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The yachting trade is very important to our country and every dollar you spend here helps our economy. We offer you some of the best cruising waters in the world, and a wonderful array of anchorages. In return, we ask that you respect and protect this treasure.
ANCHORAGES You are welcome to anchor in all of our anchorages, and vacation with us as long as you like. There are currently no harbour tees once you have paid our nominal entry charges (see Customs and Immigration) Please observe the following: Do not anchor in slipping channels. Much of our trade is by boat, and ferries need clear access to and from the docks in islands such as Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Union. Do not anchor in these approaches. Avoid anchoring on coral. Our reefs are protected and careless anchoring can destroy reef structures which took hundreds of years to build. Be particularly careful when you anchor to dive or snorkel Please use the moorings supplied in Mustique and the Tobago Cays. Under no circumstances should you anchor on a dive site such as the wreck of the Piruna in Mayreau. At anchor please be considerate of your neighbours. All harbours have a 5-knot speed limit For everyone's comfort and safety, water-skiing is not allowed among anchored yachts or near beaches. Water-ski boats must always have two people on board, one to drive and witch where the boat is going and one to watch the skier. SHORESIDE ATTRACTIONS St. Vincent and the Grenadines offers spectacular exploring and hiking, fine dining and unique shopping. St. Vincent is a mountainous island with large areas of untouched tropical rainforest There are several trails here of particular interest to the nature lover. The hike up Soufriere volcano is unique in the Caribbean. The trail leads through agricultural land, rainforest, mountain forest and finally to the sparse elfin vegetation of the summit. The mountain peak is usually very windy and misty, but with breaks in the clouds you can see down the 1000-foot sheer wall into the still steaming crater. A guide is advised. There are nature trails at Vermont, on the western side of the island, which take you through rainforest, and you have a chance of seeing our unique St. Vincent parrot. Tropical waterfalls where you can swim in a natural rock pool always have special appeal. Trinity Falls is a two-and-a-half hour hike through the forest from Chateaubelair. Baleine Falls is best visited by local boat. St. Vincent also has the oldest botanical gardens in the western hemisphere. It was here that Captain Bilgh brought the breadfruit after his ill- fated Bounty voyage. The Botanical Gardens are just on the outskirts of Kingstown- Sight- seeing in the Grenadines is always rewarded by panoramic views and hidden beaches. In the smaller Grenadines, hiking will be the only way to go, but in Bequia you can also explore by taxi, rental car, motor bike or bicycle. Wherever you sail in our country, you will not be far from a restaurant, and most of them are within a stone's throw of the waterfront Whether your taste runs to gourmet French cuisine, or inexpensive down home cooking with a Creole flavour, you will find a restaurant that suits your taste. Boutique shoppers will be glad to know that we have numerous artisans in our country, and many of the products you see are made right here. When you come ashore from your yacht or the beach, please- wear at least short and a shirt. SNORKELING & DIVING St. Vincent and the Grenadines has some of the best snorkeling and diving in the Caribbean. The reefs are strictly protected and must not be damaged. When using a dinghy to explore the reefs, please make sure you anchor on a patch of sand near the coral and not on the coral itself. A dinghy anchor or line can easily damage this fragile living community. When snorkelling, avoid grabbing, standing on coral or being thrown by waves onto it, as this too can cause damage. Under no circumstances can coral be collected. This intrudes dead coral which is part of the reef ecosystem. For divers needing assistance, there are several accredited diving schools. FISHING Do enjoy fishing while in our waters. The best way to do this is to troll a line as you sail between the islands. It is also permissible to hand line from your yacht or the shore, but please note the following restrictions: Hand lining and trolling are the only methods of fishing permitted to visitors. You are restricted to catching only enough for your personal use. No fishing is permitted in protected areas whih include the northeast coast of Bequia and Devil's Table-, all of Mustique; the eastern coast of Canouan, the whole of Mayreau and the Tobago Cays, the whole of Palm Island, PSV and surrounding reefs. Please also note it is against the law to buy lobsters out of season (lobster season is 1st Oct to 31st April), It is also against the law to buy a female; lobster with eggs (easily seen as caviar beneath the tail). GARBAGE Garbage is a real problem for us in the Grenadine Islands. We just do not have the land area to deal with much garbage, and the small fees we collect from yachts cannot pay for garbage disposal. We ask those on charter yachts to store garbage and return to it your charter base where you will find adequate facilities. Cans and bags should be washed in the sea and stowed clean. Disposal at sea: Foodstuffs should always be disposed of at sea. Carrying food waste ashore from one island to another can spread devastating plant diseases. Sea disposal should always be carried out in deep water (600 feet or more) with no islands or reefs downwind. Nothing, not even a bottle cap should be thrown overboard at anchor. If you get stuck with too much garbage to carry, you will probably not do too much harm in dumping the following objects at sea in deep water: tin or aluminium cans, bottles, uncoated paper and uncoated cardboard (torn into small pieces). This normally constitutes about 90% of yacht garbage. . Everything else, including plastic bags, floating materials, string, or anything containing chemicals, must be taken ashore. We do provide garbage facilities in Bequia and in Union Island, but these are badly overloaded and we ask you to use them only for items you cannot dispose of in any other way. Never give your garbage to anyone to take ashore for a fee. Despite assurances to the contrary, many will pocket the fee and dump the garbage on the beach. Please be responsible for your own garbage. CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION All yachts are required to clear with Customs and Immigration on arrival and before departing. Our main yacht customs stations are in Wallilabou, Bequia and Union Island. There are also Customs stations in Kingstown and Mustique. All yachts are charged a small fee of 110 EC per person per visit. In addition, charier yachts are charged a fee of $2 US per foot per month. Those clearing on weekends and holidays, or outside normal office hours, may be charged an overtime fee. Anyone wishing to start up a charter business based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines should consult with Customs as special fees apply. |
Please Note!!Jet Skis, personal watercraft and the like are strictly forbidden in St.Vincent and the Grenadines-" However, you are welcome to use sailboards, and our winds are ideal for this sport.
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