Marigot Bay Marina on the scenic Caribbean coast of Saint Lucia reopened July 15 as an official Port of Entry for yacht-based visitors to the island after more than three months of closure in the face of COVID-19.
The marina, nestled in a bay described as “the most beautiful in the Caribbean” by the novelist James A. Michener, closed on March 27 as island authorities locked down borders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Customs officers will be resuming their services today, while the Immigration Department and the St. Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority office is also fully operational and includes a new port health office with a full time representative.
A new nursing station has opened and is ready to receive patients as the need arises.
“Providing a safe and clean environment for our boaters and Marina Staff has always been a top priority for Marigot Bay Marina. Now more than ever, we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and want you to feel at ease when you berth with us,” said Marigot Marina Manager, Troy Blanchard.
Marigot Bay Marina is a full-service marina on the West Coast of Saint Lucia, attached to the five-star Marigot Bay Resort and Spa. The bay provides protection to ships during the roughest of seas, and is known as a “hurricane hole” due to its location on the west side of the island, surrounded by mountains and experiencing minimal tidal changes.
Rates at the marina include WiFi, Black Water Pump out, and use of the facilities of the Marigot Bay Resort (reopening date to be determined). Berths are both stern-to and alongside, and serviced with electricity, potable water and complimentary CATV. The marina can accommodate yachts up to 280 feet in length with a draft of up to 20 feet.
“As we look forward to the future of yachting and cruising, we have implemented full-scale enhancements to our already stringent quality controls and health and safety measures. We have embarked on our newly activated CASE programme (Clean and Sanitize Everything) which provides ongoing, real-time guidance on the safety and well-being of associates and guests,” he said.
Although the Marigot Bay Marina experience may appear different in this new environment, Blanchard said he and his team would continue to provide customised intuitive service with an even greater attention to detail for which they have become known.
The summer season is looking to be a robust one for the marina with a number of yachts and catamarans booked on berths from July through early autumn.
Visiting yachts will still be able to enjoy high speed refueling, boat maintenance and cleaning, and provisioning services with just a few changes in how these services are delivered.
For now, restaurants in the bay remain closed. However, yacht-based visitors will be able to take advantage of “In Boat” room service style dining delivered to their yachts when ordered in advance.
Marigot Bay Resort’s upper swimming pool is also open to Marina guests as are the shower and bathroom facilities in the Marina Village.
“We will continue to work towards providing the best service possible while at the same time ensuring the safety of our boaters and associates,” Blanchard said.
The Marigot Bay Marina will continue to monitor and follow recommendations and guidelines from the World Health Organization and the CDC. Current guidelines divide visiting yachts into two distinct categories:
1. Yachts traveling from within the “Travel Bubble.” These destinations currently include Antigua, Barbuda, Aruba, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos.
All yachts arriving from within the “Travel Bubble” are exempt from the presentation of COVID-19 test results and are not required to quarantine on arrival.
2. Yachts traveling from outside the ‘Travel Bubble.” Passengers on yachts arriving from countries outside the “Travel Bubble” must have a negative result from a PCR Test within seven days of arrival and undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
For more information and for berth bookings, email Troy Blanchard at [email protected] or visit marigotbayresort.com/marina.
Download full details of Marigot Bay Marina’s new operational protocols by clicking this link.