By Hank Schmitt
Sign me up now. That’s how I can enjoy the third annual yachting festival in Dominica, also known as the “Nature Island.”
By private boat:
If you are cruising in the Caribbean in 2025 make sure you visit Dominica. Juxtaposed between two very domesticated French islands, interior parts of Dominica are Jurassic Park without dinosaurs. Anything and everything grows in the verdant soil. Unchecked, it takes over, which is why it is not uncommon to see Dominicans, male or female, carrying machetes, locally called cutlasses. Parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean: Part II were filmed on the island.
Also, Dominica is very safe — it’s much closer to a garden of Eden, rewarding cruisers with abundant free water. With nary a dock or finger pier to tie up to, you must jug water from public taps in town. While there are no docks on the island, the Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security, known as PAYS, maintains moorings, a welcome center, a party pavilion with showers and restrooms ashore.
If you haven’t already made contact ahead of time online, hail the group on VHF channel 16 and you will be directed to a mooring. If it’s your first time visiting, take them up on their offer to bring you to customs since it’s not easy to find. By Caribbean standards this is a very friendly customs experience. It is also very inexpensive. Make sure you ask about clearing in and out at the same time; a bonus of the island is you can often clear in and out simultaneously.
New this year is that you can go onto the PAYS website and reserve a mooring, which only cost $12 daily. Of course, anchoring out is free. In 2025, the moorings are free for the PAYS Dominica Yachting Festival March 22-30. Reserve a free mooring with a $100 PayPal payment, which will be applied to socials or tours during the week. Consult the website for the full event schedule (https://paysdominica.com).
Unlike more popular Caribbean charter sailing destinations, where you will shuttle between snorkeling day-buoys and beach bars, you’ll want to get off your boat in Dominica and spend the entire day exploring the rainforests and hiking trails, as Herb did. Veteran cruisers never leave their boat for the day if they think there’s poor holding ground, poorly maintained tackle, or security issues. Not only is the PAYS mooring field updated each fall, money raised by Sunday and Wednesday $25 barbecues goes towards a nightly security boat patrolling the anchorage. The PAYS office can sell you the dinner tickets, park passes and answer questions. Two park sites are within walking distance of the PAYS anchorage. Plan to stay for a few days and have them book a tour of the interior and explore the culture and history of Dominica. The PAYS office can arrange a guided tour up the Indian River to the elusive Bush Bar. Experience the “Heart of Darkness” for $25. Park passes are $5 for one site and $12 for a full week. You will need park passes to visit most of the island’s many parks so it makes sense to buy a week pass for $12.
Charter options:
There are no charter bases in Dominica. Your best bet is to charter from a charter company or through a charter yacht broker out of Guadeloupe. Marina Bas du Fort in Pointe-à-Pitre on Grande-Terre island, which is considered one of the largest marinas in the Caribbean and a popular starting point for yacht charters in the region, is on the south side of the island and a day sail to Portsmouth.
Among charter companies with a base in Guadeloupe is Dream Yacht Worldwide. Bareboat charters are available starting at 39 feet length mono/multi for 2-4 qualified bareboat crew and up to 48 feet length mono/multi for a max of 12 qualified crew. Rates range from $1,330 to $14,906 for one-week charters depending on boat type and season. For information, consult the company website (www.dreamyachtcharter.com).
Crew changes and arrival by air: New nonstop service from Miami on American Airlines is available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. You can also book flights on Silver Airlines from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday through Sundays directly with American, Delta or Jet Blue. Winair, a small Dutch Airline, has flights between St. Maarten and Dominica.
