Sailing to Tobago

[Herta, New York]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 19 July 2002

Our family is going to spend Christmas and New Years in Tobago. We are planning to rent a vacation villa and I found this great site while looking for one. Here's the challenge: my sister and her boyfriend are on a world sailing trip and will come to the island via catameran (after crossing the Atlantic). The other members of the family (6 to will fly in from the US and Europe. As we plan daily sailing trips to the various beaches and around the island we need to pick a house that is close to quiet bay for anchoring or a marina where the sailors can "park" the boat. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything about travelling to Tobago by boat and staying off the shore. It seems like the Eastern coast is the place to be... Does anyone have any experience or recommendation? Or at least a tip where you have seen the most private boats on anchor? Thanks for any help! The site is great - I found a lot of possible villas and I'm getting very excited about this trip going through all the sections of the site!

Herta, NY

[Steve Wooler]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 19 July 2002

Hello Herta. I love a challenge! Trouble is, just looking at a wave makes me seasick, so I’m not the best person to reply to your questions. However, I know a man who can! I’ve emailed him a copy of your message and hopefully will have an answer in a day or two. I can’t guarantee that he’s immediately available, so bear with me and check back in a day or two – or email me at [email protected] with your own email address (in the strictest confidence) and I’ll notify you when I’ve got some answers.

From what you say, I take it that the whole party could be up to 10 people. Will anyone be staying on the boat? How many are young children? What I’m trying to establish is the size of accommodation you require. Obviously the larger the property, the less choice there is. Would two smaller (3 or 4-bedroom) adjacent villas be acceptable?

Your question about marinas brought a grin to my face. I know nothing about sailing, but I somehow suspect marinas – in terms of what your are used to in the States – are in short supply in Tobago (and long may in remain so - although I mean this in the nicest possible way. There's nothing wrong with marinas, but you need to visit Tobago to understand what I mean). Everyone seems to just moor their yachts wherever they fancy.

Thanks for your kind words about the site. Come back next year after our next visit to Tobago, when we’ll be able to provide a lot more general interest and ‘activity’ information and illustration.

We’ll get a full response to your post as quickly as possible.

[Steve Wooler]

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 20 July 2002

Hello Herta

I contacted the manager of Kalina Cats to research your reply and am very grateful to him for the following reply:

The only suitable overnight anchorages for visiting yachts in Tobago are :- Store Bay, Mt Irvine Bay, Scarborough harbour and Man Of War Bay (Charlotteville).

There are no marinas or official moorings in Tobago for visiting yachts, so they must lay there own anchors.

All vessels entering or leaving Tobago must pass through a port of entry or exit and the only one is Scarborough port where there are customs and immigration. There is no facility to process yachts at the airport like other islands.

The two option exist to rent a villa in the Coral Seas or Seashell villas area and keep the boat in Store Bay. Or rent a villa in The Mt Irvine area and keep the boat in Mt Irvine Bay.

The east of Tobago is out as it is the windward side and not a suitable cruising area for yachts.

Hope this helps in your research for suitable accommodation, Herta. Just a thought, based upon the above reply - how about Paradise Found Villa - that is 5 bedroom and sleeps 10.

Many Regards and thanks again to Kalina Cats.