Down south St Lucia – and tropical storm coming  01/07/2021

We left Rodney Bay on Tuesday 29th morning, headed to the south of the island. My intention was to stop and anchor overnight in Anse La Raye, a small bay with a fishing village, and then go on to Soufriere, location of the famous pitons. But with rain almost continual on Wednesday there was little point leaving, so stayed a second night in Anse La Raye.

By yesterday afternoon it was very clear that a serious storm was approaching. Not a hurricane, but a serious storm – which the US weather service has named Tropical Storm Elsa. Forecasts of wind strength vary, but looks like 40 knots (46mph) here in St Lucia, with a possibility that it could be as strong as 60 knots (64 knots is hurricane force). 

I did not want to get caught. Sitting on an anchor, or as I’d intended, stopping at Soufriere and being on a mooring buoy, would not be a great idea. So I had 2 options: running south, or getting protection locally. I was wary of heading south – the storm could veer southwards. So I checked into the marina at Marigot Bay, just a couple of miles up the coast from where I was. Marigot Bay is a famous “hurricane hole” – there is a long entrance to the bay, between very high bluffs, and the inner bay is well sheltered.

We came in this morning and are well tied up. They are taking serious precautions – 2 guys tied us in, one in a dinghy. We’re moored stern in, with 2 ropes securing the boat to the dock, with a very large 6-foot gap. And another 2 ropes tight from the bow to mooring buoys situated out in the water. It’s largely sunny today, but the weather is ominous – at 2pm it is 30 degrees, but very humid: feels like 36 (normal would be feels like 32 or 33). 

It will be interesting to see what transpires. St Lucia is right in the predicted path of Elsa. My Predict Wind service sees Force 10 gusts tomorrow (48-55 knots). Anyway, I’d rather be safe than sorry!