Guadeloupe - Facts
Guadeloupe FAQs
Pre-Arrival Boat: There is now an online clearance form to streamline the clearance procedure. This can be filled in prior to arrival with vessel and crew details, or, if getting online is not possible, on arrival in Guadeloupe. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: A great number of countries do not need a visa. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? With the new online form it’s not necessary to enter at a port of entry unless you want your form stamped. Click on the blue “Explore Country” button and then the anchor symbol to see the six official ports of entry.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? Just 5 Euro admin. charge if using a clearance computer on land – see Fees for details.
What security concerns should I know about? Only the occasional dinghy theft reported. See Security for more info.
Guadeloupe Facts for Sailors
- The largest of the Leeward Islands, Guadeloupe is a Departément d’Outremer (Overseas Department) of France and its inhabitants are French citizens.
- The department includes the neighbouring islands of Les Saintes, Marie-Galante and La Désirade as well as St Barts and St Martin.
- The official language is French. Most people speak Creole. In tourist centres, they also speak English.
- Guadeloupe is a butterfly-shaped island, the two wings separated by the Rivière Salée.
- The river was once navigable by shallow-draft boats but the bridges are now permanently closed to all vessels except those with a water draft of 1.8m and an air draft of 4m. See the Marina Guadeloupe website for further info.
- Cruising attractions: a blend of French sophistication and Caribbean “Joie de Vivre” that has produced an atmosphere unmatched in any of the English-speaking Caribbean islands. The island and her dependencies offer everything a sailor could wish for, from secluded anchorages to the latest marinas, first-class repair facilities, good provisioning as well as an excellent cuisine suited to all pockets.
- Yachting facilities in Guadeloupe are excellent. There are several marinas (ports de Plaisance) and as Guadeloupe has been chosen as the finish of several transatlantic races from France, repair and service facilities are of a high standard. But note, it has been reported that propane tanks with American-style fittings cannot be filled here.
- Excellent bread and goat cheese available even in small convenience stores in tiny fishing villages.
- Anchoring is now prohibited in many areas around the island including in the Parc National de la Guadeloupe. Mooring buoys must be used. See the Park’s website for information on current regulations for anchoring, fishing, diving and other activities.
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Sailing in Guadeloupe, the French butterfly shaped island, must be the best kept secret in the Caribbean. Interestingly, we did not see many Americans here. – it is a missed opportunity! The French island is an absolute joy to explore. And we only covered half of it. We toured the west side of Guadeloupe with is called Basse Terre and is the more mountainous region. We did not visit the central or south areas or the east side (called Grand Terre) which is much flatter and low ground, or Marie Galant. View blog, pics and video here. https://bluedotvoyages.com/secrets-of-sailing-in-guadeloupe/
The link to
https://www.marinaguadeloupe.com/en/the-marina-bas-du-fort/immigration
(preparation of clearence) is not valid!
Thankyou for picking up on that old info. All forms are now electronic available at the various outlets listed in the Clearance section. Marina Bas du Fort also has a clearance computer that can be used for completing the forms.
Can anyone recommend reliable rigger and sail repairer in Point-a-Pitre please?
When traveling between the French islands does one have to check in and out of each, or check in at the first and out at the last?
Departments of France (St Martin, St Barths, Guadeloupe and Martinique) all require you to clear out of one, before sailing to another.
Clearance at marina RIVIERE SENS Monday to friday 8 am _5 pm.
Saturday and Sunday 8/9 am and 5/6 pm
Clearance hours at LSM in Îles des Saintes is 14h00 to 16h00 as of Jan. 17, 2023.
Thank you for this update. I wasn’t sure you could clear out in iles des Saintes. We are headed there now. Again thanks
Lovely Island(s) but the main marina Bas-du-Fort has the worst management I know. Despite confirmed reservation they cancelled on brief notice. And that came up by coincidence. Trusting on a written confirmation we booked flights, contractor und much more for a 14 days program. They ignored safety aspects and that they caused us immense issues and financial damage. They offered no support to find an alternative and everything else was too lat. They simply messed it up to inform me on time in order to meet other arrangements. Instead of accepting their fault and behave like gentlemen they lied to told ridiculous stuff “force major” which is 100% excluded. I can only strongly recommend to doubt any written confirmation or even better: avoid this marina completely.
The clearance process in April ran differently than described here.
When I contacted the Coast Guard they told me that the procedure is the same as for Martinique . Everyone has to report in advance via the internet and wait for permission. (See Noonsite: Martinique). Nevertheless, I was allowed to enter the country.
The restrictions for travel into and between French Overseas Departments have now been lifted (Oct 14, 2021). If this article is accurate, all you need is proof of vaccination.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/compelling-reasons-for-travel-lifted-between-french-islands
Received this mail from the Prefecture de Guadeloupe today feb1st:
Dear Captain,
Sailing from and to Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy and disembarking is forbidden unless for imperative reasons (health, business, family).
If necessary because imperative reason :
Provide at least 48 hours before arrival:
• A declaration of honor of the compelling motive;
• Justificative documents ;
• Covid test results (PCR) carried out less than 72 hours before arrival
Regards,
Le 30/01/2021 à 21:22, CROSS AG (Boite Officielle) – DM Martinique/CROSS AG emis par DE QUART Adjchef – DM Martinique/CROSS AG/adj chef de quart a écrit :
Bonsoir,
Veuillez trouver ci dessous quelques interrogations pour un aller retour Guadeloupe-St Martin, Mr Wery les points 1 et 2, Mr Vimbert, le point 3.
Cordialement,
prefecture CROSS
CROSS ANTILLES-GUYANE / FORT DE FRANCE MRCC
16 boulevard de la Marne
BP 621
97261 Fort de France Cedex
telephone : +596 596 70 92 92
whatsapp : +596 696 82 09 97
courriel : antilles@mrccfr.eu
ISAT PHONE : +870 776 300 406
Numéro d’urgence gratuit : 196
——– Message transféré ——–
Sujet : Sailing from Guadeloupe to St. Martin
Date : Sat, 30 Jan 2021 19:37:39 -0400
De : > syticora (par Internet)
Répondre à : syticora
Pour : fortdefrance.mrcc@developpement-durable.gouv.fr
Bon soir,
We are a norwegian sailboat (norway is included in eec, hence as eu), currently in Guadeloupe. We are planning to sail to St. Martin on wednesday but are unsure on the new covid guidelines coming from Guadeloupe.
1 – do we need to have a pcr test before leaving Guadeloupe?
2 – do we get into St Martin without quarantine coming from Guadeloupe?
3 – do we get back to guadeloupe without a pcr test or do we need one arrival? Is quarantine needed on arrival?
Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance for your help.
Best regards
Jorn Aalefjaer
Sendt fra min iPhone
Biosecurity update:
Les Saintes closed
Marie Galante closed
Deshaies closed
Boulliante closed
Autocertification for going ashore only for galley / pharmacy /medical issues
Some area, Point a Pitre included, from 20:00 to 05:00 curvfew
No sailing
Swim only near the own boat
Batteries:
hello! Our experience with VARTA 165 amp batteries for service was very negative. They have very low lasting and they overheat just after the guaranty expiration. We had 3 on board. One of them exploded releasing toxic gas and acid. Never happened with other brands in our boat. U-SHIP where we bought them could not give us any assistance.
Hi Paul, as your crew are EU you shouldn’t have any problems. They should not need onward tickets. You really don’t see immigration any more, as you do all clearance online in a Chandlery or marina. Normally you just list your crew when you come in and same when you leave.
I am departing Southern Spain bound toward Guadeloupe with a couple of new crew. One is German, the other is Polish. They wish to exit in Guadeloupe and visit the Caribbean islands on their own. I will continue to Canada without them.
Does anyone know if it is possible to leave crew in Guadeloupe and if so what are the requirements? Thank you.
Beware if you anchor at Rocher de Malendure, close to Pigeon Island. Our dinghy with outboard engine was stolen 09-03-2018. It was well tied up to the yacht during the night but the line was cut.
Boat clearance can also be done in the Marina St. Francois for free.
In St. Anne you will find in the village a self-service laundry and there is also a sel-service laundry near Pigeon island, it is situated a little to the south near the diving center Bleu Passion Guadeloupe and reachable by dinghy. Also you will find there a Leader Price.
Diving Pigeon Island – Cousteau Park – Guadeloupe:
Do not try to dive there from your own private boat. We were chased away from a yellow mooring by a commercial operator. Park Rangers confirmed there are not enough moorings for commercials and private – so privates are no longer welcome.
La Desirade, Guadeloupe – from Doyle Guides:
Good news for those who may wish to stay in this tiny harbor. One of the ferries is now gone for good. The remaining ferry docks on the eastern side of the town dock. This means visiting yachts may tie up alongside the southern and western sides of the town dock, space permitting, which is most of the time.
Posted on behalf of Sam Bartlett:
Dinghy Sabotage
Just a warning for people leaving their dinghy tied/locked to the small pontoon at Pigeon Island anchorage, Guadeloupe. We returned from dinner to find our gas tank punctured and further punctures in all three of the flotation tubes – a total of 9 holes.
This from Chris Doyle via the Caribbean Navigator Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/341518759227037/
I was wing and wing in Guadeloupe, passing between the island of Gosier and the town, when I saw ahead of me a string of white buoys that appeared to go all the way across. However boats were anchored on either side of them, so I assumed there was a way through and behind one of the boat there did appear to be a larger gap. So I altered course onto port gybe and headed for it.
When I was about 60 feet away I saw that the gap was an illusion, one buoy was somewhat underwater, and all the buoys were roped together from the island to the mainland as a swimming channel with no passage of boats. I managed to swing into the wind, all sails flogging, and carry up far enough to drop anchor, which held me till I could get the jib furled, the main sheeted in and the engine started. I had not realized that towns could just close of a well-used navigable channel like that without at least some kind of warning. So, since they didn’t let you know I am!
I have been through that gap may times, to be safe I suggest in my guides people go round. It is very well used by local boats, especially the fishing boats and therein lies the problem. Apparently, a swimmer was killed by an outboard motor, so I have sympathy for what they have done, Some kind of warning buoy or notices to places like Compass would be helpful. I don’t think the rope is deployed all the time – it looked fat too new and shiny to have been in the water long. I am just happy I was not under spinnaker!
the river-bridges is closed, so you can’t go through the 2 island
http://www.marinaguadeloupe.com/index.php/en/the-marina/river-bridges