Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - November 2017

— Continued from previous page
…(cyba.net), the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association will be hosting 45 vessels
at the USVI Charter Yacht Show, running from November 11th through 14th at
Yacht Haven Grande marina on St. Thomas, USVI.
CYBA
during his visit to the island on September 13th, just one week after Hurricane Irma.
And the residents of Saint Barthélemy did not contradict him: In a vast display of solidarity,
the roads were quickly cleared, and within a few weeks 90 percent of the
island had running water, many neighborhoods had electricity, and the port and
airport were operational.
“We are capable of getting the island back in shape and putting its best foot forward!”
notes Bruno Magras, president of the Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy. Many
restaurants, villas and hotels plan to be open for business and ready to welcome visitors
in November and for the holidays.
NOVEMBER 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 6
Trunk Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands — as inviting as ever
We will be hosting a conference on the first day of the USVI Charter Yacht Show to
discuss the potential for the charter season with charter brokers, crew, owners, charter
businesses and the various vendors, bars, and marine service providers that support
the charter industry. During the show, November 12th will see the Culinary
Competition, with the theme of “USVI Coffee”, and the Yacht Hop, with the theme
of “Speakeasy… and All That Jazz”.
The VI cruising grounds are going to be ready for charters by December, with tremendous
efforts going into cleaning up the bays, beaches and bars. The greatest
support anyone can give to the islands is to charter a yacht in our waters this season;
the landscape is already returning to its former beauty — even a greener
green, with not only fresh new leaves and fresh new sand but shiny new beach bars
blooming! Marinas are still being repaired but anticipate being ready for vessels
within a month.
Carol Bareuther adds: The resilience of Caribbean’s crewed charter yacht industry
is inherent in its nature — yachts are self-contained, with their own crews, generators,
air conditioning, gourmet cuisine, water toys and much more. Wondrous turquoise
seas, white sand beaches and warm tradewinds: these natural attributes,
plus welcoming people, are the heart and soul of a Caribbean crewed charter
yacht vacation. These distinctive characteristics remain virtually unchanged in the
wake of devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Visit www.vipca.org for more information.
St. Barth Putting its Best Foot Forward
“St. Barth is an island that is still standing, that retains its strength and values, and is
in the process of getting back on its feet,” said French president Emmanuel Macron
SAINT LUCIA
SEAFARING AT ITS BEST
St. Maarten Marine Trades Launch Condition-Report Site
As St. Maarten is getting back on its feet after the passage of Hurricane Irma, the
St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) has launched the website
caribbeanyachtingupdate2017.com to provide condition reports on everything from
airport, marina and port openings, to transport of goods, to yacht services, hotels
and restaurants. The SMMTA will update the website weekly.
Despite some delays in getting wrecks removed from Simpson Bay Lagoon, the
reports for the island of St. Maarten look promising. The airports on both the Dutch
and French side are open for commercial flights, and Port St. Maarten will welcome
the first cruise ship on November 5th.
Daphne van der Peijl adds: Most bars and restaurants have re-opened already
(some partially) and are offering most items on their menus again. Most supermarkets
are also open and selling fresh vegetables, meat and dairy. According to the
Head of Tourism at the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, 50 percent of all guest room
capacity on island will be available shortly, and by the St. Maarten Heineken
Regatta in March, this is expected to be much higher.
For more information about the SMMTA, visit http://yachtingstmaarten.com.
Check www.caribbeanyachtingupdate2017.com/stmaarten for the latest marine
updates on St. Maarten.
Grenada Increases Support to Caribbean Tourism Industry
Pure Grenada, Spice of the Caribbean, is once again assisting its Caribbean neighbours
impacted by recent hurricanes while supporting the tourism industry in the
Caribbean. Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation & Culture, Dr. Clarice Modeste
Curwen, has announced that her government has increased the monetary commitment
to regional partners affected from EC$1 million (approximately US$370,000) to
EC$1.7 million (approximately US$630,000). Dominica and Cuba each received
EC$500,000 (approximately US$185,185) and Barbuda received EC$300,000
(approximately US$111,111).
As part of the initial regional response, the Maurice Bishop International Airport
offered shelter to more than 20 aircraft. Dominica can also expect technical assistance
from the Grenada Airports Authority as well as relief funding channeled
through the National Disaster Management Agency.
Visit www.puregrenada.com/news for more information.
Welcome Aboard!
In this issue of Compass we welcome new advertisers Camara Maritima of
Panama, on page 5; and MRSIMCARD, in the Market Place section, pages 42 and
43. Good to have you with us!
Set your course to 13.9094° N, 60.9789° W and enjoy the Caribbean’s most enchanting island by sea. Sail along Saint Lucia’s picturesque coastline and enjoy the island’s
blend of lush verdant rainforests, beautiful bays and breathtaking landscapes. Yachtsmen and women can engage in a wealth of activities, sites, attractions, historical
and cultural experiences. Don’t miss one of the largest yachting celebrations in the Caribbean, as Saint Lucia hosts the 28th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) and Mango
Bowl Regatta. ARC celebrations begin on November 19th, 2017 with the Flotilla Festivities and continue throughout the month of December with a list of exciting events
including, live outdoor concerts, cocktail parties, island tours and much more. The Mango Bowl Regatta races and events take place from November 24th - 26th, 2017.
Come immerse yourself in this yachting haven and let Saint Lucia inspire you!
Saint Lucia: 758 458 7101 | France: 33 1 45 32 0254 | USA: 1 800 456 3984 | Canada: 1 800 869 0377 | UK: 44 207 341 7000 | Germany: 49 6172 4994 138
Email: information@stlucia.org www.stlucia.org