Location: Tyrell Bay, Carriacou
People keep asking us what our plans are. The document below was written by a fellow cruiser currently holed up in Martinique. Martinique is halfway down the island chain, French, and the island where we made landfall just a few weeks ago after our Atlantic crossing. We are now at the southern end of the chain in Carriacou, one of the three main islands that make up the country of Grenada where hurricanes are much rarer than further north though by no means unheard of. I have highlighted in red those parts of the document that particularly relate to our situation but as a general description of the challenges confronting foreign boats in the Caribbean at the moment it is excellent though even now, one day later, we are aware that things have changed on some islands.
Lockdown and Hurricane Season – thinking of heading South (or North or East)?
There is a lot of discussion right now from cruisers concerned about what they are going to do over the next weeks. This is a set of notes to help cruisers formulate their thinking, and rationalise the options that best suit them. It is just a collation of points, but it is the sole responsibility for each cruiser to research and assess the facts, weather, etc, for themselves. No responsibility can be placed on the notes or on the contributors of this paper. The intention is that there will be 1 or more dedicated net discussions to allow for further questions, but that by reading these notes first, it should save time and repetition.
In consideration of all of the issues, personal safety has to be the primary factor. Frankly it is pointless to cross all of the boundaries, make convoluted plans, just to get somewhere only to then catch the virus and die. Before anyone even thinks of moving, they need to be certain they can get into their desired country, can get a flight out (assuming they intend to), and that their end destination is safer than where they are right now.
For those thinking of sailing up to the US, there is a separate set of notes being posted. As we move forward, it may be appropriate to have separate interest groups for those wanting to sail to Europe or the US. Maybe also for sailing south or in company. But at this point, you probably want to just get your head round what looks to be the best option for you. It may well not be the same as your original intention!
So, to examine priorities, what is the apparent necessity to be somewhere else?
1. Insurance
2. Hurricanes/Tropical Storms
3. Boat security & Hauling Out
4. Flying out
5. Staying Aboard
6. Health
7. Family
8. Boredom
9. Options to move
Insurance
After the 2017 hurricanes, the insurance industry got hammered and has become very careful. Most US/EU policies exclude Named Tropical Storms (NTS). Furthermore, the meteorological folk got over-careful and now give a name to anything more than an elephant breaking wind!
Essentially, most folk are not covered for NTS in the majority of the Caribbean. I believe ‘top-up’ policies from here in the Caribbean can provide NTS cover, but whether they could deliver after a big blow is a matter for personal judgement. I am not questioning their integrity, but think in terms of the mass yacht wipe-outs of St Martin and the BVI’s.
Most policies require one to be out of the ‘box’ by 1st June or 1st July for NTS cover to apply. Getting named
NTS cover now may be quite difficult. However it may be worth asking for cover of extension for staying
aboard ‘in the box’ excluding NTS? Exposure geographically underpins the insurers’ preference for being South of 12 degrees N, or north of Cape Hatteras/North Carolina border/Chesapeake Bay (depending on the insurer).
There are all sorts of individual inclusions/exclusions depending on your policy, and so you need to be very familiar with the risk that your insurer accepts and also the risk that you are prepared to accept.
Hurricane Season/Named Tropical Storms
Researching the peak activity, May is indicated as the least active month, and September the most. There is low incidence in June, July and November, more so in August. There are some forecasters, including Chris Parker, suggesting that an above average frequency of NTS might be due in 2020, based on ocean sea temperatures.
Hurricanes are pretty unpredictable, but they are formed in the Atlantic and the meteorologists watch them very closely. Whilst occasionally they radically change direction, most are watched and a ‘cone’ of probable direction. As each day passes, the cone is refined.
Tropical storms carry lower risks. With these, it can be the sea state that is more of a risk than the wind. This is not a dissertation on meteorology, but wind direction and storm surges need to be looked at very carefully. In addition, if you are preparing to sit out an NTS, your anchoring gear and preparation need to be in very good order.
The simplest choice is not to be in a place with a track record of being hit by an NTS, which in the Caribbean means Trinidad or Grenada, but there are other choices you can make.
Boat security & Hauling Out
BVI’s/USVI’s/St Marten – The BVI’s & St Marten were trashed in 2017, with a high volume of boat damage. The
BVI’s will not accept any foreign boats entering until sometime in September.
Antigua – The 2017 hurricanes just skimmed the island in 2017. There are 3 main boatyards, Jolly Harbour
(believed to be fully booked), English Harbour (Slipway) and North Sound. Guadeloupe – Point a Pitre has a couple of yards
Martinique – There are yards in Fort de France and Le Marin
St Lucia – Rodney Bay boatyard
St Vincent – Otley Hall
Carriacou – There are 2 boatyards, the original very small one, and the new large (but very open) one. Grenada – There are 3 yards all situated to the south of the island, Spice Island, Clarke’s Court and Grenada Marine.
Trinidad – There are 3 main yards, Peake’s, Powerboats and Coral Cove.
There has only, in recent history, been 1 hurricane to hit Grenada (Ivan), and Trinidad is regarded as safe. Aside from storm risks, please also consider security. Certain yards are more exposed than others, and some have had thefts from boats in the yards.
Note – some boatyards, like Le Marin, are only accepting bookings if you can show you are not intending to live on the boat in the yard. As of today, 19/4/2020, it is said to be full.
Please remember that no matter how secure your boat might be in a one-piece cradle, if the surrounding boats are not similarly secured, then yours can suffer ‘collateral’ damage. This is how many boats in Grenada were damaged during hurricane Ivan in the 2004. This is particularly relevant if you plan on hauling out north of Grenada.
Flying Out
Almost all international flights are now suspended. So if you do manage to move your boat, the next challenge is to be able to go anywhere, (leaving aside renting an apartment locally).
The US and Canada have laid on a number of repatriation flights, and Germany also did one. I think these may have been mainly from Grenada. But the rush for these may now have passed and the likelihood of more for a few sailors who have just laid up their boats must be remote.
Even then, you may be having to look at some form of connecting transport to reach such a flight, again with all the travel restrictions. Consider also the risks of travel within your destination country to get to your final point. (I view that risk as high for UK travel!)
Having said that, some airlines are accepting bookings for May/June onwards, but there cannot be any certainty about these actually happening at this stage.
One final point is that even when you manage to fly out, it could be difficult to fly back again if there is a second or further wave of this virus. When you leave, you could be packing up for a year or longer.
Staying Aboard (when there is a risk of a hurricane)
Options include:
Go on a slip in a marina – fine if you are well south, eg, Grenada/Trinidad, provided there is no storm surge risk. Rodney Bay in St Lucia offers good sea protection being in a lagoon, (but that did not save boats in St Maarten/St Martin).
The mangroves & hurricane holes – There is very limited capacity here in Martinique, some in Carriacou. The capacity is way below the number of boats presently at anchor in both locations.
Sail out of the risk zone – either to another island if there is access, or (probably south) to sea well away from the potential storm path, the safest option. (The Directeur de la Mer has stated that boats that sail out for safety in the case of an imminent storm will be allowed directly back after it has passed regardless of flag). Bear in mind that Grenada is only about 36 hours south, Trinidad around 46 hours. Even if you just then heaved-to in the lee of one of them until the risk has passed.
Stay at anchor where you are? – Russian roulette! Not recommended. Whilst the odds may look acceptable if you are sat in the ‘cone’, by the time it is clear you are really in the path, it may be too late to move. If that happens, get yourself to safety ashore and forget the boat until the risk has passed. Sitting it out on board is usually a fatal decision.
Health
You are right now in a low risk environment with good medical services, (supported from France). Many other islands do not offer the same level of support. The US and Europe are not in a good position right now, with high infection and death rates reported, and even these are likely to be understated as most are only reporting hospital deaths. Early relaxation of lockdowns carries a fresh set of risks. Also some risks are age related,
(there are current reports of UK continuing lockdown for over-70’s for another 12 months!)
Many of the islands have limited medical capacity, and they rightly want to look after their own population rather than having to cope additionally with foreigners.
Consider also the risk of any second wave of infection as countries come out of lockdown. This is mentioned by some of the health experts in various countries, but like everything to do with this virus, so much is unknown/unclear. What is evident is that the unwise behaviour in many populations will threaten the early defeat of it.
If you want to move, think about the level of risks you would be moving to, always assuming you can get into your preferred destination.
Family – do they really, really need you there, or will you just be another mouth to feed or someone else to worry about? Skype or Zoom are much safer options!
Boredom – better be bored and safe than dead!
Options to move
USA – US citizens (and maybe those with long-term visas) are able to enter US waters except for Puerto Rico, but this needs to be regularly checked. Prior contact with US Coastguards is advised. USVI’s are the nearest point, but beyond that, you are looking for a direct passage to the mainland US avoiding Bahamian waters, (although the right of safe passage may now have been restored, check for the latest information -16/4/2020).
Florida has just imposed restrictions on the boats that can land there, making the passage north even more direct.
Please consider joining one of the Salty Dawg Rallies. An additional one has just been announced, and there are now a total of some 170 boats registered. There is no fee to join, and the benefit is that the organisers are trying to smooth the path with relevant authorities. (Please see the separate paper on this).
EU – this will be destination country-dependent and you will need to check entry and quarantine requirements. The generally accepted wisdom is that a mid-May departure is to be preferred. The Azores are believed to be closed, but a recent post suggested that Horta may allow entrance? Prior checking essential.
If you are planning on crossing the Atlantic to Europe, please consider linking to the OCC (Ocean Cruising Club) West to East Rally. It is free to join the rally and may be helpful for collating information. The French ABC (Atlantic Back Cruising) Rally that was due to leave Guadeloupe on 20th May, has now been cancelled.
There is also the ARC Europe commercial rally. It is quite late to join this.
Shipping your boat – there are a number of companies who ship yachts to Europe, mainly to Brest and Southampton. Contact Douglas Yacht Services in Le Marin if you want to look at this for either of the companies they represent, or there is believed to be at least one other independent shipping line that can be contacted.
Caribbean – it is believed that the only island that may accept new arrivals is St Vincent, and then only at Kingstown, Wallibalou or Blue Lagoon. A quarantine period is in force, and there was originally a requirement that this would have to be on land, but this is believed to have now been relaxed. Having said that, there is now a report of boats being refused entry (16/4/2020).
Aruba, Curacao & Bonaire – all closed
Caricom (the collective liaison body for the Caribbean countries) has agreed to have a common policy on opening up borders. There is unlikely to be any announcement on this until at least the end of April, or more likely sometime in May given the current lockdown status.
Colombia – closed
Panama – situation needs to be checked, but consider also the status of any further destinations.
Other destinations such as Suriname, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, etc, need to be checked for status.
Islands are getting very firm about denying entry! Bold statements of intention to go to southern islands regardless are insulting and inflammatory. Grenada and Trinidad are acutely aware of their role during hurricane season, but understandably their highest priority right now is the management of the threat to their people. There are boats out there in limbo, don’t add to that list!
Sources of useful information
- Noonsite.com
- Grenada Cruisers Facebook Group
- Trinidad Cruisers Facebook Group
- Antigua Cruisers Facebook Group
- Eastern Caribbean Cruisers Facebook Group
- STW (Sail The World – French group)
- World Cruising Club (ARC Europe)
- Salty Dawgs Rally
Summary
There is no indication of when the lockdowns will be eased, but official news channels and other sources suggest sometime in June or July. The likely extent and implications are unknown, but there will be a crossover point between health risks and economic pressures at some point for each country.
There are no easy answers. Right now, your ability to change location is very limited unless you want to go to the US or Europe.
Your insurance is most likely valid unless there is a hurricane, (if you have an NTS exclusion clause).
Other than Martinique or Guadeloupe, you cannot currently get into any other location for hauling out, with the possible exception of Antigua.
There are probably a number of months before there is a material risk of a hurricane. So there is not really any immediate need to panic about insurance cover. If the circumstance were to arise, stock up with food and sail south to avoid the storm, sailing straight back (with permission) without landing anywhere.
It is quite likely that Grenada and Trinidad will offer some facility for haul-outs before too long, as there is lobbying by the respective marine associations to enable this. So again, there is no need for any immediate panic as your insurance will most likely be valid unless an NTS is declared, and these are uncommon at this time of year.
As islands open up again, balance convenience with flight availability.
Above all else, keep yourself and your crew safe. The world is shutdown right now, and traveling anywhere is risky. For us to go back to the UK or South Africa, it would involve a long-haul flight, 2 train and one underground train journeys, just to stay in UK (high death rates) or SA. The thought of doing that is really frightening!
An old Yorkshire saying, ‘if in doubt, do nowt’ (nothing)! Stay safe!
Steve (S/Y Freebooter)
So there you have it. The best advice seems to be to wait and see for at least another few weeks. Our decision to leave Martinique and sail south direct to Grenada now looks like an excellent one as big hurricanes here are very rare.
In other news things are slightly more relaxed here now. One of us can shop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Takeaways (pizza yesterday - yum yum) are open on the same days with delivery to the boat by restaurant dinghy and even the chandlery opened its doors yesterday for the first time. At all other times we are still self isolating 24/7 on our boats out in the bay though swimming and other lone pastimes are generally allowed on Carriacou.
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| That was a GOOD pizza. |
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| Classic Caribbean hot sauce to taste. |
Grenada still has only 14 recorded virus cases and they are working very hard to maintain that position. There has been a recent scare that a fifteenth, community transferred case had developed but initial tests seem to suggest otherwise.
We crack on in a desultory fashion with boat jobs making use just of the spares and reserves we have on board. Gilly has finished varnishing the aft wooden seats and is now working on the pole for the ensign.
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| Completed port aft seat. |
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| Ensign pole preparation. |
She's greased the steering wires and continued with the day to day washing, cooking and cleaning tasks.
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| Wash Day (Wild Bird delivery in bottom left). |
I've tried to work out why the fridge sometimes works and at other times needs a new positive wire to make it work, mended the annoying self opening rubbish bin catch, worked on my Celestial Navigation (thanks Jojo) and understand what I need to install a watermaker. We've serviced most of the bilges, I've caught a few fish and lost a couple of biggies and baked some bread.
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| Fish |
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| Loaves |
Gayle on Wild Bird has just messaged to say she has baked soda bread so half a loaf should arrive by dinghy very shortly. Not quite as exotic as the day the Easter Bunny arrived though!
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| The Easter Bunny arrives. |
And finally, one good thing to come out of all this lockdown has been Family Art Sunday. Each week Jen, Emma, Phil and an increasing number of guest artists are drawing something, both unseen and copied. Then we have a Messenger meeting to view the results. Great fun! Here are a few examples of last week's tiger pictures.
