Reclaiming its official status as port of entry into St. Lucia, Customs will be resuming operations at Marigot Bay as of this week. Those looking to dock at Marigot Bay can expect to see ramped up safety and hygiene measures in keeping with guidelines, but otherwise largely a return to ‘business as usual’.
And what exactly does business as usual look like at Marigot Bay? Picture intimate bayside dining spots, serving fresh deep-sea fish and locally sourced ingredients. Picture observation decks looking out at vast expanses of unspoilt landscape, pristinely maintained suites and spa facilities, infinity pools. This should give visitors an idea of the slice of paradise they can expect upon berthing at Marigot Bay Marina & Resort. To add to this idyllic appeal, the marina offers berthing capacity for up to 42 yachts, 20 mooring locations anchored in the surrounding bay and world-class maintenance and repair facilities.
As part of the resumption of operations, Marigot Bay will also see a new port health office established as well as a nursing station in the Marina Village according to the requirements laid out by the Ministry of Health. Visiting yachts fall into one of two categories; those within the ‘Travel Bubble’ and those outside of it. Yachts outside of the bubble will be required to undergo 14-day quarantine upon arrival and obtain a negative result from a PCR Test within 7 days in line with careful precautions at Marigot Bay.
The ‘Travel Bubble’ has been defined to include Aruba, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Monsterrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos.
Troy Blanchard, Marigot Marina Manager, comments, “Providing a safe and clean environment for our boaters and Marina Staff has always been a top priority for Marigot Bay Marina. Now more than ever, we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and want you to feel at ease when you berth with us.”
He goes on, “As we look forward to the future of yachting and cruising, we have implemented full-scale enhancements to our already stringent quality controls and health and safety measures. We have embarked on our newly activated CASE programme (Clean and Sanitize Everything) which provides ongoing, real-time guidance on the safety and well-being of associates and guests in the evolving COVID-19 world and beyond.”
Although the local supermarket and restaurants remain closed for now, the upper swimming pool is open to marina guests, and the marina plans to have ‘In-Boat’ call out food service for boats wishing to make an advance order.