Rodney Bay Marina
Rodney Bay St Lucia - Pilotage info.
NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION, Info here is no substitute for proper navigational data.
SINCE THIS WAS WRITTEN Rodney Bay has had a makeover, dunno what but i know its had one.
Rodney bay Marina is the largest marina in St Lucia,  probably one of the largest  in the Caribbean. Its deep enough for most boats, fully enclosed and secure. This is probably why  its then end point for the ARC. Its also a very conventional marina. Finger pontoons etc.
 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 relatively  free of dangers, provided you maintain sane distance off the shore. The exception is the "barrel of  beef", presumably cockney rhyming 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. 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 visible on the road behind the entrance however the Brig Unicorn and  the new travel lift dock are certain to obscure 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. 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 maneuver here). The marina its self is a promontory on the eastern side of the main lagoon, with  three docks running north south. The western most dock is A dock, a continuous run. The other  docks are cut in two by the marina promontory, B and C to the north D and E to the south. Even  numbered berths are on the western 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  concentrate fenders at the end of the finger. You may need to get creative in fendering the aft post!   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 actual entrance channel, however this is  for the local small fishing boats not the yachty fuel dock which is further in. Water is also  available from the fuel dock, but I think you have to pay. Anchoring in the marina is fine, bottom is thick cloying mud, you won't drag as  such but you might creep as the anchor oozes its way through the mud. Have a bucket and brush  available when you haul it up. We once had a tripping line buoyed to the anchor. It was dragged into  the mud, through the hole the anchor made and back up after it, covered in mud as we hauled 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.  Around the marina are plenty of spots for your dinghy. Most of the docks around  the edge of the lagoon are private, however theres one at the Boatyard pub in the boatyard to the  north. Reportedly the shopping mall has one at the southern side of the southern lagoon. In the  southwest corner of the south lagoon is the "Village Green" Which used to be used by yachties,  however 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 "customers only", but the  bar is never open and nobody seems to take any notice. The is easy access from here to the beach. 
 Water, electricity and in some fingers cable TV are available.. All require  connection and meter reading by marina staff. if you come in at an odd time or Christmas new year  etc, the security will connect you, but expect to sort in out later when the office re-opens. 
 WiFi is also available, but not terribly reliable at time of writing. Whostpot#  can usually be accessed from the boat, however these are paid for via pre paid tokens from the rent  a car shop. When it works, it logs in via a web browser. There is a free hotspot called "cw  hotspot" which works intermittently, but is not going to reach your boat. This is best used at the  picnic tables by the bread basket cafe. Bars, there is Skuttlebutts (formally Rodney Bay Marina Bar,  Formally 3 Amigos) large with a pool area, does food most of the day (beer $5.5EC). Upstairs is  Bosuns (beer $5EC) also a restaurant. The prices of drinks very wildly (some times daily too) Vodka  Coke was $15EC! Stick to rum based ones as foreign spirits will probably be more.
 Cafe's, the are 2 cafe's both on the ground floor of the main  marina block, both are similar doing breakfasty things and baguettes etc. The CafeNavigational info.

Approaches
Channel
Lagoon
Marina
Anchorages
Dinghy Docks
Services.

Pontoons
Ashore 

14° 45.2' N, -60° 56.9' W
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
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