ANCHORS AWEIGH

Sailors coming to Trinidad find a hearty welcome in the western peninsula of the island, the area called Chaguaramas, which served as a US military base during World War II.

The number of visiting yachts has steadily increased in recent years, thanks to word-of-mouth and radio communication between the yachts people themselves. The Trinidad and Tobago government has recognised the need to cater to this new visitor market and has accordingly introduced a private port facility at CrewsInn Marina & Boatyard to expedite Customs and Immigration (Tel:(809) 634-4341) clearance and the payment of harbour-master fees (all of which was previously done in Port of Spain).

A major consideration for many yachts coming south is safety: Trinidad's port lies on the outskirts of the hurricane belt, free of insurance restrictions. The Gulf of Paria is considered one of the best "hurricane holes" in the Caribbean.

Also alluring are the facilities available to yachtsmen. In terms of raw materials, workmanship, technical know-how, competitive labour and overall costs, Trinidad is hard to beat. Professional machine shops, custom upholstery specialists, diesel mechanics and easily imported duty-free spare parts are some of the services offered. Aluminium and stainless steel fabrication and welding can also be had, as well as locally-grown teak at a fraction of US prices.

There are well-stocked chandleries, good telecommunications and direct flights to international gateways in the USA, the United Kingdom and Europe. With a good line-up of boatyards, marinas and services available in Chaguaramas, here's a brief summary of what's on offer:

The Trinidad Yacht Club, in Bayshore, is the marina closest to Port of Spain. It has 60 in-water berths, security, Laundromat, telephone services (credit card and collect) and a fax machine. There's a restaurant and bar on the premises and live local entertainment on alternate Fridays. Tel/Fax (809) 637-4260
The Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) provides a full-service haul-out yard, a 15-ton marine hoist, moorings, office services, Laundromat, repair shed and good anchorage. There's a Christmas Hamper race especially for visitors on the Sunday before Christmas; and the Angostura Fun Race, hosted by Angostura Ltd., where competitors sail in (silly) Carnival costumes, sans rules is held a week before Carnival Sunday. Yachtspeople from all the marinas and boatyards get together at the TTYA's bar, The Spinnaker, on Monday nights for pot-luck dinner. The YSATT is also heavily involved in the Tobago Sail Week, where live-aboards especially are encouraged to compete and enjoy the fun of the week-long activities on the sister isle. Tel/Fax (809) 634-4376/4210/4519.

Power Boats (Trinity Yacht Facilities) offers 22 berths, a sail loft, a small grocery, a Laundromat and a chandlery. There are also woodworking, upholstery and electrical repair shops on the premises. A re-fuelling jetty is operational; and local bus tickets, phone-cards, Carnival tickets and sightseeing tours are all on sale at the office. Overseas calls can be arranged. Tel (809) 634-4303; Fax 634-4327.

Dolphin Marine offers fibreglass rowing and sailing dinghies, shipwright work, teak decks and cabinetry. Fibreglass repairs with polyester and epoxy are also available. Tel (809) 634-4502; Fax 634-4453.

There's a 10 room hotel and restaurant, The Bight, located at Peake Yacht Services, which also boasts one of the most powerful travel lifts in the Caribbean: it has a 150-ton capability. There are 21 in-water berths, a handy undercover spray shop, a chandlery, a laundromat and mini-bus shuttle to Port of Spain. Rental storage booths and additional card-phones are being installed. Tel: (809) 634-4423, Fax: 634-4387.

Next to Peake is the IMS Yacht Services boatyard, with a 70-ton haul-out capacity, yard storage, osmosis repair, a new chandlery, a laundromat, a restaurant and multilingual personnel. Yachtsmen are offered the use of the facility to repair their own boats, if they prefer. Tel/Fax 634-4337.

On May 20th 1996 CrewsInn quietly welcomed yachts from around the world to its 55 slip Marina. There was no fanfare, no hurrahs, just friendly efficient service aimed at providing maximum benifit to the visiting yachtsperson. Tel: (809) 634-4384 (admin), Fax: (809) 634-4828 (boatyard), Fax: (809) 634-4542 (marina).

Outside of Chaguaramas a few, fairly simple facilities are offered. These are:

• Pointe Pierre Yacht Club A fairly rustic set-up; but sailors like the calm anchorage and the solitude is sometimes welcome after the crowded anchorages of Chaguaramas. Fresh water is available at the Club, and there's an open bar on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Club organisers arrange Wild Fowl Trust trips (10 minutes by car) for groups. The annual North-South Hardware and Oilfield Race finishes in Pointe-a-Pierre, with lots of food and parties.
• Tobago: There is a Coast Guard facility at Scarborough; but increasingly, yachts are choosing to anchor in Store Bay and Mount Irvine because of the natural beauty of the bays. No facilities. There's a private jetty at Courland bay; Man O'War Bay in Charlotteville also has a jetty where yachts can moor. There is a gas station in Charlotteville.

While all your repairs and maintenance are being attended to, there's no need to sit around the boatyard all day long. Trinidad is a diverse and dynamic country with good dining choices, excellent shopping and vibrant entertainment. You don't have to wander far to find good restaurants in the Chaguaramas area; and if you prefer fast food, several outlets in the vicinity offer take-away and delivery.

There's good shopping at the Starlite Shopping Plaza and at West Mall (which houses the night-clubs Club Life and Upper Level). There's dining and dancing at both The Anchorage and Pier 1; and Moon Over Bourbon Street, which is also at West Mall, sometimes features live entertainment.

And of course, there's no need to confine yourself to the western peninsula: the yachties, as they are affectionately called by Trinidadians, are known to be an adventurous lot (how else would they have got here?). Get out and explore:

Columbus may have beaten you to it, but a lot has changed since then.

The Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT): http://ysatt.org/
Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA): http://www.ttsailing.org/