Grenadines & West Indies Rally — 11 February '11

11 February –24 February

The Rally is to be restricted to 60 persons (including members and their guests). Registration to join the Rally with numbers and yacht details are required by not later than 30th November 2010. There will be a Registration Fee of £100.

FOR THE BOOKING FORM PLEASE CLICK HERE

    

Proposed Itinerary and General Information:

Friday 11th February:

For those not already in the West Indies, it is suggested you fly direct from London Gatwick to St Lucia on Virgin.

For those chartering from Moorings at Marigot Bay they may either take over their charter yacht on arrival from the airport or stay in a hotel for the first night. Those joining the Rally with their own yacht or chartering from another firm other than Moorings may anchor or take a mooring in Marigot Bay.

Yacht Charter:

Moorings (based in Marigot Bay, St Lucia) (www.moorings.co.uk) (contact Sue Bedford) are recommended and subject availability, have the following bareboat or crewed yachts available at special rates for the Rally period 11 - 24 Feb:

Beneteau 352: 2xcabins, 1x head

Beneteau 443: 3xcabins, 3x heads

Beneteau 515: 5xcabins, 5x heads

Leopard Cat 4000: 4xcabins, 2x heads

Leopard Cat 4300, 4xcabins, 4x heads

It is strongly recommended that reservations are made as early as possible direct with Moorings.

Moorings will arrange to return yachts from Grenada to St Lucia at the end of the Rally at an extra cost of approximately £600.

Members may wish to make their own private arrangements to charter yachts from other locations such as Antigua where yachts of all sizes and luxury are available.

Flights:

Virgin are recommended and currently enable you to fly from London Gatwick into St Lucia (on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays) (0940/1425) and fly back from Grenada to London Gatwick (on Thursdays 1805/0815 next day).

Flight bookings for Virgin should be made either direct with Virgin or through Moorings who are able to provide special rates (currently approximately £533 Economy, £961 Premium Economy, £1968 Upper Class return Gatwick/St Lucia, Grenada/Gatwick).

British Airways fly to St Lucia currently on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and return from Grenada on Sundays.

For those wanting to join a part of the Rally there are airstrips at St Vincent, Bequia,

Canouan, Union Island and Carriacou. SVG Air and Mustique Airways provide private charters.

Customs:

Clearance will be required out of Marigot Bay, St Lucia. Thereafter, in St Vincent waters in/out at any of the following:- Wallilabou, Kingstown, Bequia, Union Island, Mustique or Canouan.

In Grenada waters inbound at Hillsborough, Carriacou, or in Grenada at St George's, Prickly Bay or St David's Harbour (where Customs will be advised of the arrival of the Rally fleet in advance). Personal clearance will be necessary through customs and immigration at the Grenada airport at time of departure when a departure tax of EC Dollars 50.00 per person is due.

Currency/banking:

The EC Dollar is currently tied to the US Dollar at approx ECD2.68/USD1.00 and is currently in the region of ECD 4.10/£1.00. Either ECD or USD notes are acceptable everywhere. Mastercard and Visa are accepted virtually everywhere.

There are plentiful cash machines throughout the islands.

It is recommended that prior to UK departure your bankers are advised which cards will be used in the West Indies and the duration of time relevant to avoid the stoppage of card use by your fraud protection unit.

Weather:

In February the wind is generally from the NE Force 5 but can back to the SE and increase at times to Force 6. Sunshine is normally plentiful. Temperature 30C +

St Lucia to Grenada therefore represents a marvellous opportunity for some splendid down wind sailing in idyllic conditions.

Details of contacts for daily weather reports will be provided at the Skippers Briefing.

Saturday 12th February:

Yacht takeover and provisioning (if applicable).

Skippers Briefing.

Opening Rally Drinks and Dinner at Marigot Bay Hotel, (www.marigotbay.com ).

USD 90 p.p.

Note: All Events are based on 60 persons attending and are quoted in US Dollars including taxes and service charge.

Sunday 13th - Tuesday 15th / Wednesday 16th February:

Sail to Bequia, en route visit such places as the Pitons and having crossed the channel to St Vincent, Cumberland Bay, Wallilabou (you may like to clear in at Customs here), Young Island, Blue Lagoon, arriving Bequia for:

Thursday 17th February:

Bequia - Mustique - Bequia "Race"

The race will commence from and end on Princess Margaret Beach.

Prizes for first three yachts to complete the course which must include a receipt for drinks and lunch at Basil's Bar, Mustique - to be presented at the finish.

Note: The anchorage at Mustique can be quite uncomfortable should you consider

anchoring overnight at any time.

Mid Rally Drinks and Dinner at "Gingerbread", Bequia.

(www.gingerbreadhotel.com). USD 60 p.p.

There is a good jetty on the hotel waterfront and water taxis if required.

Prize Giving for Mustique Race to be at this time.

Friday 18th February - Monday 21st February:

Cruise the Grenadines - Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Petit St Vincent,

Union Island (it is recommended you clear customs out of St Vincent waters here), Petit Martinique (this island may be visited prior to customs clearance into Grenada waters).

Tuesday 22nd February:

You may like to sail to Carriacou en route to Grenada.

Currently customs must be cleared in Hillsborough before moving to anchorage in Tyrrel Bay - a swimming stop at Sandy Island may be enjoyed. Saline Island adjacent to White island (south east corner of Carriacou) has a delightful small anchorage for lunch and snorkelling as does Anse la Roche (north west corner of Carriacou).

You may also enjoy the following:-

Visit to Windward and the traditional sloop builders

    

Minibus from Jetty at Tyrrel Bay at 2 p.m. returning 4 p.m. 

SY "Jambalaya" is a beautiful traditional 73ft. Carriacou sloop built in Tyrrel Bay. It is hoped that the builder of "Jambalaya" will accompany the visit to Windward.

If you wish to charter this yacht please click here for further information

Restaurants ashore are very small, limited and simple and advance reservations would be highly recommended for "The Bogles Roundhouse", "Green Roof Inn" " Lazy Turtle"  or enjoy a jolly drink and dinner aboard Lady D's "Hallelujah Bar" on Tyrrel Bay (she operates a water taxi to/from her vessel).

Wednesday 23rd February:

An exhilarating sail down the windward coast of Grenada to St David's Harbour at the south eastern end of Grenada where there is a good anchorage.

End of Rally Drinks and Dinner at WatersEdge Restaurant, Bel Air Plantation, St David's Harbour, Grenada

(www.belairplantation.com)  USD 90 p.p.

 

Water taxis will ferry guests from their anchorage to the Bel Air Plantation jetty and back.

Note:  Bel Air Plantation offer special rates to those who may wish to stay on at the hotel of 30% off the regular rates or even better if the whole resort is booked! The resort comprises:- 5x1 bedroom cottages, 4x1 bedroom villas, 2x2 bedroom villas and 2 x suites (2 twin beds per suite).

Thursday 24th February:

Moorings charter yachts may have to be returned to St George's by 1200 (allow two hours from St David's Harbour).

Those returning to UK on Virgin check in at 1500-1530 for the 1805 departure. "The Beach House Restaurant" or "La Luna", both close to the airport, are recommended for lunch.

Rally T Shirts:

Attractive and stylish T shirts will be available in small, medium and large sizes prior to departure UK, subject to orders being received by not later than 30 November 2010. The cost will be £15 each irrespective of size.

Reading:

Chris Doyle's "Sailors Guide to the Windward Island" is excellent and highly informative. You may wish to acquire a copy to study in advance of the Rally. Likewise Imray or Admiralty charts of the area.

(A copy of the Guide and charts are provided by Moorings to charterers of their yachts).

Questions?:

Please contact Michael Groom on: mjmgroom@hotmail.com