Trinidad and Tobago: Update on Clearing in Process

Clearing into Trinidad was an easy and friendly experience for Tera and Pieter Houting where they plan to haul-out for the hurricane season. Tera provided this update on the process and procedures they experienced when checking into the country.

Published 2 years ago

We sailed from Grenada to Trinidad in convoy with another boat and for the clearance process, we sent our documents to reservations@peakeyachts.com. Documents we had to provide were:

  • Float plan
  • Maritime declaration of health
  • Copies of passports of all crew members on board
  • Boat registration papers
  • Clearance from last port

Approaching Trinidad’s north coast inform the authorities on VHF Channel 16 that you have arrived, call sign is nine yankee alpha.

Once you arrive in Chaguaramas, you can anchor or pick up a mooring if one is available, raise the Q flag and then call Peake Yachts on VHF Channel 69 and wait until they have arranged clearance from Port Health.

Approaching our destination.

Once clearance is received Peake Yacht Services will then help with immigration and customs clearance procedures.  (If not using Peake Yachts, then Jesse James provides the same service).

Everyone on board has to be present at customs and immigration. Make sure you are smartly dressed – long pants and shirts for men and nice skirt and top or a dress for the ladies.

A visitor on the way to Trinidad.

We didn’t have to pay anything for clearing in.  We understand that anyone from Europe does not have to pay for clearing in, but yachts from the USA have to pay. 

(It is coincidental that our yacht is called Peak and we have hauled out at Peake Yacht Services in Chaguaramas!)

Tera and Pieter Houting
SY Peak

On the hard, ready for hurricane season.

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About the Authors

Dutch couple Tera and Pieter Houting left their home port of Scarlino, Italy in August 2021 and sailed from Las Palmas to St Lucia in January 2022 with the ARC.  Since then they have been exploring the Caribbean – from Martinique to Trinidad and Tobago, where they will spend the hurricane season installing a new teak deck.

Their yacht, SY Peak is a Swan 65 (ketch number 1), which they bought in Sweden and have owned for nearly 20 years.

Future cruising destinations include Columbia, Panama, the San Blas Islands, Dominican Republic and Cuba, but they have no firm plans.

Read more about their adventures on their Peak Sailing website.

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Related Links:

Peake Yacht Services

Jesse James

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

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