Navily
Anchorages & marinas
The community guide to anchorages and marinas: depth, seabed, shelter from wind and swell, recent reviews and photos. Very useful for choosing your overnight anchorage and planning each leg. Offline mode available.
Departing from the Marina du Marin
Cruise ideas
Three itineraries we know by heart to help you picture your cruise: the Grenadines, Martinique in a week, or Guadeloupe in about ten days. We then adapt them to your crew and the weather.
On your phone
Two apps to plan your stops
Before browsing the itineraries, download Navily and NoForeignLand : they also give you up-to-date information on every anchorage you’ll visit, so you can prepare your arrival (seabed, shelter, recent reviews, shore services). More details in our practical info.
NoForeignLand
Ports of call & community
Sailors’ reports on ports of call, formalities and shore services. Ideal for arriving well prepared at each anchorage. You can also track your route and share it with family and friends ashore.
Download them before departure and save offline areas: the signal is sometimes weak at anchor.
Our itineraries
Choose your programme
These are ideas, not a fixed schedule: the wind, the swell and the crew’s mood decide. At the briefing, we go through the itinerary together leg by leg, with our favourite spots and anchoring tips.
Our rule: we sail by day
As a rule, night sailing is not permitted on our boats: poorly lit boats and invisible fish traps and nets make the area tricky after sunset (around 6 pm all year round). All the legs below are sailed in daylight, with an early start for the longest ones.
Itinerary 1 · Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
The Grenadines
The archipelago south of Martinique: dozens of small islands clustered in a small area, idyllic anchorages and turquoise lagoons. The great classic, departing from Le Marin.
Allow at least 9 days. It’s hard to plan a Grenadines cruise in under nine days if you want time to enjoy it. Some people want to go for seven days, but that’s not enough: you end up spending far too much time sailing between places.
Day1
Le Marin → Saint Lucia (Rodney Bay or Marigot Bay)
After the boat handover, we leave Le Marin and cross the Saint Lucia Channel (≈ 25 NM, 4 to 5 h). Rodney Bay and its marina, or Marigot Bay, a small and very sheltered bay.
Entry/exit clearance in Saint Lucia if you go ashore.
Leave in the morning to arrive well before dark.
Day2
Saint Lucia → Bequia (Port Elizabeth)
The longest leg (≈ 60 NM): along the leeward coasts of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent, then through the Saint Vincent and Bequia channels.
Clear into Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at Port Elizabeth. Pretty village, restaurants, provisioning.
Leave very early (at daybreak) to arrive in daylight. If the crew prefers, break the leg with a night at Wallilabou or Cumberland Bay (Saint Vincent).
Day3
Bequia → Mayreau (Salt Whistle Bay)
Head south into the heart of the Grenadines. Picture-postcard anchorage at Salt Whistle Bay, a few metres from a classic Caribbean beach.
Walk up to the small fishing village of Mayreau.
Day4
Tobago Cays
The lagoon between the islets, protected by the reef. Turtles, rays, snorkelling on the reef.
Marine park: mooring buoys and park fees, payable on site.
Enter the lagoon by eye, with the sun high, following the buoyage.
Day5
Petit Saint Vincent & Petite Martinique
Quiet anchorage at Petit Saint Vincent. Opposite, Petite Martinique lets you fill up with water at the dock.
Petite Martinique belongs to Grenada: only go ashore after completing the required formalities.
Day6
Union Island — Clifton, Chatham Bay or Palm Island
Union and its village of Clifton (restaurants, market). Chatham Bay, a quieter anchorage facing a lovely beach. Or Palm Island, a little further on.
Exit clearance from the Grenadines possible at Clifton or on the way back at Bequia.
Day7
Back towards Bequia
In the afternoon, sail back up to Port Elizabeth to get closer to Saint Lucia.
Day8
Bequia → Soufrière (Pitons, Saint Lucia)
A night on a mooring buoy at the foot of the Pitons, one of the most beautiful settings in the Caribbean. Hot springs possible with local guides.
Mooring buoys compulsory in the Pitons area (marine park).
Day9
Soufrière → Sainte-Anne (Martinique)
Along the leeward coast of Saint Lucia, then across the channel. Anchor at Sainte-Anne: Anse Caritan, off the village or off the Club Med.
Clear back into Martinique.
Day10
Sainte-Anne → Le Marin
Last breakfast at anchor, then 30 minutes’ sailing back to the dock. Disembarkation at 10 am.
Formalities (clearance) — in short
- Every crew member must have their own passport.
- Clear out of Martinique at the marina’s customs office, right next to our boats.
- Then: entry/exit in Saint Lucia → entry at Bequia (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) → exit a few days later → entry/exit in Saint Lucia → final clearance in Martinique.
- The rule: customs are mandatory as soon as you set foot ashore. If you stay at anchor without going ashore, no formalities are required.
Our tips
- Allow 9 days minimum, ideally 10: in 7 days the cruise is too short and most of the time is spent sailing between places. A one-way trip (Grenadines ↔ Martinique) can also be arranged.
- Do your full provisioning in Le Marin: in the Grenadines you’ll mainly find fruit, vegetables and fish.
- Keep some EC dollars (XCD) for mooring buoys, the marine park and the boat boys.
Itinerary 2 · No formalities
Martinique in 7 days
The leeward coast, on the Caribbean Sea side: flat water, short passages and sheltered anchorages, from Le Marin up to Saint-Pierre and Le Prêcheur.
Day1
Le Marin → Sainte-Anne
After the handover, a short sail (≈ 30 min) for a quiet first night at Anse Caritan, off the village of Sainte-Anne.
Ideal for getting to know the boat without pressure.
Day2
Sainte-Anne → Grande Anse d’Arlet
Head west along the south coast, passing Diamond Rock. Arrival on the Caribbean side, in the lee of the island: flat water, a beach and a fishing village.
Respect the organised anchoring zones and seagrass beds: we’ll show you at the briefing.
Day3
Anses d’Arlet → Anse Noire & Anse Dufour
Petite Anse d’Arlet, Anse Chaudière, then Anse Noire and Anse Dufour: snorkelling, turtles and crystal-clear water. Short passages, long swims.
Day4
→ Case-Pilote / Bellefontaine
Sail up the leeward coast, crossing the Bay of Fort-de-France. Stop at Case-Pilote, a small fishing village with a beautiful church, or anchor near Bellefontaine.
Day5
→ Saint-Pierre
Anchor in the bay of Saint-Pierre, at the foot of Mount Pelée. Ashore: local market, ruins and museum, rum distilleries.
For the keenest: climb Mount Pelée (allow half a day or more).
Day6
Saint-Pierre → Le Prêcheur / Anse Céron → heading back south
A morning in the north, towards Le Prêcheur and Anse Céron: black sand, tropical vegetation and swimming. Then back down the Caribbean coast to the Anses d’Arlet for the night.
Day7
Anses d’Arlet → Sainte-Anne
Beat back upwind around Diamond Point to Sainte-Anne for the last night, close to Le Marin. Disembarkation the next day at 10 am.
Leave in the morning: this is the most upwind leg of the week.
Why Martinique only?
- No customs formalities: you’re sailing in France, with no passports to show at each stop.
- The leeward coast offers flat seas and short legs: comfortable for the whole crew.
- Perfect for a first cruise, for families, or on a smaller catamaran.
- We’re never far away if you need us.
Itinerary 3 · Dominica, Les Saintes, Marie-Galante
Heading for Guadeloupe
Head north via wild Dominica to Les Saintes and Marie-Galante. Possible as a one-way trip to make the most of it.
Day1
Le Marin → Anses d’Arlet
Handover, provisioning, then a short sail to the Anses d’Arlet for a first night at anchor.
Day2
Anses d’Arlet → Saint-Pierre
Up the Caribbean coast on flat water to the foot of Mount Pelée. Last Martinique market.
Exit clearance from Martinique (also possible in Le Marin before you leave).
Day3
Saint-Pierre → Dominica (Roseau)
Cross the Dominica Channel. Arrive in Roseau: rainforest, hot springs, Trafalgar Falls.
Clear into Dominica (passports).
The channel can be rough: leave at daybreak, with a reef in if needed.
Day4
Roseau → Portsmouth (Prince Rupert Bay)
Coastal hop along the leeward coast. Trip up the Indian River by rowing boat with a local guide.
Day5
Portsmouth → Les Saintes (Terre-de-Haut)
Clear out of Dominica, then about 3 hours’ crossing. Anchor in the bay of Les Saintes, one of the most beautiful in the world.
Back in France (Guadeloupe): formalities at Terre-de-Haut.
Day6
Les Saintes
Fort Napoléon, Pompierre beach, Pain de Sucre, the village and its colourful houses.
Day7
Les Saintes → Marie-Galante
Head east (≈ 4 h). Anchor off Saint-Louis: white sandy beaches, sugar cane fields, distilleries.
Day8
Marie-Galante → Îlet du Gosier / Pointe-à-Pitre
Sail towards Grande-Terre. Snorkelling at Îlet du Gosier, night at anchor or at Bas-du-Fort marina.
Day9
Guadeloupe → Les Saintes or Deshaies
Depending on your plan: one-way, disembark in Guadeloupe; round trip, head back south to Les Saintes or the leeward coast (Deshaies, Pigeon).
Day10
Back towards Martinique
For a round trip, return via Dominica in one or two legs (allow 12–14 days to be relaxed). Last night at Sainte-Anne, disembark in Le Marin at 10 am.
For 10 days, we recommend the one-way trip: you can enjoy Guadeloupe without rushing.
One-way or round trip?
Over ten days or so, aone-way Le Marin → Guadeloupe (or the reverse) is often the best choice: fewer miles, more time at anchor. We organise the return delivery of the boat. Let’s discuss it based on your dates.
Formalities
- Dominica is an independent state: clear out of Martinique, clear in/out of Dominica, then clear into Guadeloupe.
- Individual passport required for each crew member.
Practical tips
Before you cast off
Embarkation & briefing
Embarkation at 5 pm on your arrival day. Boat handover the next morning from 8:15 am with Thibaut or Edwin (about 2 hours, including the inventory). Disembarkation at 10 am.
The guide on board
Jacques Patuelli’s cruising guide to the Lesser Antilles is on all our boats: a wealth of ideas and anchoring tips to complement these itineraries.
Last night at Sainte-Anne
For a relaxed 10 am disembarkation, plan to anchor at Sainte-Anne the evening before: close to Le Marin and very pleasant.
Provisioning
You’ll find everything in Le Marin, but mainly fruit, vegetables and fish on the other islands. Plan your menus in advance — see our practical info.
One-way trips
Grenadines, Grenada or Guadeloupe: we can arrange a one-way charter so you can spend longer at your destination.
With skipper
Not yet comfortable with these crossings? We can put you in touch with a professional skipper we know.
Ready for your cruise?
Tell us your dates, crew and preferred package: we’ll reply with a tailored quote.