Suggestions on proposed bareboat float plan

Planning a bareboat catamaran trip in Feb 2018 using Dream Yacht Charters. First time doing this in St. Martin. The crew likes to snorkel, and there will be a few divers. Will eat ~50% of dinners on shore and enjoy live music. We are putting together a rough float plan. Any thoughts/recommendations are welcome!

Sat: Travel day (try to land by ~4 pm since base closes at 6:00 pm), provision boat, boat check-out and sleep aboard

Sun: Chart briefing and underway in time for bridge openings. Head to Anguilla for snorkeling at Sandy Island and overnight in Road Bay

Mon: Stay around Anguilla. Snorkel at Dog Island or Prickly Pear Cays and overnight in Crocus Bay

Tues: Sail around north shore of Anguilla. Snorkel at Creole Rock and overnight in Grand Case (planed Tuesday night for street party scene)

Wed: Stay around St. Martin: Snorkel at Tintamarre and overnight in Orient Bay (Ile Pinel)

Thurs: Sail to St. Barths: Stop for lunch and snorkel at Ile Forchue and overnight in Gustavia

Friday: Stay around St. Barths: Overnight in Anse de Colombia

Saturday: Sail back to St. Martin. Overnight in Marigot or Simpson Bay

Sunday: Return boat by 11:00 (must coordinate with bridge openings), debrief and travel day


Notes: might consider SABA if conditions are ideal

Simply was recommended near Marigot for provisioning

Need to clarify check in/out of C&I rules and regulations

Thanks in advance!

Itinerary looks awesome to me, can we come? I'd come a day early so no stress worrying about flight delays and hunting for provisions. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> interested in full report.

Make sure you read about the cruising permits for Anguilla. They run midnight to midnight. So you have to buy 2 to stay 1 night.

Evenings ashore in Anguilla is really good.

Orient and Coloumbier have the least night life on your trip.

Have fun.

I like the plan - but don't forget about clearing in & out. Clearance for the French side if you are staying in Grand Case is just around the corner at Anse Marcel; that will cost just a couple of Euro versus the hefty charge they levy in Marigot. Clearance at St. Barths is in the Capitainerie in Gustavia.

Thanks for the insight.... great advice!

I'll read up on Anguilla cruising permits and be sure to check in at Anse Marcel vs. Marigot.

Is Anse Marcel a little far for a dinghy ride from Grand Case?

Sounds like a great plan. One suggestion. Don't be slave to a schedule. Things can get pretty interesting in the areas you have in mind. Best to plan each day as it comes depending on wind and sea conditions. Yes, a dinghy ride from Grand Case to Anse Marcel is a stretch. Depends on the dinghy and on the conditions. Sometimes hellacious sometimes just a long ride. Have a good time.

That's quite a plan! We did the same thing some (many) years back with Moorings out of Oyster Pond and I think we were almost as ambitious as you at first...

But we started slowing down, if we were in a nice spot it became very easy to change plans and stay another day. We ended up 2 or 3 nights in Anguilla and the rest around SXM, and it was plenty! St Barts can be quite an undertaking...we eventually blew it off and took it easy. You're really going to have fun either way.

I think your plan sounds good overall. Just a couple of observations.

I was going to mention the cruising permits also. I think "technically", you have to clear in at Road Bay *before* you go to the outer islands. I don't know how stringently they enforce that kind of thing but they seem to be a bit more formal on things than the rest of the area. Plus, the cruising fees are rather high (I think) so be prepared - like in the hundreds of dollars. Double-check.

Our itinerary is similar to yours with the difference that we start from Oyster Pond. We pre-clear out of St. Martin for the next day and then head up and around to Grande Case for the first night. Then we leave for Anguilla the next day. This means we don't have to go in to Anse Marcel to clear out. Don't know if you can pre-clear out from where you start or not.

I think it would be a long and potentially rough dinghy ride from Grande Case to Marcel.

We stay one night in Road Bay and then go around the North end and down to Orient Bay. You can anchor near Green Cay at the South end of the Bay or by Pinel. The best place to go ashore on Orient is at the South end at the Club Orient watersports hut. It's really the only place that is protected from the swells. Our first time, we just landed the dinghy in the surf by Pedros. Getting on shore wasn't bad but getting back out was, umm, a challenge.

I wrote it all up in a blog post Here if you want to read the gory details.

Note of course, that coming ashore at the South end of Orient means that you must walk through the Club Orient beach. Only you know whether that is "no big deal" or a deal breaker for your crew. The people there won't mind but you might feel odd if that is outside your comfort zone.

As noted elsewhere, don't expect to get dinner ashore at Orient. As far as I know, all the beach places close up by around 4:00 or 4:30. Same for the bars on Pinel. You *can* get dinner just off the beach in Orient Village (somewhat lengthy walk north from Club Orient but doable) but it will likely be dark when you are done and that makes getting back to the boat a bit dicey. If you do it, don't forget your flashlights and to leave your masthead light on.

There is no food (or anything for that matter) at Columbier on St. Barts - making it our favorite place...

We will be there this June so I'll have updated info after that if needed.

Happy to answer any other questions as well.

You'll have a blast.

Yes, it is a bit rough out there for a dinghy. I usually anchor in 10-12 feet inside Anse Marcel and dinghy in to the Capitainerie. I've found it to be rolly in Anse Marcel so only stay long enough to clear in/out and then go to Grand Case.
Another option is to anchor in Grand Case and take a bus to Marigot ($2) then clear in at Island Waterworld on the French side for a couple of Euro.

Great tips and insight. We always have "intentions" but that doesn't mean we have to stick to them. This is the entire crews first time sailing around St. Martin so we'll take it day to day once we are onboard. Always helps to have an outline though!

I like the idea of stopping in Marcel just to clear in and then moving on to Grand Case.

Is the captain always required to clear in the boat and crew.... or can that duty be performed by the mate?

Since DYC is located on the French side, it probably doesn't make sense to stay in Simpson Bay the last night (Saturday). I imagine we would have to clear in/out of the dutch side and clear in on the French side. Seems like staying in Marigot would make a lot more sense?

tmsxmsails... you are right- my online search states cruising permits for Anguilla are $100/day! Snorkeling better be good! Thanks for sharing your blog- enjoyed browsing. This group won't be shy about strolling Club Orient Beach... I'm sure we'll be anchoring by Green Cay! Look forward to your June trip report.

SXM-Anguilla-SBH is one of our favorite bareboat trips. We just did our fourth one in these islands last May. We charter out of Oyster Pond so our routing is a little different. Last trip went like this:
1st night at Grand Case
2 nights at Road Bay
1 night Crocus Bay
3 nights Gustavia
You might consider Grand Case your first night if you can get pre-check out. Not sure if you can do that from the Dutch side. I wouldn't let Tuesday night drive your GC decision. It’s fun just about any night.
We spend two nights at Road Bay so we can spend a full day on the beach at Shoal Bay. Grab a taxi. It’s beautiful.
After leaving Road Bay we picked up a park mooring at Little Bay and BBQ'd snorkeled and chilled. Then motored around the corner to Crocus for dinner ashore. Snorkeling at Little Bay is just OK, but a pretty spot to hang out.
Next day we sailed around the east end of Anguilla all the way to SBH. Lunched at Columbier then to Gustavia. Usually we overnight in Columbier, but this trip our college age kids wanted to spend more time on SBH. Thus 3 nights at Gustavia.
SBH is one of our favorites, but I was disappointed in the mooring conditions in Gustavia this time. They've allowed so many locals and live aboards to moor outside the harbor, that its tough to find a good place to anchor that isn't rolly.
You've got a fair amount of sailing in your itinerary. Keep in mind these anchorages are farther apart than the BVI. You'll probably get plenty of sailing in on your passages, let alone day trips to snorkeling spots.
We eat dinner ashore every night. Let me know if you would like recommendations.
Enjoy. I'm jealous!

Desertwinds- thanks for the insight.

Our departure day, Feb 4th, is Superbowl Sunday. Dream Yacht Charter is based in Marina Royale, on the French Side. If we can pre-check out perhaps we can watch the Superbowl in Grand Case and head up to Road Bay on Monday. Any suggestions on where to watch the game?

Good to know about the mooring situation in Gustavia. Ar there any moorings open for overnight use, or is anchoring the only option?

Any dining recommendations you have are welcome. Only places we have been told are Tropicana or Le Marrakech near the marina and the Pumphouse in Anguilla.

Thanks!

last time i was in gustavia, there were only moorings in the inner harbour. our charter company asked us not to go in the inner harbor. we anchored out and it was fine. in feb, you could have swell.

Last trip we were in Grand Case on Sunday. We had dinner at Calmos Café. Great food, live music and feet in the sand.
For the SB, I would open another thread and ask that question. Somebody will have an answer.
I would talk to your charter co. about mooring at SBH. Our problem was we had to go so far out to find good spacing that we were closer to Gros Ilets than the harbor. We only showered and slept on the boat so it wasn't a big deal.
On SBH I would rent cars and explore the island. driving there is an experience.
For dining on Anguilla we had a fantastic meal at Sandbar in Sandy Ground (Road Bay). Its a tapas place run by a couple from San Francisco. It was outstanding.
Our dinner at DaVida on Crocus Bay was wonderful, too.
In SBH, Eddies is fantastic. You have to have a burger at Le Select. We spent a great day on the beach with lunch at
La Case De Isle/Cheval Blanc. I understand that Shellona (used to be Do Brazil) is supposed to be good, too.
Others that have been good to us are Maya's, Le Repaire, and La Gloriette is a low key lunch spot on the other side of the island.

Desertwinds- awesome list of recommendations. I look forward to checking them out. Thank you!

We'll look into a car rental on St. Barths- great idea!

Thanks again!
Jarrod