# Living Aboard in the Caribbean



## Shellylenawilson (Jul 29, 2010)

Hi all,

I am new to this site- already love it.

My husband and I are planning on retiring in 6 years to live and sail through the Caribbean- I am very open to any and all information that experienced live aboards can share.

I have heard that it is not very safe- is this true?

Thanks in advance.

Shelly


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

There are pockets that are not always safe.. lately St Vincent has been noted for some problems. Cruiser radio nets and grapevines usually warn you of the 'trouble spots'.

Not a good idea to plan to stay year-round.. most people we know of spend November to April down south and return home for the rest of the year. Most haul out for the 'summer' away from the Hurricane belt..


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## Yorksailor (Oct 11, 2009)

have just started our 4th year in the Caribbean and have not felt threatened or had a single thing stolen...Safety is 99% prevention...you need to make yourself the hardest target in the anchorage.

We have bars on the hatches, lock ourselves in at night, have remote lights, always lift and lock the dinghy, never anchor in remote locations, never anchor alone and we have sailed past St Vincent 8 times.

We did not visit Venezuela and kept 50 miles off-shore for most of Columbia and all Nicaragua but in Mexico we feel safer than in our Miami home.

However, you need to be out of the hurricane belt July, August, Sept and Oct..so far we have sailed to Nova Scotia, a lovely place...spent 3 months in Trinidad, a terible and unsafe place...and last year we were in Bonaire, Curacao, Cartagena and the San Blas Islands,an experience we plan to repeat

Good luck Phil


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## riversandbar (Jan 13, 2011)

When you guys talk about getting out of the hurricane belt for the summer... is it feasible to pass the Panama cannel for the summer, and spend the summer on the Pacific side, then come back when its over?

OR Maybe I am way off on this...


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## john1066 (Feb 4, 2006)

The northern hemisphere hurricane season is the same on both sides of the Panama Canal.


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## riversandbar (Jan 13, 2011)

> The northern hemisphere hurricane season is the same on both sides of the Panama Canal.


 I agree, however, dont the hurricanes on the Pacific side generally start around Panama area and then build as the head out into the open ocean of the Pacific? thus head to Hawaii or Cabo San Lucas?


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

Yorksailor said:


> never anchor in remote locations, never anchor alone and we have sailed past St Vincent 8 times.


Phil, I'm curious where in the Carribean did you not want to anchor whilst alone or "remote"?

My experience is somewhat limited (one charter down there and several deliveries back and forth but no extended cruising so I was wondering...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

riversandbar said:


> When you guys talk about getting out of the hurricane belt for the summer... is it feasible to pass the Panama cannel for the summer, and spend the summer on the Pacific side, then come back when its over?
> 
> OR Maybe I am way off on this...


"Nipping over to Panama" and through for the summer is harder to do than to type!  This is a pretty major undertaking in its own. It's a looong way from the Caribbean chain to Panama, and even longer trying to get back against the trades. And, as mentioned, the storms can be both sides of the continent.

Much easier to head south or north to get to safer waters


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Never mind the delays and costs of doing a Panama Canal transit. 



Faster said:


> "Nipping over to Panama" and through for the summer is harder to do than to type!  This is a pretty major undertaking in its own. It's a looong way from the Caribbean chain to Panama, and even longer trying to get back against the trades. And, as mentioned, the storms can be both sides of the continent.
> 
> Much easier to head south or north to get to safer waters


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## Shellylenawilson (Jul 29, 2010)

*Cost of living in caribbean*

Hi York Sailor

Thanks very much for your comments. If there is anything else you can share that you had to learn the hard way- we would really appreciate it.

What do you estimate your monthly costs are? Do you dock or anchor?

Thanks
Shelly


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Faster said:


> There are pockets that are not always safe.. lately St Vincent has been noted for some problems. Cruiser radio nets and grapevines usually warn you of the 'trouble spots'.


_Chateabelair is the only anchorage in St Vincent that I would be cautious about. I would not be there on my own but would anchor there with at least two other boats though. The rest are OK now in my opinion. The RUDE BOAT BOYS have been re-educated and are now polite and efficient BEACH FRONT SERVICE PROVIDERS. _


Faster said:


> .
> 
> However Venuzuela is currently a bit of a no go area especially the mainland.
> 
> ...


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## MikeinLA (Jul 25, 2006)

TQA said:


> According to the FBI, in 2008 14,180 people were murdered in America. *Some states have more registered gun dealers than petrol stations.*


And as we have learned from our astute media, guns actually do sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and kill people.....all on their own.

Mike


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Aren't the ABC island outside the hurricane belt (99% of the time anyway, as New England might be considered as well)? Pretty sure that was the reason for Aruba"s entry and success in the vacation market. Otherwise, its a fairly barren, unattractive and windy island.


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## bellefonte (Jan 14, 2010)

Sailing North at that time of year seems very cold and blowey. Has anyone headed south along the west coast of South America during the hurricane season?


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

I've never been on my sailboat, but I've enjoyed both Aruba and particularly Bonaire if you get away from the cruise ship docks. I could stand to pass hurricane season in either if there's suitable anchorages/moorings.


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

Panama (either side) is safe from hurricanes and many people spend the summer in the San Blas Islands to avoid storms. Getting from there back to the Eastern Caribbean is a major, difficult trip. Perhaps it makes sense to think of the Caribbean as two somewhat separate cruising grounds - the eastern and the western with connections along the northern shore of South American and further north via Central America (and possibly Cuba) to Florida and the Bahamas. We met a few boats in the San Blas that were heading east along Colombia and Venezuela but where rare and knew they were in for tough slog.

Many people stay on their boats all year in Grenada. This lovely spot was thought to be safe from hurricanes until it was devastated in 2004(?). Now many insurance companies have moved their latitude limit one degree south. I wondered about the possibility of heading south from Grenada if it appeared to be at risk (perhaps in a 72 hour forecast. You could go to Trinidad although this is a bit to windward or Margarita Island in Venezuela if necessary.


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## riversandbar (Jan 13, 2011)

So if you were to stay in the San Blas Islands in Panama for the summer, would it be feasable to make the run back along Central America and Mexico heading back to Texas? Maybe stop in Cancun before making the puddle jump back in the spring time?


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## bdietrich (Aug 25, 2001)

*lots of info on my web site*

Caribbean stuff starting at:
Caribbean

Hurricane stuff at:
Places To Sail

Or start at the top of the whole thing:
Retire Onto A Sailboat

Bill


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## riversandbar (Jan 13, 2011)

bdietrich said:


> Caribbean stuff starting at:
> Caribbean
> 
> Hurricane stuff at:
> ...


Thanks Bill!!!!! wow, there is a ton of stuff on your website... gonna have to spend a bunch of time reading it all.

GREAT INFORMATION.


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## gigglingdolphins (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi,
check out this site, they are in Cartagena heading to the San Blas and back to Panama. They left Texas in 2003, it is a pretty extensive report of all they have done. They also are helpful in answering questions you may have.

The Adventures of Bruadair


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## "OO" (Jul 29, 2011)

we have been sailing and living on-board in the Caribbean for years. In general I would say that it is much safer than the US with a few exceptions. I would not worry about it at all and as you travel down island you will easily pick-up the info where to be careful at the given time.

With regards to hurricane season a common strategy is to stay in the wonderful cruising grounds around Granada and just north in the Grenadines and then follow the weather forecast closely. If something is coming your way you will have time to run south as far as needed to avoid any hurricanes.


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## 24seven365 (Aug 13, 2011)

just do it


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