No Reservations Required

Marina at Emerald Bay, Bahamas

Motivator’s crew seldom makes reservations at a marina.  We usually just show up and expect the marina of our choice to have a slip available for us.  So far we haven’t been turned away.  When we arrived at Emerald Bay, the dock master gave us directions to D-dock and then told us to pick an empty slip.

Port Louis Marina, Grenada

The only exception has been Port Louis Marina in Grenada.  Port Louis also has an abundance of empty slips, but they only have one dock that meets Motivator’s power requirements, and it fills up with other U.S. boats.

Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Most marinas stick to a pricing schedule that would make one assume that they have to turn away business.  At Ocean World Marina we were a little miffed at their deteriorating facilities and creative new revenue streams.  They were “estimating” power and water charges and adding a 10% “Dock Tax” to the bill.

Puerto Bahia, Samana, Dominican Republic

Puerto Bahia Marina was one of the few marinas that appeared to be adjusting their pricing to reality by actually reducing slip fees.  It seems developers jumped on a marina study done in 2005-2006 that predicted a shortage of boat slips.  Then, new boat sales were increasing by 38% per year so the thinking was that people were going to need a place to park them.  And then there was that little problem in 2008.

I was discussing empty marinas wanting high slip fees with Bob on Tide Hiker, and he asked this interesting question.  “Why don’t marinas price slips like airlines price seats?”  It is the same principle.  Once that aircraft takes off with an empty seat that is lost revenue that will not be recovered.  A boat slip that sits empty overnight is also lost revenue.  It would be easy enough to hand Mr. & Mrs. Cruiser a rate sheet that says if we are 40% occupied the rate is X, 60% is XX, and 80% is XXX.  Airlines do it, but they are sneaky about it.

Unfinished power cabling

The marina pricing subject came up with Tide Hiker’s crew when I mentioned we were stopping at Emerald Bay for a few days.  Bob looked at me strangely and said at $2.00 a foot, that place does not have enough to offer.  I agreed and assured him that Motivator’s crew is usually only comfortable in the $1.00 a foot range or less.  I then explained D-dock at Emerald Bay.  Because the cabling was not finished before the last bankruptcy, they only charge $1.00 a foot on D-dock.

Let me see if I have this straight?  It is $2.00 a foot for the opportunity to buy power from them at an outrageous rate, or you can run your generator and pay $1.00 a foot.  In Motivators case I think I can run a generator when I need to, cheaper than $49 per day.  But, that is just one of Emerald Bay’s unique features.  Surge is the other issue.

Seawall at Emerald Bay

Frank Lloyd Wright once said that an architect’s greatest tools are sometimes an eraser and a sledge hammer.  In Emerald Bay’s case it might take a few sticks of dynamite.  To facilitate all of the condos planned for around the marina, the developer poured concrete seawalls encapsulating the bay.  Swell from the northeast or east enters the bay and has no place to go but to bounce off the seawalls.  A natural beach would be a wonderful improvement.  

Port Zante Marina, St. Kitts (Reasonable at $.75 per foot)

We really do wish the marinas of the Caribbean and the Bahamas well.  While we are very comfortable anchoring out, it is nice to be able to pop into a marina occasionally for repairs or provisioning without worrying about spending the retirement savings in one spot.

Les Saintes to St. Kitts

First leg: Les Saintes to Deshaies

After waiting for a suitable weather window in Les Saintes, we decided to do a big hop to St. Kitts.  On a previous trip we had spent some time in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe’s yacht haven, but were not inclined to do a repeat.  The island(s) of Guadeloupe is shaped like a butterfly, with Pointe-a-Pitre “at its ass,” according to one guidebook author.  I somewhat agree.  Our first leg was the 32 NM trip mainly in the lee of Guadeloupe to Deshaies where we anchored for the night.

Guadeloupe to St. Kitts

Using the narrow weather window provided, our second leg was to St. Kitts 80 NM away.  Previously we had visited Antigua (see: archived posting, Tots to the Queen, May 28, 2013 ).  While we enjoyed the island, we felt that we had seen most of the sites because on previous visits we found that we were weathered in for extended periods.  Besides, with the prevailing wind and waves out of the east or northeast during the winter, visiting Antigua feels like fighting to go east to eventually go west.  By heading to St. Kitts we had comfortable following seas.

2 NM Maritime Exclusion Zone

We had hoped to visit Montserrat on our trip north, but it was not in the cards for us.  In 1995 and again in 1997 eruptions from the Soufriere Hills volcano led to the exodus of nearly two thirds of the population.  In 2003 the dome collapsed and some of the population returned as restrictions were relaxed.  However, today there is a 2 NM maritime exclusion zone around the south side of the island and eruptions spewing steam and ash still occur.

Montserrat, not looking too inviting

The eruptions have destroyed the capital, Plymouth, and filled in the original harbor.  Visiting yachts now must anchor at the northwest end of the island which affords little protection from a north swell.  When I called to inquire about the possibility of a mooring, the harbor master said that due to the sea state it had been several days since he had be able to launch his boat.  We decided to give Montserrat a pass.

Carnival Ribbon Dancers

This makes our third visit to St. Kitts, and we always find it to be fun although the marina is not what one would call world class (see: archived postings Gibraltar of the Caribbean, dated Feb. 25, 2015; Cruisers vs. Cruisers, dated Feb 15, 2013; and Leeward Islands, dated Feb. 11, 2013).  St. Kitts was in the middle of their Carnival when we arrived (see: archived posting, Amplified Music, dated Aug. 4, 2013).  The New Year’s fireworks were quite impressive.

View from Twist, our favorite restaurant

The biggest downside to St. Kitts is Internet access.  The Port Zante Marina provides free WiFi, but when the cruise ships dock at Port Zante their multiple WiFi signals destroys the marina’s weak signal.

This posting completed at Rituals, our morning coffee shop.

Cruisers vs. Cruisers

Carnival Cruise Lines

The cruisers from cruise ships have a different experience than us cruisers on the little boats.  We only share our boats with our cruising partner and occasional guests, while they share their boat with 3,000 new friends and 1,000 crew members.

Cruise terminal at Port Zante, St. Kitts

The cruisers off the small boats are generally in better shape and not quite as white (better tans) as the cruise ship cruisers.

In the cruise ship areas you do not find very many dinning opportunities because food is included with the price of the cabin.

Away from the cruise ship area you can usually find a restaurant popular with the small boat cruisers.

Besides the duty free jewelry stores, you do find some bars offering cheap drinks and WiFi because both of those items are expensive on the cruise ships.

For real deals on food and drinks, the small boat cruisers usually try to find places the locals patronize.

Old Treasury Building

The dividing line between the new cruise ship area and Basseterre, the capital city of St. Kitts, is the old treasury building that is now a museum and gate to the cruise ship area.  We sat and watched as numerous people from the cruise ships would peek out into the bustling city and then return to the “safety” of the cruise ship area.

We find that we are hustled for everything from taxi rides to pictures of us holding monkeys the closer we are to the cruise ship area.

The Circus

Unfortunately, many of the people on the cruise ships miss what the islands have to offer.

While the cruise ship areas tend to be clean, safe, and look like a fun shopping experience, Pollie often complains that they have the same junk from China that the last island’s cruise ship area had to offer.  Nothing made locally.

St. George's Anglican Church

Numerous island tours are available for the cruise ship cruisers, and we almost took one, but found it more economical and adventurous to share a rental car with another small boat cruising couple.  This church (constructed 1856-1859), like many sights, was only a short walk from our marina and the cruise ship area.

Independence Square (formerly a slave auction)

Many other points of interest are probably missed by the cruise ship cruisers who tend to stick to the cruise ship areas, or take guided tours.

When the cruise ships pull out, the cruise ship area becomes a ghost town, but the real city continues at full throttle.