Noonsite February Sailing News & Updates | |
Shared Experiences
We have been getting some great feedback from you this month, particularly with information about your own clearance experience compared to the rules stated on Noonsite. This level of feedback is so important and helps us report accurately for those researching their next stopover. Please continue to post comments (using the speech bubble icon in the Explore drop down) or e-mail us with your clearance experiences.
A great many of you continue to share more detailed reports about stopovers you have particularly enjoyed, passages completed and useful intel to make life on board easier. Thank you to our regulars who keep reporting as they voyage onwards and welcome to a new contributor this month, Francis Hawkings, author of the Pacific Crossing Guide, who will be delving deeper into the hidden cruising secrets of the Pacific Ocean over the next few months.
We hope you enjoy our February newsletter and if you haven't yet shared your cruising stories with Noonsite, we hope you'll make March the month to get in touch.
Sue, Lynda and Megan – the Noonsite Team
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TOP NEWS
South Pacific Drug Trafficking:
Cruisers on course for countries in the SW Pacific this cruising season are being advised to make sure they follow all the correct procedures and guidelines for entering a country to ensure their security and safety, in the face of escalating drug trafficking in the region. Find out all you need to know in Noonsite's report.
Safety Product Recalls on Life Jackets and Parachute Flares:
Don't miss the Recall notices for Rocket Parachute Flares KP-16 by Japanese Company Kokusai Kakoh Ltd. and life jackets by Life Jacket Solutions and Marlin Life Jackets, Australia.
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Cruisers Report . . .
Our thanks to all Noonsite users who took time to send in their cruising reports and post valuable feedback on the site this month.
Crossing the Pacific: With many boats now preparing to cross the Pacific from Panama, Mexico and the west coast of the USA on the famous Coconut Milk Run, Francis Hawkings, author of the latest edition of the Pacific Crossing Guide, has some options for those who want to take a route less-travelled. Read his article here.
French Polynesia: A dream destination for many cruisers, but for those wanting to stay longer than 90 days a long-stay Visa (Carte de Sejour - CDS) is needed. Following recent changes to the application process, US cruiser Eileen Councill explains in this report how she and her husband obtained their CDS.
US sailors Jill Gallin and her husband Michael have been cruising French Polynesia for eight months and describe it as a real, uncharted paradise. However, they caution that cruising eastern French Polynesia, in particular, is complicated and requires careful preparation. Read their tips and advice in this report.
SE Asia to Tahiti: Following on from Part 1 last month, long-term Belgian cruiser Luc Callebaut has subsequently documented Part 2, his planning for the voyage from Davao in the Philippines to Papua New Guinea - the first leg of their long journey. Find out why they stopped at Helen’s Reef on the way. What weather did they really have and was it expected? His video next month will cover the second short leg from Ninigo to Kavieng in northern PNG.
Australia: After arriving into Darwin from Indonesia, Dominique Cabarroque and Arne Leuhrs continued their journey eastward across the top end of Australia. However, faced with the prospect of headwinds for most of their voyage, they decided to layover in Gove in the Northern Territory and wait for the right season before heading through the Torres Strait and onward down Australia’s east coast. Here they report on a positive layover, despite the heat and red dust.
Papua New Guinea: The northern route “over the top” of Papua New Guinea is favoured by cruisers sailing from the Solomon Islands to Indonesia. In this report for Noonsite, cruiser Catherine Hayward recounts her return to the East New Britain area of Papua New Guinea (after working there for two years in the 1980s) as she and her husband sailed from Rabaul to Vanimo.
Brazil: Circumnavigators Brent Crack and Mary Bevan have the intention to follow a course where “others don’t go”. So, the homeward stretch of their voyage from St. Helena in the south Atlantic brought them to the Brazilian offshore island group of Fernando de Noronha - a special stopover that they say deserves more than just a few days. Read their report here.
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Formalities Worldwide
What's new for yacht arrivals this month?
Ascension Island: Roughly halfway between the horn of South America and Africa, Ascension is sometimes visited by yachts after passing through Saint Helena. If only visiting for up to 3 days, a landing permit can be granted. However, if wishing to stay longer, an E-Visa must be purchased prior to arrival that can take up to 14 days to secure. Cruisers report encountering online payment problems, however there are alternative ways to pay as outlined on our Ascension Immigration page.
Caribbean: SailClear is an E-clearance process used by 20 countries throughout the Caribbean that speeds up the in-person clearance process on arrival, available for an annual subscription of USD$25. However, some countries that claim to use the system, in reality do not (Cayman Islands being one). It should also be noted that Caribbean countries do struggle with computer systems and power supply, so while you may go ashore with your SailClear ID number expecting a quick entry/exit, be prepared for possible unavoidable form-filling should the situation arise.
Antigua & Barbuda: Antigua Customs was originally expected to decide which clearance platform works best for them at the conclusion of the May/June 2024 season, however both systems currently remain operational and available to cruisers. Cruisers can choose to use either eSeaClear OR SailClear, no need to use both.
If arriving in Antigua from the French Antilles, cruisers are reporting that the authorities are accepting a cruiser-printed copy of the new online French Antilles exit zarpe, without the need to get an additional stamp ashore from the French authorities on departure. This saves a lot of time. Arrive with your exit papers already printed out, as the Antigua authorities may not be willing to do the same.
Honduras: EU, Australia, Canada, USA, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and many more nationals do not need a pre-arrival visa to enter Honduras. However, UK citizens do and it’s being reported that the process to obtain a visa is particularly cumbersome including an in-person interview at a Honduran embassy outside Honduras with associated travel and accommodation expenses, plus submission of a background check. Honduras is a popular, less-crowded alternative to the Caribbean islands for many cruisers, however those from the UK should get their visas organised well in advance of arrival. More info. on our Honduras Immigration page.
Jamaica: To cruise port to port in Jamaica you must buy a cruising permit. Regular Noonsite contributor Maryanne Webb has posted advice about the online payment system and how to get a refund if you are a US vessel.
Mexico: We continue to get feedback from cruisers about the Temporary Import Permit [TIP], required by all yachts visiting Mexico. This month notification that the Banjercito in Tijuana can not cancel a TIP and you must visit a Banjercito in a Port of Entry, such as Ensenada. For those of you planning to sail Mexico, we have a lot of helpful TIP info. posted in Mexico Documents and our previous report The Importance of Cancelling TIPs in Mexico.
French Polynesia: Important points to remember if planning on cruising into the Pacific with pets on board, provided by SY Totem. Full details at French Polynesia Pets.
- Start planning at least 12 months in advance in order to be fully lined up for the entry process.
- A possible complicated requirement is that the sequential rabies vaccinations must be the same brand.
- There is a bond to pay, to ensure your pet remains on the boat until Tahiti. Last year a vet flew to the Marquesas – however this is not happening this year.
Greece: Chios, in the northern Aegean Sea, is a popular Greek clearance port due to its close proximity to Turkey. A US skipper reported having an issue with the authorities over the authenticity of his radio license (the US recently having transferred licenses online) when entering Chios recently. To avoid complications when undertaking formalities, any boat documents that are digital should be printed off, if at all possible, so that the authorities can see a physical copy.
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Pacific Ocean
Weather: As the slow accumulation of heat and humidity since Christmas has reached its peak, Fiji and Australia Met services have been closely monitoring several developing tropical low pressure systems.
Papua New Guinea: Cruisers report that anchoring fees in the Duke of York Islands, East New Britain Province, are being grossly inflated. A lone Japanese yachtsman was charged 600 Kina for 2 days at anchor (approx. USD$150) even though he negotiated a price of 50 Kina (USD$12) per day.
Healthy Cruising: Interesting Seven Seas Cruising Association interview with Richard Chesher, who arguably created the most innovative cruising guide before satellite pictures were available on the internet: the Rocket Guides of New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Richard just published a new book “A Healthy Cruiser is a Happy Cruiser”, a very valuable reference book for any sailor in tropical waters.
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Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Orca: Expected to return to the Straits of Gibraltar in March, cruisers should be aware of the risks when on passage around Atlantic France, Spain and Portugal and plan accordingly. Don't miss this recording of the the Cruising Association's webinar from Feb 10th, 2025, when John Burbeck - CA orca project lead - talked all things orca. Also see Noonsite's Orca and Yachts page for more information.
Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC): This year marks the 40th edition of the ARC, one of sailing’s must-do events. The crews who will set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria this November will follow in the wake of 7,890 yachts and over 30,000 people who have sailed the rally since 1986.
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Mediterranean Sea
Greece: Ios in the Cyclades, became the fourth island in the Aegean to be placed under a state of emergency on February 15, following the trend set by Santorini on February 6, Amorgos on February 12, and Anafi on February 13, due to the ongoing seismic activity in the region since late January 2025. On January 18, two M5.1 quakes were registered between Santorini and Amorgos, shaking the area with enough intensity to be felt across multiple islands.
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Caribbean Sea
Bahamas: The Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) in partnership with Lorraine’s Café, Black Point, Exumas, will once again host the 4th Annual Bahamas Cruisers Gathering March 13-16, 2025. The gathering is free, open to all Cruisers as well as the local community with a goal of making long lasting friendships. Find out more and register.
Colombia: April 11th to 20th is Cartagena Sailing Week. This three-day Easter event, presented by The Liga de Vela de Bolívar and hosted by Club de Pesca Marina, brings together top-tier Laser/ILCA and Sunfish sailors from across the region (Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru) for a world-class clinic and competition.
Dominica: Cruisers warn about testing the reliability of your PAYS mooring in Portsmouth before committing to using it, following a series of mooring failures in January. PAYS are in the process of replacing older moorings.
Panama: Cruisers transiting the Panama Canal are being warned to not try and “skip the system”. Only once you are parked in Canal waters (i.e. Shelter Bay marina or anchorage on the Atlantic side, or, Flamenco marina, La Playita marina or La Playita anchorage on the Pacific side) can you register your arrival online via ASEM and request a transit date. Skippers that do this prior to arriving in Canal waters, are doing so illegally and risk being penalized or even refused transit. This is becoming more common with small craft skippers, and the authorities are considering making AIS mandatory to avoid this (an additional cost of $350.00 to hire AIS for the transit).
All transiting vessels, including yachts, have to have a canal advisor on board. Keeping your advisor properly fed is top priority and taken very seriously. If your advisor is not happy with the food provided, they can choose to order food from land at a cost of over $700. Nica Waters of Fit2Sail has some excellent guidelines on how to keep your advisor happy.
St. Kitts & Nevis: Cruisers are reporting that Christophe Harbor Marina in St. Kitts make clearing very easy and give visiting cruisers assistance with the necessary forms.
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Red Sea
Wade Alarie, moderator of the Red Sea Passage Facebook group, estimates that approximately 75 yachts will be making a Red Sea transit this season. He confirms that there are 54 yachts recorded in the group in transit, or about to transit (nearly all East to West). Wade also confirms there are no changes in the situation as compared to last year and to the best of his knowledge, no yachts have been attacked by either pirates or Houthies. Read his report here.
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Cruising Knowledge
Cruisers Sharing Routes, Anchorages and More
Terry Sargent of SY Valhalla, spent 10 years documenting anchorages spanning from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of USA, satellite imagery-based companion charts to the anchorages, CM93 charts, cruising guides, routes and miscellaneous information useful to cruisers using the OpenCPN program. The result was Terry's Topics, compiled and supplemented by inputs garnered from cruisers and other sources and now available on S/Y Grace's website (who also share mbTiles charting efforts from SE Alaska to Mexico and the Mediterranean). See Noonsite's Chart page for more links to free downloadable satellite charts by cruisers.
Winter Webinar Series
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The Cruising Association have a number of March/April Zoom webinars free to both members and non-members. Find details here. Dates are 19 March: An Evening with RATS; 13 March: Adventures to the Med via the Donau/Danube and Black Sea; and 9 April: Motorcruising the Dutch Frisian Islands.
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The Salty Dawg Sailing Association has an on-going winter series of varied and interesting webinars open to both members and non-members (for a very reasonable fee for the whole series). Find out more.
Sustainable Sailing Workshop - Amsterdam
For all Dutch-speaking sailors aged 18-30, this free workshop in April is part of the Sail4Sustainability project, co-financed by the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission and run by Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees, two Dutchmen who sailed around the world searching for solutions to sustainability challenges. Find out details on their Facebook page.
Sailing and Voyaging Excellence Awards 2024
The Ocean Cruising Club has announced its 2024 Award Winners including a Lifetime Award to Canadian cruiser and long-time advisor for cruisers tackling the NW Passage, Victor Wejer.
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Life On Board
Dinghy Security
Dinghy thefts are a regular occurrence in some of the more popular anchorages in and around the Caribbean Islands, so long-time Caribbean cruiser David Lyman, went looking for an effective way of tracking a dinghy. In this report, he details how he found a tracker that works.
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Book of the Month
Mediterranean Almanac 2025-6
By Imray, edited by Lucinda Heikell
The essential marine data resource for yachts sailing the Mediterranean, published biennially with updates available in a downloadable supplement at the end of the first year. Bear in mind this is an overview of the whole Mediterranean – an excellent resource if planning a Med cruise and wanting to quickly discover what paperwork is required, the best routes and distances between ports, availability of decent harbours and brief details, contact information, tidal streams and much more.
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Noonsite has been helping cruisers by providing free information for over 20 years, but did you know that by becoming a member you can unlock unlimited access to the site for just $2.99 a month?
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PREMIUM subscription: US$6.99 a month.
All of BASIC, plus download your choice of port, country and formalities information as a pdf for use offline, including business listings. Ideal if you are casting off for some extended long-distance cruising and want all that Noonsite has to offer at your fingertips.
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