<h1>Rodney Bay St Lucia - Pilotage info.</h1>
<p align="center" style="color:#CC00FF"><b>NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION, Info here is no substitute for proper navigational data.<b></p>
<p>Rodney bay Marina is the largest marina in St Lucia,  proably one of the largest in the Caribbean. Its deepenough for most boats, fully enclosed and secure. This is probalby why its then end point for the ARC. Its also a very conventioal marina. Finger pontoons etc.</p>
<h2>Navigational info.</h2>
<p align="center"><img src="content/pic/pilot/rb.png" alt="Rodney bay lagoon" width="650" height="560" /></p>
<h3>Aproaches</h3>
<p>Rodney bay marina is in a lagoon, the lagoon has one entrance, a narrow channel out between stone groins into the bay. Entrance point pretty much dead west. The bay is relativly free of dangers, provided you maintan sane distance off the shore. The exception is the &quot;barrel of beef&quot;, presumalby cockney ryming slang for reef. It is a large rock with a beacon on it (dunno if it actually works) about 2 meters high. Near it are other lower rocks so leave it well clear. The barrel o beef is in the south west corner of the bay.</p>
<h3>Channel</h3>
<p>The channel itself is narrow and marked by 2 beacons red and green, in the American style (red right returning). Both work at time of writing. Its clear there were at one stage leading lights. One is visable on the road behind the entrance however the Brig Unicorn and the new travel lift dock are certain to obsucre it, even if it does work which I doubt. Apparently the channel groins ends have spread a bit. but so long as you pass between the beacons I doubt there's a problem.</p>
<h3>Lagoon</h3>
<p>The Lagoon is in 2 parts, the first reached contains the marina, fuel dock and boatyard. Round to the right (south west) the lagoon opens out into a second section. There are a few private docks around the edge, but Anchoring is allowed except off the southern end of the Marina Docks (the big tourist cats manoover here).</p>
<h3>Marina</h3>
<p>The marina its self is a promentary on the eastern side of the main lagoon, with three docks running north south. The western most dock is A dock, a continuious run. The other docks are cut in two by the marina promentary, B and C to the north D and E to the south. Even numbered berths are on the westen sides and even numbers on the eastern sides. Fingers are short and concrete, there is also a post either wood or concrete off the ends of the fingers for a stern line or bow spring, so be ready to loop a rope over this on your way in. The pontoons are fixed not floating,  the tidal range is not huge but it is bigger than a normal fender. Normal practice is to hang 2 or more fenders together on high one low. Since the pontoons are short, once parked conentrate fenders at the end of the finger. You may need to get creative in fendering the aft post!</p>
<p>The fueling dock and boat yard are separate from the marina on the north side of the Lagoon. There is a large tank and diesel sign in the actuall entrance channel, however this is for the local small fishing boats not the yachty fuel dock wich is further in. Water is also available from the fuel dock, but I think you have to pay.</p>
<h3>Anchorages</h3>
<p>Anchoring in the marina is fine, bottom is thick cloying mud, you won't drag as such but you might creep as the anchor ooses its way through the mud. Have a bukent and brush available when you haul it up. We once had a tripping line bouyed to the anchor. It was draged into the mud, through the hole the anchor made and back up after it, covered in mud as we haulled the anchor up. Do not anchor of the southern end of the docks. The southern lagoon can be anchored in as well. All are flat calm. </p>
<h3>Dinghy Docks</h3>
<p>Arround the marina are plenty of spots for your dinghy. Most of the docks around the edge of the lagoon are private, however the'es one at the Boatyard pub in the boatyard to the north. Reportadly the shopping mall has one at the sothern side of the southern lagoon. In the southwest corner of the south lagoon is the &quot;Village Green&quot; wich used to be used by yachties, howeve this area is locals green space and appears to have fallen out of yachty use. Finally there is a dinghy dock on the southern side of the entrance channel, its marked &quot;customers only&quot;, but the bar is never open and nobody seems to take any notice. The is easy access from here to the beach. </p>
<h2>Services.</h2>
<p align="center"><img src="content/pic/pilot/rbZoom.png" alt="Rodney Bay Marina" width="521" height="389" /></p>
<h3>Pontoons</h3>
<p>Water, electrisity and in some fingers cable TV are available.. All require conection and meter reading by marina staff. if you come in at an odd time or chrismas new year etc, the security will connect you, but expect to sort in out later when the office re-opens. </p>
<p>WiFi is also available, but not terribly reliable at time of writing. Whostpot# can usually be accesed from the boat, however these are paid for via pre paied tokens from the rent a car shop. When it works, it logs in via a web broswser. There is a free hotspot called &quot;cw hotspot&quot; which works intermittnatly, but is not going to reach your boat. This is best used at the picnic tables by the bread basket cafe.</p>
<h3>Ashore </h3>
<p align="center"><img src="content/pic/pilot/Rondey Bay.jpg" alt="Shore side photo" width="650" height="180" /></p>
<p><strong>Bars</strong>, there is Skuttlebutts (formaly Rodney Bay Marina Bar, Fomally 3 Amagos) large with a pool area, does food most of the day (beer $5.5EC). Upstairs is Bosuns (beer $5EC) also a resteraunt. The prices of drinks very wildy (some times dayly too) Vodka Coke was $15EC! Stick to rum bassed ones as foreign spirits will probably be more.</p>
<p><strong>Cafe's</strong>, the are 2 cafe's both on the ground floor of the main marina block, both are similar doing breakfasty things and baggettes etc. The Cafe &oacute;le has an Ice Cream stall, and the &quot;Breadbasket&quot; sells bread and some local food like roti's as well, though they sell out of rotis fast</p>
<p><strong>Shops</strong>, there is a small supermarket, $2.75 for a beer out of the fridge, fags etc. A posh clothing and tourist store and a Duty free booze and fags.</p>
<p><strong>Showers and toilets</strong> There is one small showerblock, solar heated water, so after dark it can be cold if its been used up. There's no key or code, but there is iron gate wich can look locked, just open in an walk in. There are blokes loos up the stairs by the maina office, and girls under the stairs. Watch the door on the blokes as it stick on the roof!</p>
<p><strong>Laundry</strong>, there's suds, near dock C, and sparkle, Sparkle opeate outside the marina and run by boat. Call them on channel 16 - dirtly underwear is and emergency.</p>
<p><strong>Paperwork</strong>, Both cusoms and Imagration and the Marina office are upstairs on the balcony area of the bigest block.</p>
<p>Other usfull tips:<br />
  <strong>Post</strong>, stamps are availablf from the posh clothes shop, and there's a box in the marina office, mail can also be sent to the marina office. Boat name, Rodney Bay marina, P.O.Box 1538, Castries, St Lucia, WEST INDIES FedEx seems to work here somewhere too..<br />
  <strong>Internet</strong>, a pc in Skuttlebuts is free. There's paid access in the rent a car shop upstaris and cable an wireless near the shower block.</p>
<p>I will finsih this some time..... Tom </p>
