We anchored at 13.00.52N 61.14.36W once our depth sounder worked we discovered we were sitting in around 18 metres!, holding very patchy, depths very variable.
If coming from Barbados the pass between Bequia and St Vincent has quite disturbed water off the top of Bequia. As you come down the east coast of Bequia if the wind is over 20 knots there probably won’t be much respite from the roll until you are almost ready to turn into Port Elizabeth, it just follows the island down. There is a marker (lit at night) on the end of the shoals on port as you come around into Port Elizabeth. Night entry would NOT be recommended as this is a very busy anchorage, littered with yachts, local craft, mooring buoys, large fishing boats - many unlit. The bottom is very undulating and holding is very poor in places. The middle of the harbour must be kept clear for the ferries, it is not the sort of place you can drop at the back of the anchorage and find somewhere else in the morning. We had strong trade winds (consistently over 20 knots) the entire time we were there, with regular rain squalls and stronger gusts coming over the island. If you can squeeze in at the head of the bay it is definitely the best place to be.
There are several dinghy docks, go to the main one at the head of the bay (to the right of all the ferries) for “town”. Just turn left and the Revenue Office is in the green building on the right. Check in here for Customs and Immigration, all straight forward and quick, cost of EC$35 per person. Check out papers from previous port required. Watch for overtime charges which seem to be Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. Approx exchange rate USD1.00 = EC$2.65 end January 2012
If you keep walking you will find the fruit and veg market on your left, open 7 days, with the fish market in front of it. Nearly every item is ferried in from St Vincent and we found the produce reasonably expensive and some quality quite poor. Example prices Tomatoes EC$6 per pound, 4 Mangoes for EC$10, Lettuce EC$5, Bananas .50c each, Avocados EC$5 each. Next to the market are the big green rubbish bins, there is a dinghy dock right here also.
On the other side of the road there are a couple of bakeries (bread around EC$6, baguette EC$5), bank with ATM machine, and 2 Knights Supermarkets, the one down the side street was bigger, better and cheaper. If you continue walking up the small hill and down to the water you will pass the Museum, North Sails Loft and a small Chandlery.
Back in the centre of town there is a bookshop (Courtesy flags EC$76!!!), Digicell Office with internet, our ongoing sagas with trying to get wifi continued but they told us that it was unlikely to work at the islands further south as poor signals and would go onto roaming once we passed Union Island. (Note: added 10Feb 2012, we have been able to pick up unlocked wifi - with external aerial - everywhere but Tobago Cays so far as we head south) There is another chandlery with sail loft above one street behind, and another chandlery on the waterfront where the road ends and the walkway starts. The pizza place by Digicell had good pizzas (and hot baguettes during the day), and if you walk around the waterfront walkway there are several cafes, (more dinghy docksaround here too) the Green Shed has good cheap and tasty Rotis and Fig Tree has free wifi and good meals. It is impossible to find a decent coffee. Marias Laundry was almost opposite the dinghy dock, (in behind Marias Internet café) self service ECS12 per load, big machines. Could pickup a couple of unlocked wifi signals at anchor with external aerial but patchy.
Island Tour took about 2 ½ hours and we negotiated a rate of USD$25 per hour, shared between us all it was worthwhile and our taxi driver Donovan was very informative.
to read more about our stay in Bequia, along with photos click on this link http://www.yachtbalvenie.blogspot.com/search/label/Bequia
If coming from Barbados the pass between Bequia and St Vincent has quite disturbed water off the top of Bequia. As you come down the east coast of Bequia if the wind is over 20 knots there probably won’t be much respite from the roll until you are almost ready to turn into Port Elizabeth, it just follows the island down. There is a marker (lit at night) on the end of the shoals on port as you come around into Port Elizabeth. Night entry would NOT be recommended as this is a very busy anchorage, littered with yachts, local craft, mooring buoys, large fishing boats - many unlit. The bottom is very undulating and holding is very poor in places. The middle of the harbour must be kept clear for the ferries, it is not the sort of place you can drop at the back of the anchorage and find somewhere else in the morning. We had strong trade winds (consistently over 20 knots) the entire time we were there, with regular rain squalls and stronger gusts coming over the island. If you can squeeze in at the head of the bay it is definitely the best place to be.
There are several dinghy docks, go to the main one at the head of the bay (to the right of all the ferries) for “town”. Just turn left and the Revenue Office is in the green building on the right. Check in here for Customs and Immigration, all straight forward and quick, cost of EC$35 per person. Check out papers from previous port required. Watch for overtime charges which seem to be Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. Approx exchange rate USD1.00 = EC$2.65 end January 2012
If you keep walking you will find the fruit and veg market on your left, open 7 days, with the fish market in front of it. Nearly every item is ferried in from St Vincent and we found the produce reasonably expensive and some quality quite poor. Example prices Tomatoes EC$6 per pound, 4 Mangoes for EC$10, Lettuce EC$5, Bananas .50c each, Avocados EC$5 each. Next to the market are the big green rubbish bins, there is a dinghy dock right here also.
On the other side of the road there are a couple of bakeries (bread around EC$6, baguette EC$5), bank with ATM machine, and 2 Knights Supermarkets, the one down the side street was bigger, better and cheaper. If you continue walking up the small hill and down to the water you will pass the Museum, North Sails Loft and a small Chandlery.
Back in the centre of town there is a bookshop (Courtesy flags EC$76!!!), Digicell Office with internet, our ongoing sagas with trying to get wifi continued but they told us that it was unlikely to work at the islands further south as poor signals and would go onto roaming once we passed Union Island. (Note: added 10Feb 2012, we have been able to pick up unlocked wifi - with external aerial - everywhere but Tobago Cays so far as we head south) There is another chandlery with sail loft above one street behind, and another chandlery on the waterfront where the road ends and the walkway starts. The pizza place by Digicell had good pizzas (and hot baguettes during the day), and if you walk around the waterfront walkway there are several cafes, (more dinghy docksaround here too) the Green Shed has good cheap and tasty Rotis and Fig Tree has free wifi and good meals. It is impossible to find a decent coffee. Marias Laundry was almost opposite the dinghy dock, (in behind Marias Internet café) self service ECS12 per load, big machines. Could pickup a couple of unlocked wifi signals at anchor with external aerial but patchy.
Island Tour took about 2 ½ hours and we negotiated a rate of USD$25 per hour, shared between us all it was worthwhile and our taxi driver Donovan was very informative.
to read more about our stay in Bequia, along with photos click on this link http://www.yachtbalvenie.blogspot.com/search/label/Bequia
