 4 was back to Customs to prove you did all that. The total time was approx 2 hrs – where’s the bar?
I did ask and receive a Coastwise pass that allowed me to visit other harbors in the Federation (Nevis & St. Kitts) although there seems to be some confusion on whether you have to check into St. Kitts when you get there (I did not). Total Costs = $101 ec which included the Mooring fee.

3)St. Kitts – Does not get easier
I needed to check out of the Federation which required a stop at Customs. Since it was so much “fun” in Nevis, I decided to add even more excitement by leaving on Whit Monday which is a legal holiday. I did check with them on Saturday 5/30 at Port Zante in the midst of a Cruise ship loading up the hoards and was told no problem – the staff would be on duty. Sure enough, I called then in the am on the VHF from White House Bay and they responded no problem and that they would be at Port Zante between 10-10:30am. I’ll skip the blow by blow but with only one agent and 3 of us trying to get either in or out it took awhile. His computer was working and it appeared he checked me in & out at the same time. It did not cost anymore than what I paid in Nevis but it took time and lots of stamping. At least an hour but who’s counting. Add’l cost = 0

4)Statia - Back to easy Street
Arrived in time to catch the office (located at the commercial dock / port area) open (did not seem like they observed Whit Monday) and it was a very simple one page form and pay the fee. We were sent next door to the Immigration office when they saw a Police officer pull up in his car……quick look & he stamped our passports with dates to match Customs form. Cost = $20 usd and 15 mins.
I returned a couple of days later to ask about checking out early the next day and the lady just did it right then even though I did not have my receipt with me (she just looked up the copy) and I was all set with one less thing to do the next am.

So all in all, not too bad. Interesting to see how each country handles it and if you go with the right attitude, it can be very entertaining. We dressed appropriately and I even shaved (I think) to make sure we looked like people they would like to have in their country. We fooled each one. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Note: Costs might/will vary based on boat type & size, crew size, length of stay, etc

Anchorages – Gotta Stop at some point

1) Gustavia, St. Barths – Rock n’ Roll – 5/23 & 5/24
The woman at Waypoints (navigation store) mentioned that this Harbor has many cross-currents. Her words were ringing in my ear as I arrived to find masts (even the Cats – you wise guys) swinging in the air. I was shocked to see so many boats in late May. The “best” place we found was over at Anse du Corossol. The Fort Oscar area was packed and Moorings did not allow us to go into the inner harbor. So we found a slice of water in the midst of a bunch of local, cruisers and charter boats, then dropped our anchor. Let the rolling begin………it was so bad that my crew needed sea sickness pills & slept in the cockpit that night. It was slightly better the next night (we spent almost all day ashore) and we left the afternoon of Monday 5/25 for Anse du Colombier to escape the rolling even if it added a couple of miles to our trip the next day.
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Colombier is part of the Marine Park and has moorings without real painters. Thanks to help from a couple of nearby American sailors on a Sunsail 47’ monohull, we finally got ourselves on. A very pleasant anchorage and the rolling was over.

2)Charlestown, Nevis – Have a Ball – 5/26 – 5/29
It’s true – the Port Authority has installed at least 100 mooring balls (look just like moor-secure in BVI and in very good / new shape) in the anchorage that extends from the Ferry dock all the way to the closed 4 Seasons hotel plus more up and around the coast even on the north coast.
So when we arrived, there was only a ½ dozen boats to be seen so we kept our distance and picked a ball away from the crowd between Sunshine’s and the Double Deuce. I did not factor in the loud music factor in my selection but it only hit us one night (Friday 5/29).
It was a little rolly at times but no where as bad as St.B. At times, the winds died and the boat just wandered all around the mooring…..adding bottom paint to lines & boat – no fairleads on bow…..overall, was just fine.

Note: we heard there might be Boat boys / men at Nevis. We never saw any or were bothered by anyone. The Taxi drivers were very opportunistic as they would hang by the dinghy dock often waving & helping with advice. Then quickly hitting you with their sales pitch once you were starting to hit the dock. Happened almost every time we came in plus if they missed there, you were asked repeatedly while walking the street. It was very slow. We actually called one that we met the 1st day and since he was busy sent us to another very nice man who I’ll mention in the touring section.

3)White House Bay, St, Kitts – Away from it all - 5/30 & 5/31
Again, Moorings restrictions only gave us a couple of choices. So we decided to pick a location recommended in the cruising guide in southern St. Kitts. It worked out well even if it was pretty far from Basseterre. We anchored and it was just us and a small Cat (that beautiful little Swan in the photo kept showing up - was in Corossol then it was in the anchorage when we arrived but was gone when we got back from town - probably heard my plans to hijack <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />). Very quiet and not rolly at all. The surprise here is that a developer has re-named the harbor, put in a new little dock, a couple of private moorings and has put signs in saying that it is private property……….humm. It appears that the land around the water is being graded for construction but we ignored the signs and nothing was said or done……maybe because it was a holiday weekend. The road to town runs right by the anchorage with plenty of taxi & local $ van traffic. The taxi fare from Basseterre was $25usd.
Very pleasant anchorage.
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Note: We stopped at the Port Zante Marina for water on Mon 6/1 plus we walked thru on Sat 5/30. Very nice dock master – Charles and the facilities are very new. They use pilings for bow lines as you move stern to…….we came along side for water. It is part of the Cruise ship and tourist development area. Kinda like downtown Disney in Basseterre.

4)Oranjestad (Oranje Baai), Statia – Where am I? - 6/1 – 6/3
The only way to describe this place is to mention Houston, Newark or any oil producing country in the middle east. We did not know and the cruising guide really does not mention that this island is a MAJOR oil trading depot.

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I have not seen the size and type of Ships and ocean going Tugs anywhere in the Caribbean. They operate 24/7 and could care less if you are on a mooring ball inside the Marine park less than 100 yds away from their comm’l dock. They have a loading / unloading facility about a mile north which can handle 2 very large ships at a time and there is even a pipeline mooring about 4 miles North about a mile offshore. It was not unusual to see 6 – 10 ships anchored. Add to this “natural beauty”, the island / anchorage has exposure to the south which is where the water flows in. Rolly, noisy and not pretty at all. We paid ($30usd – it’s $10 a night or $30 for 3 to 7 nights) for the mooring (well maintained) at the Marine park office on the harbor road. Very nice people, inexpensive internet (4 desk tops) and lots of help / advice about the island.
I will not return to this anchorage ever again.
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5)Il Fourchue, St. Barths – Beautiful – we deserved it - 6/4 -6/5
Decided to find a place close enough to base for a short last am hop but one we could go in a day+ early and enjoy. Heard so much about the place and since we suffered thru more than our share of rolling and whatever Statia was, it was wonderful.
Marine park moorings (free - no one to pay) similar to Colombier but with a short painter – we nailed it 1st time. There are about 10 moorings and only ½ were being used on day one then only 3 when we left Sat am. No rolling but we got plenty of wind & gusts (often > than 20 kts even saw a 30kt) as the weather has stiffened by that time. The cuts/gaps in the hills do not block enough but the moorings were in good shape.
Great way to end the trip.
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Fuel & Water – You will run out sooner or later

Since we were doing out 1st 14 day charter, I knew we would need to identify re-filling locations. After the chart briefing, I was not feeling warm & fuzzy.

1) Gustavia, St. Barths – too early for us
I saw boats taking on water along side the town docks inside the harbor and I think the Port Authority controls that………….I did not see any fueling. Since we had just left the base, we did not have any needs. There was a gas station at the airport that could be used for dinghy fuel. Since the Customs folks are so helpful, just ask them

2) Charlestown, Nevis – Considered it
Water was available from the Port Authority at the ferry dock. It’s not a friendly to yacht looking dock = 100% concrete with big hard rubber strips in place and a hose they admit is not good……….suggested we use our own which we did not have one aboard. We passed. Understood that fuel could be arranged but we did not need. I did refill the Dinghy fuel by walking to the nearby (10 mins) gas station and buying outboard 2 stroke oil because they do not offer mixing for you.

3) Basseterre, St. Kitts – Did it – Got it 6/1
We ran our 2nd (and last) tank completely dry that am……..so it was a necessity at that point. Not the situation we wanted to be in on a Holiday but since we anticipated it 2 days before and “arranged” a stop at Port Zante Marina, it worked out. We got nervous when we could not raise the dock master early (8am ish) when he told us to contact him. But add a little ilon time and it all worked out. Kinda tight entry into marina and it was pretty full. I thought I was going along side in a wide open area on the far side then he directed me to come along side between two stern to docked boats – did not look like it was bigger than 43’ but I guess it was………..water and ice available ($ 21.70 usd). Fuel has to be arranged. Dinghy fuel = saw a couple of gas stations in town but I did not need at that point.

4) Statia – Never asked…………….But it would be a big challenge

We only used about a ½ tank of diesel during the charter although a faulty gauge only showed ¾ at the start and for most of the 1st week.

Dinghy Docks – or lack there of

1) Gustavia, St. Barths – one main area in the inner harbor near the Customs & marine park office is set aside for dinghies. The wall is painted yellow (don’t confuse the one earlier near ferry dock), has small cleats & rings and even a ladder in one area. It gets crowded but was not too bad. We locked but many did not.

2) Charlestown, Nevis – Not really
Cruising guide calls it a dinghy dock. I would not. It’s a tall dock (more like a fishing dock) with a lower level accessed by stairs and then one ladder down to dinghy level. It is also used by locals & their runabouts. So the procedure is make your way to the ladder area, unload your crew & contents, let them walk up to the top level, throw them the line & cable and the you step off. Then adjust the location of your dinghy away from the ladder so others can get in. It was also suggested & I did use a stern dinghy anchor to combat the surge that pushed the dinghies under the dock. However, the holding was so poor that the anchor did not really work that well. I locked here too. Crazy dock.

3) Oranjestad (Oranje Baai), Statia – Not Really Again
Since this is truly a commercial dock area with a sprinkling of Dive operators, it was not dinghy friendly. There were 2 choices. The 1st one we used before we found the 2nd. It was a small and older stub of a concrete dock closest to the mooring balls and closest to the marine park office.
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There was a ladder on the North side which was the only access onto a high concrete wall. There was lots of surge – so you pulled up to the ladder between a local boat that never moved and a dive dinghy, the crew grabbed the ladder & scrambled off holding the line while you threw out the stern anchor (good holding albeit rocky) and then you scramble out and slide the dinghy to the side then watch it bounce off the wall & 2 other vessels. The 2nd choice we found after a day or so hidden in the new commercial dock area. This was not much better but there was no surge or if there was the boats were so wedged in that nobody moved. There were steps down to a small lower concrete dock. The problem was that you were not allowed to lock a dinghy in that area (See Yellow in Picture below - left side of dock) and it was only small access to that area. So the drill was push your way into the stack, crew walked or scrambled over other dinghies, clung to the cleat or wood frame and tight roped over to the landing, you then throw the line & lock, then you repeat tight rope act. Priceless..
We were the only ones using a lock
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Navigation - Are We there yet?
Moorings sent a chartlet marking their restricted areas along with a cruising guide before we left home. I bought my own cruising guide (same one – so I can mark & abuse yet still have one for the future) plus I bought my own charts to do preparation work.

Our original plan included visiting Saba but other sailors discouraged us then Moorings showed it as off limits. They would allow if we signed a waiver accepting all the risk & responsibility ($$$) for the boat. They said Sunsail lost a yacht when a mooring failed.
So we crossed that off the list. No worries, more days to see other places. My crew was a little bummed.

Moorings also restricted other areas & anchorages. One that really surprised me & affected our planning was the Narrows between St. Kitts & Nevis. They felt it was too much current and that the local fisherman were stringing fish traps & nets all over the channel. We took the dinghy to Oualie Beach on our last day and never saw any evidence of fishing activity plus there is a car ferry(s) that runs back and forth between the two islands in that area. Anyway, we adjusted our plans and went between Statia & St. Kitts to reach Nevis. Not a big deal.

Our Voyage ended up:
Oyster Pond, St. Martin to Gustavia, St. Barths, then Gustavia to Anse du Colombier, then Colombier to Charlestown Nevis, Charlestown to White House Bay, St. Kitts. Then White House Bay to Statia with a stop at Port Zante, Basseterre, St. Kitts for water and check out. Then Statia to Il Fourchue, then Il Fourchue to Oyster Pond. 149.3 nm ish

In almost all cases, the navigation was pretty standard stuff. St. Barths is visible from St, Martin on clear days……….and the French have some nav aids. The rest was a lot of open water, some fish traps where you would expect them (closer to shore – along the coast line). Everything is marked clearly on the charts and in the cruising guide.
No surprises.

OK, enough of that sailor stuff - the next & last (I heard that) installment will be all the stuff we did......and some sailing too. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />