COMPLETE TRIP INFORMATION

Our journey will begin in the capitol of Guadeloupe, Pointe à Pitré. While the skippers and mates check the boats on Saturday, others can see to the provisioning at the local grocery store. This is may be the last place you will find an American-style supermarket for the rest of our cruise. We will have all day to provision, get checked out and clear out of customs.  There should also be time for some sightseeing on mainland Guadeloupe.  Depending on how quickly we complete all the formalities and necessities, we may be able to sail away Saturday afternoon!

No later than Sunday morning, our little fleet will point southwest from Bas du Fort towards Iles des Saintes. The Saints, as they are also known, are a cluster of small islands. Bourg des Saintes, the largest town, is reminiscent of a Mediterranean coastal village. There are boutiques and cafes along the quay from which you can watch the comings and goings in the harbor.

Monday we will head to Dominica, the lush green island of the lower Leewards. Dominica was among the last islands colonized by the British after fierce resistance from the indigenous Carib natives. A thick green jungle covers this island with dozens of rivers flowing from the summits down to the sea. The fresh produce is amazing! The citrus and bananas are nature's candy. We can potentially stay an extra day in Portsmouth to take a tour of the rainforest or kayak the Indian River, or we can sail south to Roseau, in either case using the time to see the interior.

Next we will sail further south to Martinique. Martinique is another French overseas department like Guadeloupe but here the Caribbean flavor of the island is more pronounced. We will make landfall in St. Pierre, a town made infamous by its total destruction during the eruption of Mt. Pelée in 1902. Only a single jailed prisoner survived owing to the thick concrete walls of his cell. Fort du France is the administrative center of the island. It boasts a fish and produce market, public gardens, and a floral park with exotic aquarium. The bay in which we will anchor is one of the most beautiful in the world. Le Marin is our final destination and the location of the charter base. There is yet much to see in Le Marin! We have left some extra time to explore more of the island.

We are planning this as a one-way charter.  That is: pick up our yachts in Guadeloupe and drop them off in Martinique.  A roundtrip charter would cost a bit less but it would also afford us less time to see some of these islands.  We will make this at least 8-day trip to give ourselves enough time to see it all!  We may have some extra time depending on whether we can get away Saturday afternoon after provisioning.

We will have a pre-trip meeting in February to go over our Float Plan and as well as other information.  We will also present our meal plan at that time.  You will be notified via email regarding the date and location of this meeting. 

Here is a map of Guadeloupe and the French West Indies island chain.

The cost per person is $1500 per person. This price assumes double occupancy in the cabins and includes the charter yacht, provisioning, an experienced captain, damage waiver insurance, prepaid fuel charges, and limited travel insurance from the charter company. It is based on 8 people per yacht.

This plan assumes that we identify one or more volunteers from the crew to act as galley/supply officer to oversee the provisioning once we arrive in Pointe à Pitré and to manage supplies during the trip. There is an incentive that could be shared among the volunteers.  Dave and Rob will develop a meal plan for the week.  The cost of provisioning is added into the trip price.  Please contact us for details if you are interested.

The price does not include airfare, airport transfers, customs fees, meals eaten ashore, alcoholic beverages, or other incidentals.

Including the initial deposit of $375, there will be a total of four (4) equal payments spaced approximately 8 weeks apart. Please make your checks payable to Custom Float Plans.  Before sending your deposit, please read and understand the cancellation policy. It is understood that receipt of your deposit means that you understand, and agree to the cancellation policy as posted.  If you have not already made a reservation with us, please use the form below to do so.

All payments should be mailed to:
Rob Chichester
487 East Main Street
Somerville, NJ 08876-3129

You should consider making your airline reservations as early as practical.  Economic pressures will make airfares volatile.  The flight information below is for those coming out of Northern New Jersey.  For those of you coming out of different locations, check for flights connecting in San Juan with the American Eagle flight 5052 going to PTP and then flight 5046 returning from FDF.  There is only one flight each day connecting each way through San Juan, Puerto Rico.

We have been made aware of other flight options. There are direct flights to San Juan out of JFK in New York. That will cut your travelling time but the flights cost about $100 more and there is the logistical issue of getting to JFK. (Some have suggested hiring a van as a group.) There are also some variants involving direct flights to St. Martin. However you choose to get to Guadeloupe, please be aware that we may well be sailing away Saturday afternoon. You should make every effort to arrive in Guadeloupe by Friday night.

Given the flight schedules, you may want a hotel room for the night of the 17th. We will be able to stay aboard the boat on both the 17th and the 26th but you may get a hotel room if you wish.

A minimum deposit of $375 will reserve your berth or a place on the wait-list.  Depending on where we are in the payment schedule, the minimum first payment could be more.  Read and understand the payment schedule and cancellation policy above.  If you are wait-listed, the cancellation policy does not apply while you are on the wait-list.  We need at least 14 committed people to make this trip viable.  Please submit the form below immediately to hold your place on our crew list!  While we currently plan on chartering catamarans, there may still be an option to charter a monohull if we add more boats to the flotilla.   Be sure to indicate your boat preference on the form below.  However, we cannot guarantee that all such requests will be satisfied.

Should you have any questions Dave and Rob can be reached via email or call us on our cell phones: