Caribbean Sea outlook - October update

Caribbean Sea outlook © noonsite.com

If you are heading towards the Caribbean, don't miss our round up of useful Caribbean articles and links.

Hurricane Recovery: A number of islands are still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Beryl, one of the first hurricanes to form this season back in June. St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada were the worst affected. Doyle Guides have a round-up of how the islands that were impacted are recovering, and what cruisers on their way to the Caribbean can expect and how best to prepare. Find out more.

SVG: Union Island in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and particularly Clifton, is the slowest of the affected areas to recover and rebuild after Beryl. Cruisers that tried to anchor in Clifton Bay recently to clear out, report on being threatened by a local boatman for anchoring too close to his moorings. His hostile behaviour forced them to move elsewhere to feel safer. Doyle Guides report that boat vendors in Clifton have always been pushy and sometimes caused issues, which has probably been exacerbated by post-Beryl desperation.

Trust Desire and Instinct: When US based cruisers, Ed and Cindy Lowrie, decided to cast off their lines and head for the Caribbean, there were many expectations of new places and new friends. Despite being told where to go and what to do, they decided to follow their instincts and go where they wanted to go. From the US to Trinidad, read about how they found the "no-go" places. Our thanks to Caribbean Compass for sharing this article.

USVI: Shannon Sinnard provides a guide to the "not-to-be-missed" anchorages on St. Thomas, Great St. James, St. Croix and St. John for the American Sailing Association.

Nevis: During the "off-season", Nevis Port remove all moorings to avoid wear/damage. Normally these are re-installed mid-October, however in 2024 there have been some problems and the moorings are still not in place. Find out more.

Martinique and Guadeloupe: Protests in Martinique began in September to demand the alignment of local food prices with those of mainland France, where they are 40% lower. Protests flared again this month and the Martinique Administration have re-imposed a curfew, including no sale of fuel and other items, which continues to be extended. Guadeloupe also extended a territory-wide curfew on Saturday 26 October for public safety reasons after a strike by workers at the EDF-PEI power plant shut down the island's electricity supply.

Bonaire: More dinghy thefts reported from yachts that don't secure their dinghy overnight - a common theme in the Caribbean.

See other security reports this month.

Curacao: The opening of Curacao's new combined office for Customs & Immigration in Spanish Water, intended for 1 October, has unfortunately been delayed. Once open, this office will greatly ease the clearance burden on skippers, saving a journey into Willemstad for immigration and customs clearance. More details at Curacao Clearance.

Panama: Arriving yachts have up to 72 hours after arrival in Panama waters to clear in first with Immigration and then with the Port Captain. Be sure to check-in with all authorities as soon as you land in Panama and not later than 72 hours. Any foreign person who enters the country violating immigration checkpoints, will be fined. While it is common practice for cruisers to stop and visit the San Blas or Secas Islands, any long delay in transit time will be noticed and fines of US$1000 have been reported by cruisers for not checking in immediately. See news and formalities.

This article has been provided by the courtesy of noonsite.com.