Pigeon Island and Rodney Bay

Are still very much worth a visit despite the long absence of Mrs. Snowball. After clearing customs and immigration in the artificial lagoon, you may anchor off Pigeon Island so that you will clear its SW end if you should drag during the night, for the holding here is rather dodgy. Go the mainland side, the lagoon has been dredged to 8-foot depths to serve as a nucleus for a Florida-style land development project.

You can also anchor south of the lagoon en trance, opposite the Saint Lucien Hotel.

The lagoon is the home of Rodney Bay Marina and Stevens' Yachts. Water and fuel may be obtained at Stevens' work facility on the port hand as you enter the lagoon. Laundry can be left at their office in the marina complex, to be returned the following day, and you can get a good variety of supplies at their small commissary. Stevens' can also fill your propane bottle.

(This is probably the last place to get propane if you are going south, until you get to Venezuela.)

Three other yacht charter companies have offices in the marina, and other businesses located in the complex include a liquor store, drugstore, bread and sandwich shop, car rental, and boutique. A swimming pool is al so available to marina patrons. Several restaurants are located within dinghy distance.

Two slips in Rodney Bay Marina, the ones with yellow pilings, are designated for boats wishing to check into customs and can be used without charge. If those are full, drop your anchor and dinghy in.

Customs hours are 8:00 A.M.-noon, 4:00-6:00 P.M., but after 4:30 P.M. there is an overtime charge of about U.S. $4. The same charge is also made on Saturday, and is raised to about U.S. $6 on Sunday.

There is usually room at the marina for transients to tie up there and in the lagoon to anchor in its calm water.

This bay was used as a fleet anchorage by Admiral Rodney during his relentless pursuit of de Grasse, which was to end so disastrously for the French in the Saintes Passage. Later, from the fort on top of Pigeon's southern hill, Admiral Hood's men would signal with mirrors to a small sloop on station in the channel between Saint Lucia and Martinique.

The sloop would similarly relay the message to the tiny garrison clinging to Diamond Rock. When the French fleet hoisted their yards, spies in Fort-de-France reported to Diamond Rock, and the Royal Navy, a slightly more spirited bunch then than now, was ready to pounce.

The W coast of Saint Lucia has many beautiful and protected anchorages and one suppose that, of all the islands, Saint Lucia best epitomizes the tropical image of the West Indies.

We arrange a 2 week charter cruising trough the best of the Caribbean islands onboard the sailboat Audrey with capacity for 6 persons including: Captain and cook and all meals with open bar. The price is $125 per person a day with a minimum of 4 persons. For more information please contact us: audrey@explore-yachts.com

Pigeon Island: The Explore Charter Cruising Guide for the Caribbean.

Pigeon Island and Rodney Bay